US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4252

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 004252 
 
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 22, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
`Fear Bombs' in London - Milliyet 
No Casualties, Low Morale in London - Aksam 
Blair: We Will Continue Daily Life as Normal - Vatan 
London Police Hunt for Middle Eastern Suspect - Vatan 
Tube Stations Targeted: Bush, Oval - Sabah 
7/7 Mastermind Esvad Caught in Pakistan - Milliyet 
US: Terror a Common Concern For US, Turkey - Turkiye 
Kurds Submit Disputed Map To Iraq Parliament - Milliyet 
Iraqi Turkmen Threaten Armed Struggle - Aksam 
Bin-Ladin's Protector to Washington as Saudi Ambassador - 
Hurriyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Al-Qaeda Aims to Provoke Brits Against Government - 
Cumhuriyet 
A Second Nightmare in London - Yeni Safak 
US: Blocking PKK a Common Goal of US, Turkey - Cumhuriyet 
Kurdish Leaders Present Map for `Broader Kurdistan' - 
Cumhuriyet 
Sunnis Boycott Iraq Constitution Process - Radikal 
Iraqi Constitution Deadlocked Over Federalism Debate - Zaman 
Women's Rights Curtailed in Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Diplomatic Crisis During Rice Visit to Sudan - Yeni Safak 
Rumsfeld Due in Bishkek to Discuss US Bases - Zaman 
Thousands of Egyptians Rally Against Government in Cairo - 
Turkiye 
8 Captives Released from Gitmo - Yeni Safak 
US Launches Publicity Campaign to Get bin-Laden - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Ereli on Turkey-PKK:  Responding to press questions 
regarding warnings by Turkish authorities that Turkey may 
launch a cross-border military incursion against the PKK, US 
State Department Spokesman Adam Ereli said he was unaware of 
such a statement, dailies report.  `Both Turkey and the 
United States consider the PKK a terrorist organization, and 
they have a common interest in preventing the terrorist 
activities of the PKK,' Ereli said, adding that both 
countries would act in line with this common interest. 
Asked whether the US would allow Turkey to enter northern 
Iraq, Ereli said that this question is `not on the table.' 
If such a question were to arise, he added, it would be 
addressed by the relevant military authorities. 
 
US Confirms Detention Orders for PKK Leaders in Iraq:  A 
high-level US official in Ankara has confirmed a statement 
by General Ilker Basbug, Deputy Chief of TGS, that the US 
military has published an order to capture the PKK 
leadership cadre.  In a statement to "Milliyet," the US 
official said that "in an instruction sent to US units in 
Iraq, the order was given for the arrest (capture) of PKK 
leaders described as "High Value Targets."  In a press 
briefing on Tuesday, Basbug announced that the US had given 
an order for the arrest of the PKK leadership cadre in Iraq, 
but State Department Spokesman Adam Ereli created confusion 
when he said that he "didn't have any information" about 
such an order.  The US official noted that the State 
Department can't always follow developments between the two 
countries' militaries.  The US official continued: "What 
Basbug said is true.  Such an order was published.  The 
order was given by declaring the PKK leadership cadre as a 
high level target, calling for intelligence work to be done 
on them, and calling for them to be tracked and captured." 
 
US Has `Other Priorities' in Iraq:  Papers report that US 
Assistant Secretary for Deatinee Affairs at the Pentagon, 
Matthew C. Waxman, told journalists that US forces in Iraq 
`priorities other than' the PKK.  Responding to a question 
about whether there are any PKK members under arrest in 
northern Iraq, Waxman said the US fight is directed against 
groups like al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and their supporters. 
`In Iraq, the US military arrests only those who threaten 
security and stability in the country,' Waxman said. 
 
US: PKK Threats Against Turkey Must be Removed:  The semi- 
official Anatolian News Agency reported from Baghdad that US 
military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Steve Boylan said that 
if PKK members are caught during operations against 
insurgents, they will be delivered to the Iraqi authorities. 
Boylan reiterated US determination to remove the PKK threat 
against Turkey from Iraq. 
 
Turkey-Iraq-US Security Summit:  Turkish papers report that 
the second three-way security meeting among Turkey, the 
United States, and Iraq will be held in Washington in the 
first week of August.  At the second meeting, officials from 
the three countries will focus on the legal process 
concerning the extradition of PKK leaders. 
 
Iraq and Neighbors Consider Protocol to Prevent Terrorist 
Infiltration:  Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said 
yesterday that the interior ministers of Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, 
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Bahrain, and Jordan 
agreed at a ministerial-level meeting of Iraq's neighbors in 
Istanbul on Tuesday to sign a protocol for the prevention of 
terrorist infiltration from Iraq into neighboring countries. 
Aksu said that Iraq and its neighbors also agreed to set up 
a general secretariat for monitoring implementation of the 
protocol in order to fight terrorism and organized crime, 
and to ensure border security. 
 
