US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2342

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002342 
 
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 
TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Bush Statement Angers Armenian Diaspora -Hurriyet 
French Legislature to Punish Denial of Armenian `Genocide' - 
Milliyet 
Rice Urges Shiites, Kurds to Agree on New Iraq Government - 
Aksam 
Turkey-EU Partnership Council Meets Today - Hurriyet 
Pope Issues Warm Message to Muslims - Hurriyet 
Blair Seeks Clinton's Help for May 5 Election - Sabah 
Prince Charles Prays for Fallen in Gallipoli - Aksam 
Woman Candidate to Run for Iran Presidency - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Bush Message Seeks To Balance Between Turks, Armenians - 
Radikal 
Bush Supports Turkey's Proposal on Armenian Claims - Zaman 
US Pushes Shiites, Kurds to Form Government `At Once' - Yeni 
Safak 
Private Guards Violate Human Rights in Iraq - Zaman 
Day to Bid Farewell to Syria in Lebanon - Zaman 
Prodi: EU Will Collapse If France Rejects EU Constitution - 
Cumhuriyet 
New Pope Issues Friendship Message To Muslims - Zaman 
Putin Longs for Days Of Soviet Union - Cumhuriyet 
US Aims to `Quarantine' North Korea - Cumhuriyet 
Weizman, Architect of Middle East Peace Process, Dies - 
Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Turkey Grants US Increased Access to Incirlik Airbase:  The 
Turkish Government on Monday approved a long-standing US 
request for increased access to Incirlik Airbase for 
logistical support into Iraq and Afghanistan, papers report. 
Turkey also accepted a US request for `blanket clearance' 
for all cargo flights, backing away from an earlier position 
that each flight would require separate permission.  US 
Ambassador Eric Edelman and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul are 
to outline the details of the deal at a joint news 
conference on Tuesday, according to reports.  Foreign 
Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that the Turkish 
cabinet had extended the duration of the use of Incirlik in 
accordance with NATO and UN requirements.  The one-year 
mandate of the new agreement will begin on June 23.  The 
Turkish cabinet decree has been sent to President Sezer for 
approval.  Some reports suggest that the US Embassy will be 
informed of Turkey's positive decision on the cargo hub 
request once the decree has been signed by President Sezer. 
 
Bush `Remembers' Armenians, Does Not Mention `Genocide' in 
April 24 Message:  Turkish papers give extensive coverage to 
a message released by President Bush on April 24 to remember 
the `forced exile and mass killings of as many as 1.5 
million Armenians' during the last days of the Ottoman 
empire.  `I join my fellow Americans and Armenians around 
the world in expressing my deepest condolences for this 
horrible loss of life,' Bush said.  Papers note that 
President Bush backed Prime Minister Erdogan's proposal to 
set up a joint commission of historians to examine Armenian 
genocide allegations.  Most reports suggest that the Turkish 
Foreign Ministry viewed the President's statement as 
positive, especially given the pressure exerted by Armenian 
groups and the problems in US-Turkish relations.  Some media 
speculate that Ankara gave the final green light to the US 
request for a cargo hub at Incirlik only after ensuring that 
the Bush statement did not include the word `genocide.' 
 
Cicek Signals Shift in Turkey's Armenia Policy:  Turkish 
Minister of Justice and government spokesman Cemil Cicek 
said after a cabinet meeting on Monday that after many years 
of leaving the issue of `genocide' to historians, it is now 
high time for Turkey to move to disprove the allegations. 
`We hope that, instead of turning incidents of the past into 
a cause of hatred and anger, events should be brought into 
the light by historians with an eye toward future 
reconciliation,' Cicek said, adding that Turkey must follow 
a new policy in an effort to `disprove' the `lies' of those 
who claim that a genocide has taken place.  Cicek noted that 
Turkey has opened its archives, and proposed forming joint 
commissions of historians to investigate the Armenian 
claims.  Papers assess Cicek remarks as a change in Turkey's 
Armenia policy, and expect Ankara to seek the support of 
NGOs, academics, and professional organizations to that end. 
 
