US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4513

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 004513 
 
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, AUGUST 3, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US, Turkey, Iraq Security Summit in Washington Today - 
Hurriyet 
Gul: Turkey Closely Monitors PKK Activities in Iraq - 
Hurriyet 
Gul: EU Must Keep Its Promise, Start Entry Talks with Turkey 
- Vatan 
Blair Invites Talat to London - Hurriyet 
`Silent' Funeral for King Fahd - Posta 
Al-Qaida May Strike US on Hiroshima Anniversary, August 6 - 
Sabah 
Iran-EU Nuclear Standoff - Sabah 
Iraqi Airlines to Resume Turkey Flights - Milliyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
US: We're in Close Cooperation with Turkey on PKK - Yeni 
Safak 
World Leaders Meet at King Fahd's Funeral - Yeni Safak 
Non-Muslims Barred from King Fahd's Funeral - Cumhuriyet 
`Wahhabi' Funeral for King Fahd - Radikal 
France Pressures Turkey to Recognize Cyprus - Cumhuriyet 
Karamanlis Postpones Turkey Visit - Zaman 
Sudan Tense over Sudden Death of Garang - Zaman 
Chaos in Khartoum: 42 Killed - Yeni Safak 
Crisis with Iran at Doorstep - Radikal 
EU Draws Near US against Iran - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Spokesman Casey on PKK, Turkey:  Dailies report US State 
Department acting spokesman Tom Casey as saying Tuesday that 
meetings with Turkey and Iraq about the PKK continued, and 
that this joint effort would continue until the PKK 
terrorism was sorted out.  The US considers the PKK a 
terrorist organization and works in close cooperation with 
the Turkish government with regard to that issue, Casey told 
a daily press briefing.  Casey noted that the US worked with 
Turkey and Iraq to see that the PKK does not have a safe 
haven or an ability to operate out of northern Iraq, adding 
that Washington would continue to work with Turkey and Iraq 
until security goals are reached.  Responding to a question 
claiming the US has assumed a `certain' attitude regarding 
the PKK terrorism in an effort to `wear out' the Turkish 
army, Casey said that Turkey was a good friend of the US, a 
NATO ally and that the US had extraordinarily good relations 
with Turkey.  Casey stressed that the US wouldn't in any way 
harm the authority of the Turkish government or its 
institutions. 
 
US-Turkey-Iraq Security Talks:  On Wednesday, Turkish, Iraqi 
and US officials will meet in Washington at their second 
three-party security talks, papers report.  The two-day 
talks will focus on measures regarding extradition of PKK 
leaders to Turkey.  The Turkish delegation is comprised of 
representatives of the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA), 
Turkish General Staff (TGS), the intelligence service MIT 
and the Interior Ministry.  Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt 
Bryza will head the US delegation.  The US side will give 
the message that coalition forces in the region will support 
joint Iraqi-Turkish efforts against the PKK, "Hurriyet" 
comments.  Papers expect the Turks to suggest joint Turkish 
and Iraqi military operations against the PKK on the border. 
Turks want the Americans to support such operations.  The 
Turkish delegation will point to the links between the PKK 
and political parties as seen in the party buildings with 
PKK flags in Kirkuk and will warn the Americans that moves 
aiming at politicization of the terror organization should 
be prevented, reports speculate.  Turks will ask the Iraqis 
to close the PKK's Mahmur camp, and hand over members of 
illegal organizations in line with a judicial cooperation 
accord signed between the two countries in 1965.  "Radikal" 
expects the Turkish delegation to tell Americans that annual 
gains of the PKK amounted to 300 million USD.  PKK uses 20 
million USD of this money to finance TV broadcasts, 
according to "Radikal." 
 
PKK Flag in Kirkuk Not Removed:  The PKK flag on top of a 
party building in Kirkuk has not been removed despite 
Turkish applications to the Iraqi authorities and the US, 
papers report.  Reports say that checkpoints had been set up 
around the PKK office in Kirkuk in an effort to block 
possible attempts at removing the PKK flag. 
 
