US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2250

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 002250 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL 
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, TU, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
The Era of Benedict XVI - Hurriyet 
Ratzinger Is Catholics' New Leader - Milliyet 
Ratzinger Opposes Turkey's EU Membership - Hurriyet 
New Pope Is Anti-Turkish - Sabah 
`Panzerkardinal' Ratzinger Elected Pope - Aksam 
Ratzinger Was John Paul II's Best Man - Posta 
Turkey to Buy 10 Drone Planes From Israel - Hurriyet 
PM Erdogan to Visit Yad Vashem - Sabah 
Turkish Captive Returns From Guantanamo - Sabah 
`Hawkish' Bolton Accused of Harassment - Aksam 
Harlem Boy's Choir Enchants Turks in Ankara - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Ratzinger, Firebrand Conservative, Elected 265th Pope - 
Cumhuriyet 
German Ratzinger Is Catholics' New Pope - Zaman 
Ratzinger Believes Turkey Should Form Union With Arabs - 
Radikal 
Turkey Awards Israel Contract for Drones - Radikal 
1.5 Million Armenians to Commemorate `Genocide' in Yerevan - 
Zaman 
US Troops Beat Iraqi Lawmaker - Yeni Safak 
Iran Halts Al-Jazeera Broadcasts - Yeni Safak 
Cuba Wants US to Open Guantanamo to Inspection - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
New Pope Ratzinger Raises Concern Among Turks:  All papers 
give extensive coverage to the election of Cardinal Joseph 
Ratzinger of Germany as the new pope.  The new pope's 
opposition to Turkey joining the European Union could raise 
obstacles to Turkish EU membership, according to the 
reports.  The `anti-Turkish' Pope earlier said that the 
Turks should form a union with Arab countries instead of 
seeking membership in the EU.  He is among the backers of 
the concept a `privileged partnership' for Turkey that would 
fall short of full membership.  A news commentary in "Zaman" 
says that if the Vatican were to join France, Austria, 
Denmark, and the Netherlands in opposition to Turkey, it 
would send the wrong message not only to Turks but to all 
Muslims. 
 
Turkey to Buy Military Drones From Israel:  Turkey is set to 
buy 10 military drone airplanes and ground stations from 
Israel at a cost of 183 million USD in a deal reached ahead 
of a fence-mending visit to Israel by Prime Minister 
Erdogan.  The visit is scheduled for early May.  A joint 
venture between two Israeli firms, Israel Aircraft 
Industries (IAI) and Elbit, was awarded the contract for the 
10 aircraft, surveillance equipment, and ground control 
stations, Turkey's undersecretariat for defense industries 
said in a statement on Tuesday.  The Israelis are to finish 
their part of the project within 24 to 30 months, according 
to the statement.  A report in "Hurriyet" claims that the 
Turkish military had rejected the US-produced `Predator' in 
favor of the Israeli option.  "Vatan" adds that the deal 
with the Israelis could eventually be expanded to include 
between 30-40 unmanned aircraft. 
 
Shalom Supports Turkey on Armenian `Genocide' Claims: 
"Cumhuriyet" reports that Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan 
Shalom met with `influential figures' in Jewish 
organizations in the United States to seek support for 
Turkey against the Armenian `genocide' campaign in the US. 
Shalom reportedly asked the Jewish organizations to block a 
possible approval by the US Congress of a resolution on 
claims of `genocide,' which may damage the `special 
relationship' between the US, Israel, and Turkey. 
Diplomatic sources said that the `mood' in Congress is `not 
positive' due to the March 1 rejection by Turks of the 
deployment of US troops through Turkey to Iraq, and because 
of strong criticism against the US by PM Erdogan. 
"Cumhuriyet" believes that the Armenian lobby will push the 
Congress until the last minute for approval of a `genocide' 
resolution.  In a report from Washington, "Milliyet" quotes 
American Armenian Assembly (AAA) chairman Anthony Barsamian 
as saying he does not expect President Bush to use the word 
`genocide.'  Barsamian added, however, that the President 
will come closer to recognizing the `genocide' claim than he 
has in the past.  Barsamian said he remains hopeful that the 
US Congress will approve a `genocide' resolution this year. 
"Milliyet" notes that a `genocide' resolution could come to 
the fllor of Congress for a vote even after the Armenian 
commemoration on April 24. 
 
Bill on Incirlik Airbase Submitted to Council of Ministers: 
A bill corresponding to the US request for a wider use of 
Incirlik Airbase was been submitted to the Council of 
Ministers for approval on Monday, papers report.  The bill 
would extend the duration of the existing regulation that 
allows the use of Incirlik by coalition forces for 
humanitarian purposes.  Papers expect the bill to be 
finalized according to the outcome of the vote in the US 
Congress on Armenian `genocide' claims. 
 