Bashar Wants to Spend Holiday in Erdogan's Hometown:  On 
Friday, Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem 
will convey to FM Abdullah Gul a letter in which Syrian 
President Bashar Assad asks Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to 
spend his summer vacation in Turkey's Black Sea coastal city 
Rize, Erdogan's home town, "Zaman" reports.  The letter also 
expresses gratitude for statements made by Erdogan during 
his visit to Washington earlier this month, "Zaman" claims. 
Gul and al-Muallem are expected to focus on the PKK issue at 
their meeting today. 
 
Iraqi Turkmen Warn They May Shift to Armed Struggle:  Iraqi 
Turkmen Front (ITF) UK representative Asif Sertturkmen 
complained in a press conference in Ankara about 
`injustices' committed against the Turkmen in Iraq, and 
warned that if the situation continues, the group will be 
forced to resort to violence.  `To date, we have always used 
the tools of democracy, but if it becomes necessary, we too 
will take up arms.  The situation in Iraq is moving in that 
direction,' he said.  Sertturkmen urged Turkey to take 
action and do more than `closely monitoring' events. 
Meanwhile, papers report that Turkmen in Iraq warned they 
may boycott a referendum on the Iraqi constitution on 
October 15 unless their demands are met.  The Turkmen want 
their language to be recognized as among the official 
languages of Iraq.  They are also demanding a special status 
for Kirkuk, and insisting that the Turkmen be recognized as 
one of Iraq's constituent people. 
 
PKK Gets Ammunition, Money from the Middle East, Europe: 
The conservative/pro-government "Turkiye" claims that last 
year, the PKK made a deal with arms traders in the Middle 
East to for the supply of ammunition to carry out terror 
attacks in Turkey.  Turkish intelligence has learned that 
the arms dealers sold the PKK explosives, guns, mortars, and 
anti-aircraft missiles at discount prices.  Intelligence 
reports say that a Lebanese bank acted as a conduit for 
money transfers to the terrorist organization.  "Turkiye" 
notes that the PKK has been extorting money from Kurdish 
businessmen in Europe to fund its terrorist activities. 
 
Karayilan May Turn Himself in to Iranians:  FBIS reports 
that the pro-Kurdish "Nasname" webpage claimed that Murat 
Karayilan, one of the leaders of the PKK, is secretly 
negotiating with the Iranians on the conditions for turning 
himself in to Iranian security forces.  According to earlier 
unconfirmed reports, Karayilan's five bodyguards were killed 
during an assassination attempt carried out by men loyal to 
Duran Kalkan and Cemil Bayik, two other PKK leaders. 
Reports claimed that Karayilan has maintained close contact 
with Turkish and Iranian security forces, and is conducting 
negotiations in order to reach an agreement about the 
conditions for surrendering himself together with more than 
1,000 militants from the `People's Defense Forces (HPG).' 
 
New `Kurdistan' Map Submitted to Iraqi Parliament:  Iraqi 
Kurdish leaders have presented a new map of `Kurdistan' to 
the Iraqi parliament, demanding that it be taken into 
account in the drafting of the new constitution, Turkish 
papers report.  The map includes Kirkuk within the 
boundaries of Kurdistan, and expands the area controlled by 
Kurdish parties the Badra and Cassan districts southeast of 
Baghdad. 
 
Erbil Police Want US Security Guards Handed Over:  Police in 
Kurdish-dominated Erbil in northern Iraq have asked US 
authorities to hand over a group of private American 
security guards for allegedly shooting at KDP official Bayez 
Ismail while he was in his car, Turkish papers report. 
During the incident that occurred on July 14, Ismail's 
brother was severely wounded when the guards opened fire on 
the car, which was reportedly traveling too close to the 
Americans' vehicle.  The US military has launched an 
investigation into the incident. 
 
Erdogan's Upcoming London Visit Unchanged:  Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul strongly condemned yesterday's terrorist 
attacks in London, and pledged Turkey's readiness to 
cooperate in the fight against terrorism.  Gul noted that no 
changes have been made with regard to Prime Minister 
Erdogan's scheduled visit to London at the end of July. 
 
US to Modernize Turkish F-16s:  US-based Lockheed-Martin has 
won a contract worth 800 million USD awarded by the US Air 
Force for the modernization of Turkey's F-16 jetfighters, 
the semi-official Anatolian News Agency (AA) reported from 
Washington.  The modernized F-16s will become operational in 
2011.  Lockheed-Martin's deputy chairman for programs, June 
Shrewsbury, said the company was pleased by the progress in 
its long-standing cooperation with the Turkish government 
and defense industry. 
 
