US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2553

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 002553 
 
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, MAY 4, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Kennedy: No Date Set for Bush-Erdogan Meeting - Sabah 
Schroeder Urges Turkey to Continue EU Reforms - Aksam 
Erdogan Gives Schroeder a Warm Welcome - Hurriyet 
Rubin: US, Turkey Will Lose if Ties Deteriorate Further - 
Aksam 
Iraqi Government Sworn In - Milliyet 
Bair Running to Third Victory in British Elections - Vatan 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Kennedy Issues Messages on Cyprus, Armenia - Radikal 
Kennedy: Turkey, Armenia Can Find `Middle Way' - Cumhuriyet 
Blair, Through With Iraq `Ordeal,' Close to Election Victory 
- Zaman 
Belusconi Changed Report Blaming US for Killing of Italian 
Agent - Zaman 
North Korea: Bush the Father of State Terror - Yeni Safak 
Fundamentalist Jews Call for Prayers for Sharon's Death - 
Yeni Safak 
US F-18 Hornet Crashes in Iraq, Pilot Killed - Cumhuriyet 
Lyndie England Admits Abu-Ghraib Torture - Radikal 
Radical Clergy to Set Up Islamist TV Channel in Afghanistan 
- Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
DAS Kennedy Visits Ankara:  US Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for European and Eurasian Affairs Laura Kennedy, referring 
to the proposal by PM Erdogan for a joint committee of 
historians to examine genocide claims and President 
Kocaryan's call for intergovernmental dialogue, said that 
`these proposals are not antithetical to one another and 
could be reconciled.'  `The two sides could find a middle 
way,' she added.  `Why couldn't both proposals be 
implemented at the same time?'  The Cyprus and Armenian 
issues were taken up during Kennedy's visit to Ankara, which 
included meetings at the Foreign Ministry, a discussion with 
NSC Chairman Yigit Alpogan, and a roundtable with 
parliamentarians.  Following her meetings in Ankara, Kennedy 
gave the following statements to journalists (as reported by 
leftist-nationalist "Cumhuriyet"): 
 
On Armenia:  "We see Prime Minister Erdogan's proposal as 
positive, and we support it.  Recent developments give us 
some hope.  We hope that an agreement can be reached on 
these proposals.  Nobody in Armenia has territorial claims 
on Turkey.  I have asked this during my meetings in Armenia. 
Foreign Minister Oksanyan has said that Armenia recognizes 
the Kars Treaty.  There are important efforts underway on 
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue." 
 
On Cyprus:  "In order to start a new process to resolve the 
Cyprus issue, the Secretary General has called on the sides 
to submit their objections to the Annan Plan.  There has 
been no response from the Greek Cypriot Government.  The 
ball is in the Greek Cypriots court.  We are also calling on 
Papadopulos to submit his views.  We are doing all we can to 
ease the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.  We have 
approved $30.5 million in assistance.  We have efforts 
underway to develop trade and the economy.  On direct 
flights to Ercan Airport, we are still in the decision- 
making process." 
 
On Incirlik:  "We are very pleased by the decision to allow 
Incirlik to be used as a logistics cargo hub.  We appreciate 
Turkey's support in the Global War on terrorism, including 
taking over the command of ISAF in Afghanistan." 
 
On a Possible Erdogan Meeting with President Bush:  "We view 
Prime Minister Erdogan's recent statement on US-Turkish 
relations as positive.  There may be ups and downs in US- 
Turkish relations, but the relationship will survive.  As 
far as I know, we still do not have a date for a meeting 
between the Prime Minister and President Bush." 
 
Erdogan Evaluates Visit to Israel, Palestine:  Speaking to 
ruling AK Party lawmakers yesterday, Prime Minister Erdogan 
said that his recent visit to Israel and Palestine had been 
necessitated by national, humanitarian, and regional 
obligations, and not because `others' wanted it.  Erdogan 
weas responding to criticism that his visit to Israel was 
motivated by his desire to get an appointment with President 
Bush when he travels to Washington in the coming weeks. 
Erdogan said that during his visit to the region, Palestine 
seemed like an `open prison.'  `Palestine should not be left 
like that,' Erdogan noted, adding that Turkey should 
encourage both parties to pursue peace and exert maximum 
effort at the UN and with related countries to that end. 
 