Ankara Briefs US, Israel, EU on Sezer's Syria Visit:  The 
Turkish Embassy in Syria briefed EU ambassadors, and the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) briefed US and Israeli 
Ambassadors in Ankara on the results of the recent visit to 
Syria by President Sezer to Syria, papers report.  The Turks 
said the main topics of Sezer's meetings in Damascus had 
been domestic reforms and Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon. 
They insisted that Sezer had conveyed to President Assad the 
message from the international community on the need to pull 
out of Lebanon. 
 
Turkish Detainee Freed From Guantanamo:  A 24-year-old 
Turkish man, Salih Uyar, who spent over three years in 
Guantanamo on suspicion of ties to Al-Qaeda was released and 
sent to Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.  Uyar was then 
freed by a local prosecutor for lack of evidence, but was 
ordered to be handed over to the Turkish military for draft 
evasion.  The Turkish media reports that two other Turkish 
citizens are still being held in Guantanamo. 
 
Investigation Shows Villagers Killed by Security Forces in 
1994:  The Prosecutor's office in Diyarbakir said Tuesday 
that no evidence had been found to support claims by Turkish 
security forces that 38 people were killed by PKK terrorists 
in two villages in Turkey's southeastern province of Sirnak 
in 1994.  The prosecutor told the press that the villagers 
had been killed by bombs that had `fallen' from planes and 
helicopters.  A local villager told "Milliyet" that the two 
villages had been bombed by Turkish security forces after 
the villagers refused to become village guards. 
 
Erdogan Due in Afghanistan:  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan 
will depart for Afghanistan early Wednesday, papers report. 
In Kabul, the Turkish Prime Minister will call on President 
Karzai, former king of  Afghanistan Mohammad Zakir Shah, the 
ISAF command, and the Turkish community in Kabul. 
 
World Bank Report Shows `Unfair' Wealth Distribution in 
Turkey:  "Vatan" carries a World Bank report showing that 
income disparity in Turkey is much greater than previously 
thought.  The poorest 10 percent (seven million Turks) 
receive only 2.3 percent of national income (6.9 billion 
USD), while the wealthiest 10 percent receive 31 percent 
(92.1 billion USD). 
AKP Lawmaker Quits Parliament:  Cemal Kaya, a deputy of the 
ruling AK Party, resigned hisparliamentary seat on Tuesday 
in order to defend himself against allegations of 
involvement in a corruption scandal related to contracts 
awarded by the Ministry of Energy.  Press reports suggest 
that Kaya resigned at the insistence of Prime Minister 
Erdogan.  The PM termed the resignation `appropriate.'  Kaya 
remains a member of AKP. 
 
Mersin Becomes a Center for Smuggled Fuel:  Turkey's 
southern port city of Mersin has become a center for 
smuggled fuel from Iraq, with 57 distribution companies now 
operating in the city, "Zaman" reports.  A parliamentary 
committee has learned that there is one gas station for 
every 300 cars in Mersin.  Smuggled fuel costs Turkey 3 
billion USD per year, according to the report. 
 
Harlem Boy's Choir Performs in Ankara:  On a first visit to 
Turkey, the Boy's Choir of Harlem gave an `exceptionally 
delightful' concert in Ankara on Monday and Tuesday, papers 
report.  Formed by Dr. Walter Turnbull, the Harlem Boy's 
Choir in considered to be among the most famous choirs in 
the history of American music, writes Turkey's leading daily 
"Hurriyet."  US and Israeli Ambassadors to Turkey, Eric 
Edelman and Pinhas Avivi were among the audience who gave 
the choir a standing ovation after the concert, says the 
paper.  US Embassy Ankara co-sponsored the choir's 
participation in the 22nd Ankara Music Festival. 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: US Foreign Policy, Cyprus, AKP and 
Turkish Nationalism 
 
