US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4094

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 004094 
 
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 
THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Erdogan: Turkey May Launch Cross-Border Operation - Sabah 
To Vima: Greek Volunteers Involved in Srebrenica Killings - 
Milliyet 
British Bombers Were `Gentlemen' of The Neighborhood - 
Milliyet 
Britain Startled by `the Enemy Within' - Vatan 
Insurgents Bomb Iraqi Children - Star 
Terror Strikes Children in Baghdad - DB-Tercuman 
Iraqi Terror Soars Following Capture of Zarkawi Aide - 
Hurriyet 
Sharon Orders Islamic Jihad Leaders Targeted - Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Ankara Demands Extradition of Turks from Baghdad - Aksam 
Blair Determined to Continue Dialogue with Muslims - Zaman 
Pakistani Beaten to Death in London - Radikal 
Muslim Scholars Strongly Denounce London Killings - Yeni 
Safak 
60 Reporters Killed in Iraq War - Yeni Safak 
Iraqi Suicide Bomber Kills 24 Kids Waiting for Candy - Zaman 
Suicide Attack in Baghdad: 24 Children Killed - Cumhuriyet 
Iraqi Police Kill 11 Sunnis - Yeni Safak 
Liberal Dems to Blair: Iraq Was a Huge Mistake - Cumhuriyet 
Sharon Issues Assassination Order, Palestine Under Siege - 
Zaman 
Washington Increases Pressure on Tashkent - Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Erdogan: Turkey May Launch Cross-Border Operations Against 
PKK:  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told CNN-Turk yesterday 
that, if it becomes necessary, Turkey may launch a cross- 
border operation against the terrorist PKK.  Asked to 
comment on claims that the US was opposed to a Turkish cross- 
border operation against the PKK, Edogan said he did not 
anticipate opposition from the Americans.  `International 
law grants Turkey the right to cross-border operations, and 
if conditions necessitate it may happen,' Erdogan said.  He 
warned against the support the PKK has been receiving from 
`outside.'  `You cannot fight terrorism by merely putting a 
terrorist organization on your terror list.  I'm saying this 
not only in connection with the United States, but in 
connection with European countries as well,' Erdogan 
emphasized.  The Turkish prime minister criticized European 
politicians for visiting eastern and southeastern provinces 
in Turkey rather than Ankara.  `They go to Hakkari, 
Diyarbakir, and Mardin.  Fine.  But what is their reason for 
going there?  If they want to talk to us, they must come to 
Ankara,' Erdogan said. 
 
Meanwhile, CHP leader Deniz Baykal slammed the AKP 
government for being `incapable' of taking `cross-border 
measures' against terrorism.  Baykal pointed to rising 
terror in east and southeast Turkey, and said that it was 
the responsibility of the United States, Britain, and the 
Iraqi government to take measures against the PKK presence 
in northern Iraq, from where militants infiltrate into 
Turkey for attacks.  Baykal also said that the government 
had not shown sufficient determination to counter terrorism 
after al-Qaeda's terrorist bombings in Istanbul in November 
2003.  `Hizbullah-style terrorism has become a tradition in 
Turkey,' Baykal said.  `This terrorism follows the path of 
al-Qaeda terrorism.  A recent provision on illegal religious 
schools and several other adopted laws have fed terrorism in 
Turkey,' Baykal noted. 
 
US Official: Security Operations Against PKK is Turkey's 
Right:  An unidentified US official is reported by papers as 
saying that Turkey has the right to launch military 
operations against the PKK within its own borders, providing 
it brings no large-scale violation of human rights.  The 
official noted that US attitudes may change if violations of 
human rights increase, but added that under the present 
circumstances, the US has no objections to Turkish measures 
against terrorism.  Most dailies comment ironically that 
Turkey should be `grateful' for the `approval' given by the 
US for internal military operations.  Analysts see no change 
regarding US `inaction' against the PKK presence in northern 
Iraq.  They quote past US remarks stating that the priority 
of  coalition forces is to fight insurgency in Iraq, and 
that the PKK presence in northern Iraq, a relatively stable 
part of the country, will be eliminated at a suitable time. 
 
