US embassy cable - 05ANKARA3990

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 003990 
 
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 
FRIDAY, JULY 8, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Erdogan: London Bombings an Attack Against Civilization, 
Humanity - Milliyet 
Al-Qaeda Strikes in London - Milliyet 
It's Al-Qaeda Again - Sabah 
Al-Qaeda Related Group Claims London Bombings - Hurriyet 
Terror Strikes London: Which City Next? - Aksam 
Britain's September 11: 37 Killed, 700 Wounded - Vatan 
G-8 Stands Unified Against Terror - Hurriyet 
Blair: Terrorists Will Not Succeed - Milliyet 
Bush: US is on Alert - Sabah 
Londoners Showed no Panic - Vatan 
Terrorists Kill Egypt's Envoy to Iraq - Hurriyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Gul: We Share the Pain of Friends and Allies, the British 
People - Radikal 
Qaida Strikes London - Radikal 
Terror Shows Its Ugly Face in London - Zaman 
Horror in London: 37 Killed - Yeni Safak 
G-8 Denounces `Barbaric' Attacks in London - Radikal 
Europe United in Support of Britain - Zaman 
British Police Begin Hunt for Terrorists - Cumhuriyet 
British Police: Matching Islam with Terrorism Would be Wrong 
- Zaman 
Europe, US Go on Terror Alert - Cumhuriyet 
Egyptian Ambassador Killed in Baghdad - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Turkish Leaders on London Bombings:  Prime Minister Erdogan 
told the press after participating in the Sun Valley 
conferences in Idaho yesterday that there should be a joint 
struggle against terrorism, and that Turkey stood ready to 
take part in such a joint initiative.  Erdogan denounced 
yesterday's terrorist bomb attacks in London as an `assault 
against civilization and humanity,' and cautioned 
politicians against becoming a `tool' for terrorists' 
propaganda efforts.  `It would be wrong to say that this or 
that terrorist organization did this attack before getting 
clear evidence.  This is the terrorists' aim:  to be able to 
spread propaganda all the time,' he said.  He said that 
terrorism did not have a religion, nation, or race, and that 
it may hit anyone anywhere, at any time.  `It is necessary 
to display solidarity on this issue.  We must not forget 
that there is a cause-effect relation and that we must 
eliminate the causes of terrorism.'  Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul denounced as terrorist acts a series of blasts 
that hit London, and pledged Turkey's cooperation in the 
fight against terrorism.  `We hope that the death toll will 
not be high,' Gul said.  He noted that, having seen since 
the September 11 attacks how dangerous terrorism is, the 
world is now cooperating to counter this threat.  Interior 
Minister Abdulkadir Aksu expressed condolences and condemned 
the London attacks in a message to British Home Secretary 
Charles Clarke.  State Minister Nimet Cubukcu sent a message 
to British Ambassador to Turkey Peter Westmacott, strongly 
condemning the attacks in London, underlining the need for 
an effective cooperation against terrorism.  Opposition 
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal sent 
British Prime Minister Tony Blair a message wishing `quick 
recovery,' which said that countries could succeed in the 
fight against terrorism only by international solidarity and 
cooperation.  The Istanbul Bar and far-rightist Nationalist 
Movement Party (MHP) also strongly condemned the London 
attacks and called for international cooperation to counter 
terrorism. 
 
Mainstream Turkish papers agree that bomb attacks in London 
yesterday marked a `September 11 for Britain.'  A commentary 
in the liberal/intellectual "Radikal" said: `Only a few days 
ago, thousands gathered in London to support efforts to 
`make poverty history.'  But today, neither poverty, nor 
starvation in Africa, nor global warming are on the agenda 
any more.  All those efforts have fallen victim to a 
cowardly bomb attack by a handful of barbarians.' 
Conservative/opinion maker "Zaman" is concerned that the 
London bombings may adversely affect Turkey's EU drive, 
saying that Turkey will be negatively affected if the 
British nation begins to assume an anti-Islamic position. 
Another commentary in the pro-Islamic "Yeni Safak" says that 
9/11 had been a big blow to the image of Islam around the 
world.  `Muslims, particularly those living in western 
countries, have been injured in such attacks.  Those 
striking in London yesterday probably did not directly aim 
to hurt Muslims, but their attack will leave us sleepless, 
despite our strong condemnation of such atrocities,' says a 
commentary. 
 
US, EU Denounce Terrorist Attacks in Turkey:  Turkish papers 
report US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack as 
condemning the bomb attacks against a Turkish train which 
killed six in the mainly Kurdish eastern province Bingol 
last weekend.  `We condemn all acts of terrorisms and our 
thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims 
and those who were injured in these attacks,' McCormack 
said.  Meanwhile, EU Commission Representative Hansjorg 
Kretschmer told the EU-Turkey consultation meetings in 
Istanbul on Thursday that terrorist activities in southeast 
Turkey were unacceptable.  Social and economic progress in 
the southeast is of critical importance for Turkey, 
Kretschmer said, advising Ankara to develop a strategy to 
achieve that goal. 
 
MFA Condemns Killing of Egypt's Iraq Envoy:  A Foreign 
Ministry statement condemned on Thursday the terrorist 
attacks against foreign diplomats in Iraq.  The statement 
expressed Turkey's condolences to the Egyptian nation over 
the killing of Egypt's envoy in Baghdad, and urged the Iraqi 
government to find and take to court those responsible as 
soon as possible. 
 