"Washington Plays with Fire" 
Rusen Cakir argued in the mass appeal "Vatan" (4/20): "The 
US collaborated with the totalitarian regimes of the Islamic 
world for years, and refrained from interfering in their 
domestic affairs.  In the aftermath of 9/11, the US 
administration decided to `drain the swamp' as part of its 
struggle against radical Islamist networks such as Al-Qaeda. 
. The essence of the US policy is to conquer hearts and 
minds to win the war against terrorism.  For this purpose, 
the US is advocating democracy, liberty, women's rights, and 
free market values in Islamic countries.  The establishment 
of direct links with opposition movements and NGOs that will 
pressure the rulers are part of this policy.  The approach 
is a product of the neo-cons in the US administration, who 
don't even mind that their project is portrayed as a kind of 
`democratic imperialism.'  Yet the general feeling in the 
Islamic world is different.  The Islamic world views the 
project as `imperialist,' and believes that the rhetoric 
about democracy is only a pretext.  The effect of this is 
that the more the US wants democracy in this region, the 
more anti-Americanism grows. . The neo-cons are nevertheless 
pleased because they consider the situations in Afghanistan, 
Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, and Kyrgyzstan as signs of 
their victory.  When the Red Army pulled out of Afghanistan, 
that was also interpreted as a triumph. But circumstances 
only helped the Taliban and Al-Qaeda to flourish there. 
Today, one cannot feel very sure about the possible 
consequences of spending more dollars in the name of 
democracy.  The Islamic world certainly needs reforms to 
greater democracy, freedom, and women's rights.  This will 
happen sooner or later.  But such developments cannot emerge 
through pressure, nor can they be bought with money. 
Democracy cannot flourish through help from outside." 
 
"Hope is there, Sign yet to come" 
Sami Kohen observed in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (4/20): 
"It seems that the whole world, including the UN, the US, 
the EU and Russia, is pleased with Mehmet Ali Talat's 
election as president. Talat is considered a realistic, pro- 
settlement leader.  Everybody is talking about increasing 
chances for a Cyprus settlement, and diplomats believe that 
the ball is now in Papadopoulos' court.  It remains to be 
seen whether the Greek Cypriot leader will be willing to 
take advantage of this enormous chance for a settlement, and 
whether the international community will seriously engage in 
the process.  Currently we can talk about hopes and 
expectations, but concrete signs of progress have yet to 
come. .. There is a direct link between the stance of the 
Greek Cypriot leadership and the level of determination 
within the international community.  So far, such a 
determination has not been seen.  The UNSYG awaits a call 
from both sides before taking action.  The UNSYG does not 
want to force Papadopoulos even though his current stance is 
viewed as an obstacle.  The EU remains helpless.  The EU 
does not like Papadopoulous' position either, but has 
refrained from taking action that might help to change it. 
The US has been occupied with other priorities, namely Iraq, 
and Cyprus is not part of its immediate agenda.  Other 
international forces, including Russia, do not seem to have 
any intention of taking an active role.  Given the 
circumstances, it is up to Turkey's diplomatic skill to try 
to secure greater involvement by influential international 
players.  Talat is about to take some steps in this regard. 
If these steps come to nothing, there is little more that 
can be done." 
 
Erdogan: "Isn't There Any Province Besides Diyarbakir?" 
Muharrem Sarikaya wrote in the mainstream daily "Sabah" 
(4/20):  When Prime Minister Erdogan came out of the AKP 
group meeting yesterday, he shook our hands and drew us to 
one side.  `How's it going?' he asked.  We gave a clear 
answer: `things are fine with us, but how about you?  You 
said the EU is trying to divide Turkey.  Is there something 
happening that we aren't aware of?'  Erdogan gave the 
following answer: `You need to read that statement very 
carefully.  For us, the important thing is that we are 
carrying out our official contacts with EU officials.  There 
is no problem there.  But all of us also know about the 
negative behavior of some circles within the EU.  They come 
to Turkey and travel around from Ankara to Istanbul and 
Diyarbakir.  All of them go to Diyarbakir.  Isn't there any 
other province in Turkey besides Diyarbakir?  Is their 
intention really clear?'  When we asked the Prime Minister 
why his words had been misunderstood, he went after the CHP: 
`We have not taken a single step back from our EU goal.  We 
are focused in working toward October 3.  But the main 
opposition party has adopted a different position, as if the 
EU were not its goal.  They are saying senseless things, 
claiming we want to break off our relations with the EU. 
But since we are all agreed on our EU target, they shouldn't 
say these kinds of things or try to draw distinctions on 
that issue.'  When we noted that some had interpreted his 
words as an attempt to steer his policy toward nationalism, 
Erdogan responded in this way: `I am a nationalist.  But I 
have already announced the limits of my nationalism.  We 
will never, ever implement policies based on ethnic, 
regional, or religious nationalism.  These are our limits, 
and we will not make concessions.'  We later were chatting 
with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as he came out of the 
meeting.  We pointed out that the writer Ali Bulac had said 
the AKP is starting to slide toward a nationalist policy. 
Gul said he had read Bulac's statement, but added that 
`probably since he left us, Bulac has had difficulty in 
understanding what we are doing.'" 
 
EDELMAN