Ankara Officially Demands Extradition of Istanbul Bombers: 
Ankara announced on  Wednesday that it had asked Iraq on 
June 13 to extradite Burhan Kus and Sadettin Aktas, two 
Turkish fundamentalists suspected of taking part in the 
November 2003 bombings of synagogues and British interests 
in Istanbul, papers report.  Kus and Aktas are reportedly 
being held in Abu Ghraib prison.  Dailies also report that 
Muhammet Tokac, another suspect in the Istanbul bombings, 
has been captured by US troops in Baghdad.  A Turkish 
Justice Ministry official said that Iraqi officials had not 
yet replied to the extradition request, and that the return 
of the suspects might be delayed if American or Israeli 
intelligence agents want to interrogate them before they are 
deported.  Otherwise, the extradition procedures will be 
concluded within a month.  Some papers claim that the Iraqi 
Supreme Court will decide on the extradition.  The US 
Embassy in Ankara declined comment, saying that the issue 
would be dealt with between Iraq and Turkey.  Turkish 
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said yesterday that 
Turkey has always sought help from the US in preventing 
terrorism, so it would be `only natural' for Washington to 
help secure the speedy return of the two suspects.  In 
Istanbul, the suspects' lawyer applied to the authorities 
yesterday for his clients' extradition to Turkey. 
 
Turkey Hosts `Secret' Iraq Meeting:  "Radikal" claims that 
representatives of ethnic groups in the Iraqi parliament and 
Iraqi Kurdish constitutional law experts met with Turkish 
diplomats in Abant on Tuesday to discuss the draft Iraqi 
constitution, which is to be finalized by August 18.  Among 
the Iraqi participants who met with Turkey's special Iraq 
envoy Osman Koruturk and MFA Iraq Desk Director Huseyin Avni 
Botsali were Shiite lawmaker Abbas Beyati, Turkmen lawmaker 
Riyas Sarikahya, Justice Ministry U/S Ismet Abdulmecit, 
formerly exiled MP Gassen Atiye, and representatives of 
Shiite leader Muktada al-Sadr.  The Turks told the Iraqis 
that Kirkuk should be given a special status, that elements 
which may divide Iraq should not be included in the 
constitution, and that the Turkmen should be included among 
the `main elements' of the country along with Kurds and 
Arabs. 
 
Turkey Not Among al-Qaeda Targets in Short Term:  A 
commentary in today's  "Cumhuriyet" claims that Turkey is 
unlikely to be targeted again by al-Qaeda in the short term, 
but that there is a long-term potential threat due to 
`sleeper cells' in the country.  Turkish al-Qaeda members 
have retreated underground, the paper argues, pointing out 
that there are some 10,000 Turkish Hizbullah members across 
the country who can be easily used by al-Qaeda.  Turkey's 
decision to refrain from giving direct support to coalition 
forces in Iraq, and the Turkish public's reaction to the 
killing of civilians in and around Baghdad will keep al- 
Qaeda's `death trucks' away in the short term, according to 
the commentary. 
 
Lawmakers Searched by US Security Before Traveling to US: 
Opposition CHP lawmaker Yakup Kepenek submitted on Wednesday 
an inquiry to the Minister of Transportation asking whether 
searches of bags by Turkish travelsers going through the VIP 
lounge by security guards hired by Americans was allowed by 
an agreement with the United States.  A group of ruling AKP 
and opposition CHP lawmakers and their wives were reportedly 
searched at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport before departing for 
the US to attend an OSCE summit meeting earlier this month. 
 
`Diyanet' Reaction to London Bombings:  "Zaman" reports that 
Professor Ali Bardakoglu, head of the Turkish Religious 
Affairs Directorate (Diyanet), said that the bombers in last 
week's attacks in  London had betrayed their own religion. 
Bardakoglu warned that the attacks in London will damage the 
interests of Muslims living in European countries.  `Some 
mosques have already become targets of attacks.  Troubles 
await Muslims living in Europe,' he said.  "Yeni Safak" 
carries remarks by Islamic scholars from around the world 
condemning last week's terror attacks in London.  The 
clerics said that Islamic law forbids the killing of 
innocent people even during times of war. 
 
Italian FM Visits Turkey:  On Wednesday, Italian Foreign 
Minister Gianfranco Fini met with President Sezer, Prime 
Minister Erdogan, and Foreign Minister Gul during his two- 
day state visit to Turkey.  At a joint press conference with 
Gul, Fini called for `maximum cooperation' against terror, 
adding that Turkey's role in such cooperation would be 
important.  Fini stressed that targets like synagogues were 
deliberately picked by terrorists for their symbolic 
significance.  Gul said that trade between the two countries 
had reached 11.5 billion USD, not to mention a 2 billion USD 
of Italian investments in Turkey.  Gul thanked Fini for 
Italy's support for Turkey's EU membership, and voiced the 
belief that President Azeglio Ciampi's state visit to Turkey 
scheduled for November will further strengthen ties. 
 
