US embassy cable - 05ANKARA3410

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 003410 
 
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, JUNE 15, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Edelman Puts Final Signature in Turkey on PSI - Sabah 
AKP's Torun: Saddam, Bush Are Both Tyrants - Posta 
Verheugen: Turkey Indispensible for EU - Hurriyet 
European Press Pessimistic About Turkey's EU Membership - 
Vatan 
Greek Cypriots Want to Open Embassy in Turkey - Sabah 
Barzani Takes Oath for `Kurdistan Presidency' - Milliyet 
Pentagon Confirms Iraqi Government Dialogue With Insurgents 
- Aksam 
US Senate Apologizes for Racial Segregation - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Turkey-US to Cooperate Against WMD Proliferation - Zaman 
AKP's Torun: Bush a Tyrant - Cumhuriyet 
Erdogan to Advise Arabs on `Democratic Reform' - Zaman 
EU at Breaking Point - Yeni Safak 
Germany's Fischer: Exclusion of Turkey Will Cost EU - Yeni 
Safak 
Bush Congratulates Kurds on Regional Government - Radikal 
Bombs Strike Bank Queue in Kirkuk: 22 Killed - Zaman 
Bloody Attacks in Northern Iraq: 29 Killed - Yeni Safak 
Robert Fisk: US No Better Than Saddam - Yeni Safak 
US, Russia Block Investigation of Andijan Incidents - 
Cumhuriyet 
Russia Withdraws From Afghan Border - Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Erdogan Addresses AKP Group on US Visit:  On Tuesday, Prime 
Minister Tayyip Erdogan told the ruling AK Party group that 
his government has not been pursuing a policy that would 
make Turkey `bow' before other countries.  `My five-day 
working visit to the United States last week was very 
productive and significant, not only in terms of the 
historical ties between the two allies, but also in terms of 
discussing regional problems and stressing our joint 
perspectives.  Our alliance with the US is not only a 
military one, but one of economic and strategic 
significance,' Erdogan said.  He added that during meetings 
with US Congress leaders Bill Frist and Harry Reid, Senator 
Frist defined Turkey as a `loyal and reliable ally.' 
`Senator Frist called on the US Administration to carry out 
a more active fight against the terrorist PKK,' Erdogan 
noted.  Erdogan said that both President Bush and UN 
Secretary General Annan thanked Turkey and the Turkish 
 
SIPDIS 
Cypriots for showing a will to achieve a settlement in 
Cyprus at last year's referendum on the Annan Plan.  Erdogan 
thanked the US Congressmen who had visited north Cyprus 
before his trip to the US, and added that while he was in 
the US, he urged the American side to initiate direct 
flights between Turkish Cyprus and Washington.  Erdogan also 
added that in talks with US officials, he had the 
opportunity to explain Turkey's plans, highlight its 
progress in democratization, its economic possibilities, and 
its EU aspirations. 
 
Erdogan on US, Iraq, Syria, Armenia:  Prime Minister Tayyip 
Erdogan told the all-news channel NTV on Tuesday that Turkey 
will continue cooperating with the United States within a 
framework of partnership.  Syria will not cause a problem in 
Turkey-US relations, according to Erdogan: `A new term has 
started in relations with Syria now that Bashar al-Assad is 
in power.  We are exchanging views on democracy, the fight 
against global terrorism, human rights, the rule of law, and 
the expansion of freedom.  We are also exchanging 
intelligence.  It will take some time to have better 
relations with Syria,' Erdogan said.  `The Sezer-Assad 
meetings have been helpful,' Erdogan said, pointing out that 
the Syrians pulled out of Lebanon following the Turkish 
President's visit to Damascus in April.  Erdogan noted that 
the Turkish government is supporting coalition forces in 
Iraq, adding that some 5,000 trucks go into and out of Iraq 
every day carrying food, medicine, water, and oil.  Erdogan 
added that Incirlik Airbase continued to provide logistical 
support.  He stressed that Turkey expected action and 
cooperation from its allies in the fight against the PKK. 
Erdogan also pointed out that to date, Turkey has hosted 
eight international summits on Iraq.  Erdogan called on 
Yerevan to examine documents in the Turkish archives on the 
alleged massacre of Armenians by Ottomans during World War 
I.  `All the documents we have disprove the theses put forth 
by the Armenian diaspora,' he claimed, adding that Turkey 
had given permission for charter flights between Istanbul 
and Yerevan.   Erdogan also said that renovation work has 
started on the Armenian church on Akdamar Island in Lake 
Van.  The Turkish Prime Minister noted that on July 3, he 
will attend the opening of construction on a natural gas 
pipeline that will extend from Karacabey in Turkey's Thrace 
region to Greece. 
 