Chief Judge Warns Against Attempts to Legalize Headscarves: 
Constitutional Court President Mustafa Bumin warned on 
Monday against possible political efforts to allow 
headscarves to be worn at Turkish universities and in public 
areas.  Bumin said that `even if changes are made to the 
Constitution, as long as there is secularism there can be no 
headscarves in universities or public areas.'  He noted that 
it is `a kind of exploitation' for political parties to 
advocate liberalization on the headscarf issue, adding that 
parties that have taken such a position in the past have 
been shut down.  Parliamentary Speaker Bulent Arinc and the 
AK Party leadership criticized Bumin's remarks as a 
violation of fundamental rights, while the parliamentary 
opposition backed his comments.  `We should not ignore 
fundamental rights which are meant for all of us,' PM 
Erdogan said in response to Bumin.  Arinc said that `nothing 
can be achieved through bans,' adding that Bumin represents 
a `restrictive mentality' in Turkish politics.  Bumin said 
later on Monday that his remarks should be seen as a 
warning.  `Certain circles pressured me to speak out on the 
issue,' Bumin said.  `I had to make reference to the issue 
of headscarves, which is gradually on the rise in Turkey,' 
Bumin stressed. 
 
Israeli, Palestinian Businessmen to Meet in Ankara:  Ankara 
is to host a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian businessmen 
on Wednesday in advance of PM Erdogan's May 1-2 visit to 
Israel, "Hurriyet" reports.  Turkey's Union of Chambers 
(TOBB) will host the meeting, which will discuss business 
cooperation between Israel and Palestine, and ways to 
enhance cooperation with Turkey. 
 
Turkey's Jewish Leaders to Accompany Erdogan on Israel 
Visit:  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has invited Turkish- 
Jewish Society leaders Bension Pinto and Silvio Ovadya to 
accompany him during his state visit to Israel on May 1-2, 
"Hurriyet" reports. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Pope Benedict XVI; Turkey-Armenia 
 
"Fear in Christian Europe" 
Haluk Ulman wrote in the economic-political "Dunya" (4/26): 
"Europe, with its Christian identity, has the fear that it 
could lose its religious identity to a certain extent by 
mixing with the Islamic world.  The influx of immigrants 
from all over the Muslim world -- from Morocco, Algeria, 
Turkey, and Afghanistan -- is the main reason for this fear. 
Europeans are afraid of seeing an Islamic-dominated 
religious culture in Europe.  Staunch supporters of this 
point of view include Christian Democrats and other right 
wing parties.  These parties are strengthened by their 
connection with the Vatican.  We can only understand the 
Vatican's choice of an ultraconservative pope and the 
ongoing xenophobia in Europe as a further sign of 
Christianity's fear of Islam." 
"The Pope and the Turks" 
Yilmaz Oztuna wrote in the conservative "Turkiye" (4/26): 
"Before being elected as the new pope, Ratzinger used to 
work against Turkey's getting a negotiation date from the 
EU.  This is acceptable to a certain point, because even 
within Turkey there are anti-EU groups.  Yet the most 
annoying part of Ratzinger's approach for Turkey is his 
suggestion that Turkey should direct its efforts toward 
being a member of the Arab League.  This shows that the new 
pope is not only unaware of Turkey-EU relations, but is also 
ignorant about Turkey's ultimate destination. . Pope 
Benedict XVI was very negatively influenced by the radical 
events of 1968, which he considered as the main reason for 
the rise of anti-religious feeling and homosexuality.  But 
he makes a big mistake and misreads reality by blaming 
Muslims, including Turks, for all the things that he 
opposes.  Nevertheless, let us hope that the new pope takes 
this criticism on board and focuses on world peace." 
 
"Once Again It's Over, But." 
Sami Kohen observed in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (4/26): 
"President Bush put aside his domestic political concerns 
and did not use the `genocide' word.  This shows how much he 
valued the importance of Turkish-American relations.  Yet we 
should not be mesmerized by this development.  We had better 
see the reality regarding the general atmosphere in the US, 
which is supportive of the genocide argument.  A 
Congressional resolution on this could come at any time. 
Will the Bush administration be able to stop a resolution? 
It remains to be seen.  But the bottom line is this: We have 
overcome the April 24 issue this time, but the case remains 
open.  . Turkey should exercise to open a new global 
approach and produce new strategies on this issue.  In this 
regard, Turkey's offer to Armenia to establish a joint 
commission is a positive development.  Ankara can take more 
steps toward facilitating bilateral ties with Yerevan.  A 
constructive dialogue can be established between Turkish 
NGOs and the Armenian diaspora.  Only by developing new, 
rational, and pragmatic strategies we can avoid having to 
deal with this same issue over and over again." 
 
EDELMAN