Erdogan to Visit US in Second Half of June:  Ruling AK Party 
sources denied reports that President Bush will decline to 
meet Prime Minister Erdogan during his upcoming visit to the 
United States.  The sources told Turkey's private all-news 
channel NTV on Tuesday that Erdogan's visit to the US will 
take place in the second half of June.  The sources claimed 
that President Bush told Erdogan at the funeral service held 
for the late Pontiff John Paul II that Erdogan's visit had 
been put on the program at the White House. 
 
Iraqi Military Officials Meet With PKK:  Mass-appeal 
"Hurriyet" cites the northern Iraq Kurdistan Democratic 
Party (KDP) official website "Peyamner" as reporting that 
Iraqi military officials met with PKK militants in the 
Kandil Mountain to discuss issues related to border 
security.  The same report also cites the "Media" daily in 
Erbil as claiming that an Iraqi military delegation met with 
PKK representative Ali Haydar Kaytan on April 29. 
 
Columnist Warns Against PKK Attacks in Cities:  "Hurriyet" 
columnist Fatih Altayli warned for the second consecutive 
day that PKK militants have smuggled significant amounts of 
C-4 explosives into Turkish cities and tourist areas and are 
planning attacks there during the tourist season.  Altayli 
claimed that a bomb made from C-4 and placed under a bridge 
across the Golden Horn in Istanbul last week was part of the 
PKK effort (responsibility for the Istanbul bomb was claimed 
by the "Kurdish Liberation Hawks"). 
 
US Troops Block Turkmen Humanitarian Aid from Entering Tal 
Afar:  Islamist-oriented "Yeni Safak" reports that Iraqi 
Turkmen Front (ITF) leader Faruk Abdullah Abdurrahman and 
his delegation were denied access to Tal Afar by US troops 
and Iraqi and Kurdish guards in the northern Iraqi town 
after a car bomb attack which claimed 40 lives at the 
funeral of a Kurdish politician.  Abdurrahman was reportedly 
taking humanitarian aid to Tal Afar.  The Iraqi police 
questioned Abdurrahman and his men for three hours in Mosul, 
according to the report.  The report claims that `confusion 
has reigned' in Tal Afar for the past three days. 
 
Schroeder in Turkey:  Accompanied by 600 businessmen, German 
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder arrived in Ankara Tuesday 
evening on a state visit.  On arrival, Schroeder voiced 
support for Turkey with regard to the EU, Cyprus, and 
Armenia issues.  At a dinner last night with Prime Minister 
Erdogan, Schroeder said he welcomed the PM's initiative to 
form a joint committee of historians to study Armenian 
`genocide' claims.  The Chancellor also urged Erdogan  to 
sign the EU accession protocol before October 3.  The PM 
reportedly said that `Turkey has done all it can for EU 
membership.  Now it's your turn.'  The German Chancellor is 
to meet President Sezer and the Prime Minister again on 
Wednesday before moving on to Istanbul later in the day, 
where he will pay a visit to the Greek Orthodox 
Patriarchate.  "Cumhuriyet" notes that the term `ecumenical' 
is used in Schroeder's program to refer to Patriarch 
Bartolomew.  German diplomatic sources told the paper that 
by doing so, Schroeder displayed support for the 
`ecumenical' title of the Greek Orthodox Church in Turkey. 
They said the `ecumenical' reference was an effort to 
underline the importance of protecting the rights of non- 
Muslim minorities in Turkey. 
 
DEHAP Officials Jailed in Bitlis for Kurdish Songs: 
"Milliyet" reports that 7 leaders of the pro-Kurdish DEHAP's 
provincial party board in the southeastern city of Bitlis 
were sentenced to five months in prison for playing Kurdish 
songs and chanting slogans at a May 2003 party conference. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Turkey-US Relations; Iraq 
 