AKP Lawmaker Compares Bush, Saddam:  Cavit Torun, a lawmaker 
from the ruling AK Party, said in a meeting on Tuesday with 
representatives of the German Protestant Church that Turkey 
has in the past extended support to the victims of Saddam 
Hussein's tyranny.  `Today,' he continued, `those Iraqis who 
were fleeing the tyranny of Saddam are fleeing the tyranny 
of the United States.  Tyranny never changes, no matter if 
its name is Saddam Hussein or George Bush,' Torun said. 
Papers comment that Torun's statement has put PM Erdogan in 
a difficult position, and predicted that Torun's words will 
`infuriate' Washington. 
 
US, Turkey Sign Agreement on Non-Proliferation Cooperation: 
Several dailies report that Ambassador Edelman and Foreign 
Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan signed an agreement 
yesterday to cooperate in efforts to prevent the 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related 
technologies.  "Sabah" described the agreement as 
`accelerating the pace' of US-Turkish cooperation following 
PM Erdogan's recent meeting with President Bush in 
Washington. 
 
Erdogan Visits Lebanon:  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan 
traveled to Lebanon on Wednesday to open the 11th Arab 
Economic Forum in Beirut.  Papers expect Erdogan to urge the 
Arab world to undertake democratic reforms and integrate 
with the international community.  Erdogan will tell the 
Arabs that Turkey has removed domestic obstacles to the flow 
of foreign capital, and will discuss possibilities for joint 
investments in third countries.  "Cumhuriyet" speculates 
that Washington believes the Erdogan government's policy of 
rapprochement with Damascus - and his state visit to the pro- 
Syrian regime in Lebanon - are inconsistent with 
international efforts to isolate Syria. 
 
Erdogan, Gul React to Headscarf Ban at University:  Prime 
Minister Erdogan said he is ready to hold a referendum on 
whether to allow women in Islamic-style headscarves to enter 
public places.  Erdogan was reacting to news that mothers of 
students were barred from attending graduation ceremonies at 
Ataturk University in Turkey's eastern province of Erzurum 
because they wear headscarves.  Foreign Minister Gul said 
his government would do something to remove such a 
`shameful' practice in Turkey. 
 
Erdogan Meets Soros:  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan met 
Tuesday with a delegation from the International Crisis 
Group (ICG) led by US financier George Soros.  The 
delegation handed the Prime Minister a draft ICG report on 
Cyprus.  Erdogan said they discussed Iraq, Syria, and the 
Middle East with the group, and praised the ICG for 
supporting the Turkish position on the Cyprus issue.  Soros 
and his delegation praised Turkey's `constructive' stance in 
regional crises, and voiced interest in further cooperation, 
"Zaman" reports.  Former US Ambassador Morton Abramowitz 
also attended the meeting. 
 
Turkey Condemns Suicide Attack in Kirkuk:  Turkey condemned 
the suicide attack in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk that 
killed at least 22 people on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry 
(MFA) said in a statement yesterday.  MFA strongly condemned 
all attacks on civilians in the past few weeks in Iraq, and 
said Turkey would continue to provide health care and 
assistance to victims of terror. 
 
Turkey-US Cooperation in Iraq:  Dailies cite the British 
"Jane's Defense Weekly" (JDW) as reporting that the Deputy 
Chief of the Turkish General Staff (TGS), General Ilker 
Basbug, said at the annual conference on US-Turkey ties in 
Washington earlier this month that Turkey is planning to 
host 30 Iraqi military officers for training.  Major General 
Cengiz Arslan, TGS director of strategy and planning, said 
Turkey is in discussions with the US about either expanding 
the Habur border gate or adding a second crossing nearby. 
Turkey prefers the latter solution, Arslan said.  `This is 
under discussion among Iraq, Turkey, and the US, but our 
main interlocutor is the US,' Aslan told JDW. 
 