Talat Calls for a `Joint' State with Greek Cypriots: 
Visiting `TRNC President' Mehmet Ali Talat met with 
President Sezer and Prime Minister Erdogan on Tuesday. 
Sezer told a joint news conference after meeting Talat that 
there were `two separate nations and states' in Cyprus.  `A 
new partnership between two equal sides should be set up in 
Cyprus, and a settlement should emphasize the bi-zonal 
necessity and the balances on the island,' Sezer said. 
Sezer accused the Greek Cypriots of being reluctant to 
accept a political settlement based on equality and 
partnership.  Talat said the existing international law 
cannot define the condition of Turkish Cypriots and called 
on the international community to make a reassessment of the 
Cyprus question.  `The first step of this reassessment 
should be lifting of sanctions,' Talat said.  `We have 
offered a hand for peace to the Greek Cypriot 
administration, and if they hold it, we are ready to 
establish a joint state based on equality,' Talat stressed 
in remarks seen by "Radikal" as contradictory to Sezer's 
call for two separate states and nations in Cyprus.  Talat 
also said that the Turkish Cypriot voters had opted in favor 
of politicians supporting peace in the last two elections in 
north Cyprus.  "Sabah" says that during their meeting, Sezer 
expressed his anxiety over an offer by Talat to give the 
unpopulated Maras (Varosha) city to the Greek Cypriots.  The 
Turkish military had also been upset by the offer, claims 
"Sabah."  In a meeting with Erdogan later in the day, Talat 
has been assured that the Greek Cypriots would not be given 
access to Turkish ports and airports before a settlement is 
reached on the divided island, say reports.  Meanwhile, 
"Hurriyet" reports that Talat had received an unofficial 
invitation from the British PM Blair to visit London in fall 
for talks.  During a state visit to London in early July, PM 
Erdogan had urged Blair to invite Talat to Britain, says 
"Hurriyet." 
 
EU: Recognition of Cyprus Not a Condition for Entry Talks 
with Turkey:  Turkish papers report `conflicting voices' 
coming from the European Union.  "Radikal" says that while 
France and Austria ask Turkey to recognize EU member Cyprus, 
the European Commission says recognition is not a condition 
for starting accession talks.  French PM Dominique de 
Villepin said it was `not conceivable' that a negotiation 
process of any kind can start with a country that does not 
recognize every member state of the EU.  But EU term 
president Britain and the European Commission made it clear 
that Turkey's recognition of Cyprus was not a precondition 
for talks to begin.  "Cumhuriyet" says that Turkish Foreign 
Ministry (MFA) sources have dismissed the Villepin remarks 
as being a violation of EU commitments made to Ankara.  FM 
Gul said that Turkey had fulfilled its responsibilities and 
expected the accession negotiations to start on October 3. 
 
Turkey and Iraq Disagree on Location of New Border Crossing: 
Turkish and Iraqi delegations could not agree on the 
location of a second border crossing between the two 
countries at talks in Ankara, "Milliyet" reports.  Iraq's 
Ambassador to Ankara, Sabah Cemil Umran, reportedly told the 
Turks that the second crossing should be opened 5 km west to 
the Habur border gate.  Turks insisted on Ovakoy for the 
second gate along the border, a location that will by-pass 
the Kurdish region in Iraq, and the talks ended without an 
agreement, says the report. 
 
US Confirms Killing of American Journalist in Basra:  The US 
Embassy in Baghdad has confirmed the killing of American 
journalist Steven Vincent in Basra yesterday, "Zaman" 
reports on its webpage.  Vincent, a freelancer for The New 
York Times and The Christian Science Monitor, was shot to 
death by a gunman in Basra Tuesday night.  US  Embassy 
Baghdad said it has contacted the Iraqi and British 
officials in Basra to find the killer. 
 