OSCE on Shortcomings of New Turkish Penal Code:  The OSCE 
Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, 
praised Ankara for introducing important changes to the new 
Turkish Penal Code, but added that the amendments do not 
sufficiently eliminate threats to freedom of expression and 
to a free press.  Haraszti told the press in Vienna on 
Thursday that he observed three major areas where media 
freedom remains endangered in Turkey: the right of 
journalists to report on public-interest issues is not 
secured; restrictions on access and disclosure of 
information have not been lifted; and defamation and insult 
provisions remain a criminal rather than a civil offence, 
thereby leaving at risk the free discussion of public 
affairs.  Haraszti expressed hope that modernization of the 
Turkish Penal Code would continue improving freedom of 
public scrutiny, while removing all provisions that promote 
self-censorship. 
 
Security Operations Against PKK Continue:  Security forces 
killed 2 terrorists and arrested 2 others on Thursday during 
operations against PKK militants in the mainly Kurdish 
provinces of Mardin and Tunceli, sources told papers.  The 
Mardin governor's office said 25 kg of C-4 explosives had 
been seized during operations.  Meanwhile, a woman terrorist 
was reportedly killed in the rural areas the Tunceli 
province yesterday. 
 
Bomb Attack Against Train in East Turkey:  A freight train 
traveling between Turkey's eastern cities of Erzincan and 
Erzurum was derailed when a remotely controlled mine 
exploded on Thursday, papers report.  The Erzurum governor's 
office said there were no casualties in the explosion, which 
overturned six train cars.  "Hurriyet" claims that the 
attack actually targeted a passenger train from Istanbul; 
that train, with 334 passengers aboard, was saved by being 
50 minutes late. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: The London Bombings 
 
"Damn!" 
Erdal Safak observed in the mass appeal "Sabah" (7/8): "The 
London incidents contain all the elements of Al-Qaeda 
terrorism: a massacre, a psychological shock, and horrific 
visuals for the media.  It is just like what happened in 
Madrid, Istanbul, and New York. . All sensible people must 
worry about the London bombings.  This event will have 
unpredictable consequences in many areas -- from diplomacy 
to security.  The London attack will also be the start of a 
new period for the EU, which has so far failed to produce 
joint policies against terrorism." 
 
"The Eclipse of the Mind" 
Fehmi Koru argued in the pro-government/Islamist-oriented 
"Yeni Safak" (7/8): "The London attacks prove that the 
global fight against terrorism has not been effective in 
confining terrorist activity.  The London terror has also 
invalidated the latest argument that Washington has been 
using to justify its presence in Iraq.  The intervention in 
Iraq has not helped to minimize terrorism.  On the contrary, 
it has made the entire world vulnerable to the terrorist 
threat.  . Now it is important what kind of measures the US 
and the UK will implement in the fight against terrorism. 
Tougher measures are expected.  We could see people being 
asked to make more sacrifices on issues of basic freedom. 
In fact, such measures will not bring a solution.  An 
analysis of events since 9/11 should be done.  A proper 
examination will provide the grounds for taking measures to 
eliminate the social, political, and economic reasons behind 
the terror. . Yet what we have been seeing is altogether 
different.  Rationality and morality are missing in the 
midst of the violence.  Terror is a result of the mind being 
eclipsed by other forces.  It is impossible not to feel 
pessimistic when we see the direction in which the world is 
heading." 
 
"The Never Ending War" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mainstream daily "Milliyet" (7/8): 
"It is obvious that the main purpose of the London attack 
was to punish Prime Minister Blair for joining in President 
Bush's occupation of Iraq.  It is well known that Al-Qaeda 
and other terrorist organizations connected with it consider 
the UK as an enemy similar to the US.  These groups have 
long threatened that one day they would take revenge against 
the UK.  The result of the terrorist attack in London is not 
going to be any different from those carried out in New 
York, Madrid, and other cities.  It will only create more 
tension and more violence.  But it is very doubtful that the 
terrorists will take any lessons out of these attacks.  Most 
likely, their morale has been boosted by their `victory' in 
London!  This means that terrorism will continue for a long 
time to come." 
 
"Terror Hits London" 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in the conservative "Turkiye" (7/8): 
"Are Europe and the US going to change their stance after 
the terrible terrorist attack in London?  Nothing is going 
to change.  Some countries will continue to provide support 
and shelter to the Kurdish PKK and the Armenian Tashnak 
organizations.  It is a shame of humanity for Belgium not to 
extradite, but rather to shelter, the murderer terrorist 
Fehriye Erdal.  Fighting against terrorism with this kind of 
mentality will ensure that the violence goes on for many 
years.  Al-Qaeda and the other terrorist organizations are 
also trying to damage western tourism and the economy, and 
they have shown the ability to attack in any country at the 
most unexpected time.  Given the current mentality that 
differentiates terrorism according to its location and 
nationality, it will be extremely difficulty to eliminate 
terror.  The world, which had freed itself from the 
communist threat, has entered the third millennium under the 
shadow of the evil of terrorism." 
 
MCELDOWNEY