Talat: Turkey Won't Open Ports to Greek Cypriot Vessels: 
Turkish Cypriot `President' Mehmet Ali Talat said on Tuesday 
that it was not possible for Turkey to open its ports to 
Greek Cypriot vessels while Nicosia's boycott on Turkish 
Cypriot ports and airports is still in effect.   Talat said 
the upcoming signing of an additional protocol to extend 
Turkey's Customs Union agreement to new EU members, 
including Cyprus, does not mean that Turkey will open its 
ports.  Talat also said the Turkish Cypriots have launched a 
diplomatic initiative against Russia for blocking its 
nationals from visiting the northern part of the divided 
island. 
 
Draft Minority Foundations Bill `Disappointing':  The 
European Union is closely monitoring a draft law on 
religious foundations currently under discussion in the 
parliament, "Radikal" reports.  The bill includes provisions 
for the return of properties previously seized by the 
Turkish state from non-Muslim minority foundations in 
Turkey.  The draft contains no provisions for easing the 
transfer of such properties to third persons, "Radikal" 
notes, and reports Foreign Ministry (MFA) officials as 
warning that if enacted in its present form, Ankara may have 
to pay heavy compensations to minority foundations applying 
to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in lawsuits 
against Turkey. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: EU Summit 
 
"The EU Summit" 
Kamuran Ozbir wrote in the nationalist "Ortadogu" (6/15): 
"The rejection of the European Constitution by two founding 
members of the EU has effectively terminated efforts to 
reorganize the fundamental structure of the Union.  The 
current legal basis for the EU, as defined by the Nice 
Treaty in 2001, been turned upside-down.  It is now obvious 
that the concept of Europe for the French and the Germans is 
no different than for the other member nations.  In this new 
period, Turkey will still be treated as a member-to-be.  But 
Russia should eventually be given European status as well. 
. Turkey, on the other hand, still suffers from a lack of 
knowledge about EU-related issues.  Unfortunately, this 
ignorance is perpetuated by the Turkish media.  Some 
opinions expressed in the media are based on wrong 
information.  These incorrect assumptions have led some to 
claim that the EU will never ever accept Turkey as a 
member." 
 
"Enlargement Becomes Highly Difficult" 
Tamer Korkmaz noted in the Islamist oriented-intellectual 
"Zaman" (6/15): "The EU summit will convene in an effort to 
heal the serious wounds resulting from the referenda in 
France and the Netherlands.  The summit will be a platform 
to discuss the future of the EU constitution, which many 
believe is already dead.  . Following the referenda, the 
enlargement process of the EU has also been put at serious 
risk.  The initial sign of this has already been seen, as 
the EU foreign ministers decided to delete the reference to 
enlargement from the final communiqu.  That means that, for 
the first time, a summit of EU member countries does not 
have the enlargement issue on its agenda.  The current 
approach, expressed in the EU foreign ministers meeting, 
shows that from now on enlargement of the Union will be 
highly difficult, if not almost impossible." 
 
"A Summit to Determine the European Union's Future" 
Sami Kohen opined in the main stream daily "Milliyet" 
(6/15):   "EU leaders will discuss various problems at their 
summit in Brussels tomorrow.  Europe's identity crisis will 
be at the top of the agenda.  No efforts will be exerted at 
the summit to revive the constitution.  As a result of the 
recent referenda, the members will seek a new arrangement in 
a direction more in line with the inclinations of the 
European public.  This is not an easy issue, and cannot be 
solved within two days.  Considering that the member 
countries worked for five years to develop the EU 
constitution, this project will need much longer to be 
completed and implemented.  The work done on the 
constitution was mainly a loss of time for the EU, but at 
least a sound analysis of the referenda results will point 
the EU to a more viable path.  The Turkish public is 
interested only in the impact of these analyses on Turkey's 
EU membership process and the Cyprus issue.  Prior to the 
summit, the EU Council of Ministers decided to start 
negotiations with Turkey as was decided at the December 17 
summit.  But it is not clear how much interest EU officials 
will show in the Cyprus issue while they are dealing with 
the vital questions that will determine the Union's future." 
 
MOORE