American Ships to be Dismantled in Turkey:  "Vatan" reports 
that 77 US naval vessels that contain toxic substances such 
as asbestos, quicksilver, and lead will be sent to Turkey 
for dismantling.  The timeworn ships will be taken apart in 
Turkey's Aegean coastal city of Izmir by the `Environmental 
Recycling Systems' (ERS) company, which will receive 21 
million USD for carrying out the project.  "Vatan" claims 
that environmental organizations are preparing to take 
action against the dismantling of vessels in Turkey.  The US- 
based NGO Basel Action has expressed concern that the 
dismantling may present a safety hazard.  A spokesman for 
ERS said the company observes high security standards during 
the dismantling process, adding that there is high demand in 
developing countries for aged vessels' junk metal 
components, boilers, and machines.  The US Congress voted to 
remove the vessels from their port in Virginia before the 
end of 2006. 
 
HRW Urges US to Destroy Cluster Bombs:  New York-based Human 
Rights Watch (HRW) urged the United States to destroy 
`millions' of cluster bombs in its stockpile,  "Yeni Safak" 
reports.  Bonnie Docherty of HRW said the cluster bombs 
posed a great danger to civilians, and said they should 
never be used. 
 
Greek-Armenian Companies Cooperate in Nagorno-Karabakh: 
"Milliyet" reports that a leading Greek telecommunications 
company, Intrakom, will make investments worth 22.8 million 
Euro in Nagorno Karabakh to support the Armenian mobile 
phone operator Vivacell.  A deal was signed between the two 
companies on Tuesday.  "Milliyet" sees the deal as a Greek 
effort to retaliate against Azerbaijani moves aimed at 
ending the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. 
 
PKK Militants, Soldier Killed in Fighting in Van:  Two PKK 
militants and one Turkish soldier were killed on Thursday in 
fighting in Turkey's eastern province of Van, near the 
border with Iran, papers report.  The PKK fighters 
reportedly opened fire against a group of jandarma 
patrolling a remote area in the province.  Turkish forces 
launched an operation in pursuit of the terrorists. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Terror in London 
 
"Defiance" 
Gungor Mengi wrote in the mass appeal "Vatan" (7/22): "The 
remarks of the London Mayor were very interesting, and they 
serve to put Al-Qaeda terrorism into a context.  After the 
first bombings, Livingstone emphasized that the Middle East 
policies pursued by western powers have caused an increase 
in radical Islamists and helped Al-Qaeda to grow.  A 
rebellious soul who cries out against perceived injustice 
and humiliation can easily end up turning to violence. 
Ignoring this fact will bring more disasters.  Yet it is 
equally true that more disasters are ahead if there is no 
change in the mentality that only terrorism can open the 
eyes of modern societies.  . Western countries are moving 
toward a vicious circle.  Their insecurity due to terrorism 
has encouraged them to take even more rigid steps.  In the 
event that this insecurity results in a view that all 
Muslims as potential terrorists, there will be more pressure 
and more feeling of alienation.  In that case, Al-Qaeda will 
find it very easy to recruit new bombers. " 
 
"The Fight Against Fundamentalism" 
Erdal Safak noted in the mass appeal "Sabah" (7/22): "The 
civilized world is on the verge of a crucial decision in the 
fight against fanatical religious terror.  The options are 
either to carry out an armed struggle against the enemy, as 
George Bush has proposed, or to eliminate the fundamentalist 
elements in Islam, as suggested by Tony Blair.  The second 
option seems the right one, and it is the only way to 
invalidate Samuel Huntington's theory on the `clash of 
civilizations.'  A long-term study with international 
participation can invalidate this argument.  If Blair 
manages to convene such a conference, the essence of the 
issue will become perfectly clear:  this is a social crisis 
in the Muslim world that has both cultural and economic 
dimensions, but it is not a war of religions.  The political 
dimension of this issue includes the situations in 
Palestine, Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Iraq.  The cultural 
dimension is about ongoing western efforts to impose their 
values as global values. " 
 
"Al Qaeda's Drive For Power " 
Erdal Guven commented in the liberal-intellectual "Radikal" 
(7/22): "The occupation of Iraq is only one of many reasons 
for the increase in Al-Qaeda terrorism.  The invasion of 
Iraq alone cannot explain the al-Qaeda terror attacks in 
London and other western cities.   Al Qaeda is not looking 
to achieve a well-defined and limited goal. . It will not 
consider its job as done even if the US and UK completely 
withdraw from the Middle East, including Iraq and 
Afghanistan.  On the contrary, al-Qaeda will then be able to 
start its real job.  If there is a withdrawal, Al-Qaeda will 
start targeting Islamic regimes which it considers to be 
antithetical to its extremist ideology.  Al-Qaeda's struggle 
is about power, and it started before 9/11.  It reached its 
peak on 9/11, and has continued to this day.  Al-Qaeda 
terror did not start with the occupation of Iraq, and will 
not end if and when this occupation is terminated." 
 
MCELDOWNEY