Ankara Condemns Attack in Netanya:  The Turkish Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (MFA) condemned the terrorist suicide attack 
in the Israeli resort of Netanya on Tuesday, which killed 
several Israelis and injured many more.  `Such terrorist 
actions are aimed at disrupting peace at a time of 
increasing efforts in that direction,' the MFA said in a 
statement.  The MFA appealed for calm in the face of 
`terrorist provocations.' 
 
Fighting Puts off Investments in Southeast Turkey: 
"Cumhuriyet" reports that Sahismail Bedirhanoglu, head of 
the southeastern industrialists' association, GUNSIAD, 
claimed that some 130 million USD in foreign investment 
projects in southeast Turkey had been shelved because of an 
upsurge in separatist violence in recent months.  `We can't 
expect foreigners to invest here under the present 
conditions,' Bedirhanoglu said.  He called for an immediate 
end to the fighting. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
"Is There The Possibility of War With the US?!" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mainstream daily "Milliyet" (7/14): 
"According to a survey carried out by the Ari Movement, 35 
percent of the Turkish people believe that Turkey and the US 
are moving closer to a war.  Could bilateral relations 
really be so bad that a significant number of Turks are 
convinced that there is a good chance of war with America? 
The survey shows that there is some anti-American sentiment 
in Turkey, but the respondents attribute this sentiment more 
to President Bush and his policies than to the American 
people.  In general, Turkish people still have positive 
views about the American lifestyle, culture, education, 
etc..  But they strongly oppose President Bush's policies in 
Iraq and the region.  The concerns about a possible war with 
the US indicate that there is serious mistrust and fear 
among the Turkish public.  One reason for this could be 
disinformation and the populist actions of the government 
and its politicians.  All of this has led the people to 
demand changes in Turkish foreign policy.  The Turkish 
people favor a more determined policy that does not give 
concessions to outsiders.  There are many lessons that 
politicians and especially the Government could learn from 
this survey.  As former President Suleyman Demirel said in 
the past: `those running a State should never yield to the 
feelings of people in the street.  If and when it is 
necessary, those in power should face the public and explain 
the truth." 
 
"Learn to be Grateful for Even This Much" 
Oktay Eksi commented in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (7/14): 
"According to the Anatolian News Agency, an anonymous 
American official graciously acknowledged that it is the 
right of the Turkish Armed Forces to conduct military 
operations against the PKK within Turkish territory.  As you 
all know, the US is very sensitive (!) on the issue of human 
rights.  So this same official did not hesitate to add that 
this permission could be revoked if there are large-scale 
violation of human rights by the Turkish Armed Forces.  It's 
as if this official believes that torture centers like 
Guantanamo, Abu-Ghraib, and the prisons in Afghanistan are 
run by the Turks.According to AA, US officials are stressing 
that the US considers the PKK a terrorist organization, but 
because of the limited number of US troops in Northern Iraq, 
the US cannot take necessary steps against the PKK there. 
The officials believe, however, that the PKK will not be 
allowed to survive in the region.  Who is kidding whom? 
Didn't the US, during the Clinton Administration, urge all 
countries to coordinate in fighting terrorism no matter 
where the terrorists are?  Didn't we all witness the 
countless times that President Bush has guaranteed the 
elimination of terrorists?  How many years have passed since 
the US announced that the PKK is a terrorist organization? 
The US promised to Turkey before and after the operation 
against Iraq it would cooperate with Turkey in the fight 
against the PKK.  We all remember that Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice, during her visit to Turkey in February 
2005, said that there are many non-military ways to deal 
with the PKK, and that the organization's financial 
resources could be eliminated through Turkey-US cooperation. 
But then it took over four months for the US Administration 
to send a treasury undersecretary to discuss the issue. 
Didn't the US Administration order its forces in Iraq to 
arrest 150 PKK members?  When is Turkey going to understand 
what our strategic partner (!) is trying to tell us: `we are 
not going to do anything for you on this issue. Take care of 
the problem for yourselves.'" 
 
MCELDOWNEY