"What Did We Give Away at Incirlik?" 
Kemal Yavuz commented in the sensational-mass appeal "Aksam" 
(5/4):  "On April 24, the Turkish government extended the 
agreement on the US use of Incirlik air base for one more 
year.  According to US and Turkish officials, the US was 
given new prerogatives along with the extension of the 
agreement.  What did we give at Incirlik?  It is difficult 
to say, as this decree was never published in the official 
gazette.  Although FM Gul said that `there is no secret 
here' and assured us that `we have not given a blank check,' 
the Turkish public will never know the details of the 
decree.  Former US Ambassador to Turkey Mark Parris recently 
wrote an article in `Turkish Policy Quarterly' on Turkish-US 
relations.  In his column, Ambassador Parris said that `the 
US is very much interested in the region around Turkey. 
This US interest, naturally, is going to affect many of 
Turkey's major interests.  Moreover, Washington will realize 
in time that it is much easier to do business with Turkey 
than to try to do business by ignoring Turkey.'  Ambassador 
Parris added the following question to his comments: `If the 
request for to use Incirlik as a logistics hub isn't proof 
of this fact, then what else could it mean?'  Isn't this an 
interesting observation?  The picture at Incirlik looks 
quite different when viewed from this angle.  There is one 
other sensitive issue we should be careful about -- that 
every single prerogative that is given to the US at Incirlik 
will bring new responsibilities and new dangers to Turkey. 
Diplomacy is supposed to be a give-and-take process.  But we 
have to make sure to take what we need in return for what we 
give.  If Turkey has given new prerogatives to the US at 
Incirlik in return for the US not passing an `Armenian 
genocide' resolution, then this can not be considered good 
diplomacy." 
 
"Relations Between the AKP and the US" 
Oral Calislar wrote in the leftist-nationalist "Cumhuriyet" 
(5/4):  "The AKP is caught between requests by the United 
States (including the wider use of Incirlik Air Base) and 
the views of Turkish society.  More than 80 percent of the 
people do not support US policies in the region.  The AKP 
needs to take this into account.  The US wants to keep 
Turkey on its side, but the AKP is not willing to take such 
a position openly.  It is caught between two fires.  It is 
being criticized by some for cooperating with the United 
States and by others for damaging relations with the United 
States.  There are even those who warn that deterioriating 
relations with the US could spell the end for this 
government.  This situation has no doubt played a role in 
the growing tension and numerous provocative events we have 
seen in recent days.  Some believe that certain circles have 
seen that the United States is upset with the AKP and have 
therefore felt emboldened to oppose the AKP government more 
directly.  They are, in effect, narrowing the areas over 
which the AKP has control.  One group is saying: `see, we 
told you to comply with US requests or else you would face a 
crisis.'  As a result, the AKP feels itself cornered by the 
United States and forced to accept US views on certain 
issues.  The other dimension of the problem relates to the 
European Union.  Those in Turkey who have opposed Turkey's 
membership in the EU and the process of democratization are 
pleased by the tension between the US and the AKP.  The 
recent anti-EU statements by the AKP leadership have been 
music to the ears of these people.  The AKP is now trying to 
improve its relations with the US.  As part of this effort, 
it is continuing to make statements that will be used by EU 
opponents in Turkey.  Some are saying that Turkey, as it 
tries to get relations with the US back on track, is 
distancing itself from the EU.  It's hard to say how much of 
this speculation is true.  But we can say this much for 
sure: the AKP's problems in dealing with the EU and the US 
have been growing since December 17.  Even if we accept that 
some of the reasons for this are beyond the control of the 
AKP, the lack of maturity shown by the party leadership in 
dealing with these problems and their angry reactions have 
only inflamed the situation.  We are going through a 
convoluted period." 
 
"They Call Their Colony A Democracy" 
Nuh Gonultas wrote in the conservative "Dunden Bugune 
Tercuman" (5/4):  "Elections have taken place in Iraq.  Now 
the Iraqi Security Forces are dealing with the insurgents 
there, as US troops work to realize their plan to turn Iraq 
into a US colony.  While 85 percent of the population are 
Arabs, Jelal Talabani - a Kurd -- was elected as the 
President.  This gives veto rights to the Kurds for all 
kinds of laws and the constitution.  Until the next 
election, the elected Iraqi government will not be able to 
do anything but carry out hundreds of orders given by the 
United States.  These hundreds of orders, originally 
presented by Iraq's former governor Paul Bremer, will put 
Iraqi infrastructure up for sale to US companies.  The US 
has not given give a date for a its withdrawal from Iraq. 
The occupation of Iraq is no longer covered by the Western 
media.  US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the 
other day that US Ambassador to Afghanistan Khalilzad has 
been assigned as the new Ambassador to Baghdad.  Khalilzad 
was an advisor to Wolfowitz, Cheney, and Perle.  He had 
proposed the occupation of Iraq in the 1990s for its oil 
resources.  Khalilzad became famous as a `colonial 
Ambassador' in a very short period of time.  Two years after 
the occupation, Iraq has become a terrible place to live." 
 
EDELMAN