US to Use Nuclear Weapons against Iran:  "Cumhuriyet" quotes 
former CIA employee Philip Giraldi as claiming that VP 
Cheney had ordered the Pentagon to develop plans to strike 
Iran with nuclear weapons.  Giraldi told The American 
Conservative that some 450 strategic underground nuclear 
targets in Iran cannot be destroyed by conventional weapons. 
`It's no secret that those who are responsible for the war 
with Iraq are now preparing to do the same to Iran,' Giraldi 
said. 
 
ECHR Fines Turkey over Missing HADEP Officials:  The 
Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has 
found Turkey guilty of violating 6 articles of the European 
Convention on Human Rights in the case of pro-Kurdish HADEP 
officials Serdar Tanis and Ebubekir Deniz and ruled that 
240,000 Euros of compensation be paid to their families, 
"Zaman" reports.  Tanis and Deniz had gone missing after 
being detained by jandarma in the southeastern township of 
Silopi in 2001.  Their families had applied to the ECHR 
claiming that Tanis and Deniz were killed in detention. 
 
PKK Targets AKP Government:  Kurdish author and journalist 
Umit Firat told "Zaman" that the rising PKK terror 
activities under directions from the organization's 
imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan damaged Kurds in Turkey 
the most.  Firat believes that the recent terror campaign by 
the PKK indicated manipulation by `secret' circles 
attempting to block EU reforms in Turkey and put the ruling 
AK Party government in a difficult position.  The PKK has 
been careful not to criticize the Turkish General Staff 
(TGS), according to Firat.  `Influence of the military on 
politics has increased in Turkey in recent months, and 
democratic reforms were halted.  Today, you cannot see in 
Turkey optimistic expectations which were visible 15 months 
ago.  This is not for the good of the Kurds,' Firat 
stressed.  Firat claims that PKK's call for peace is aimed 
solely at freeing Ocalan.  PKK does not represent the Kurds, 
said Firat, and added that a serious opposition has formed 
against the organization. 
 
Judge Scalia Lectures at Summer School in Istanbul:  US 
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, President Bush's 
`favorite' judge, has lectured to 26 American and 20 Turkish 
law students at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul, "Radikal" 
reports.   Scalia compared legal systems and individual 
freedoms in the US, UK and Turkey for the students during 
the summer school in July.  Scalia said allegations of 
`genocide' of Armenians by Ottoman forces in early 20th 
century should be examined by historians.  He added that the 
events of 1915-17 should be seen as fighting between persons 
during a relocation, rather than as `genocide.'  Scalia also 
explained how the US Supreme Court functions, reports 
"Radikal." 
Blasts Wound 6 in Antalya:  Six people, including a tourist, 
have been injured in two separate explosions in Turkey's 
Mediterranean resort of Antalya, papers report.  Two blasts 
occurred in trash bins in separate districts of the tourist 
hub yesterday.  It is unclear at this stage whether the 
blasts were caused by bombs. 
 
Baghdad-Istanbul Flights to Resume:  Turkish papers report 
that Iraq Airlines will resume flights between Baghdad and 
Istanbul as of today.  The flights will be twice a week and 
will be increased in due time. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  PKK/Iraq; King Fahd 
 
"The PKK Flag in Kirkuk" 
Cuneyt Ulsever commented in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" 
(8/3): "It seems that Turkish-American relations is moving 
toward the worst possible option, which is an open conflict 
of the two countries' interests.  Turkey is rightfully very 
concerned about the PKK issue in Iraq, but this has not 
become a central issue for Washington. . Following the March 
1 outcome, the US relegated Turkey to a secondary category 
when shaping its policy for the Middle East.  The reason is 
that the US does not consider Turkey as its most reliable 
partner in the region.  Washington does not give Turkey's 
concerns very much weight as it formulates its policies. 
Regarding the PKK issue, the US rhetoric can be summed up in 
two diplomatic messages.  The PKK is a terrorist 
organization, and any issue related to the PKK should be 
brought to the attention of the Iraqi Government. . 
Unfortunately, the PKK flag in Kirkuk and related 
developments have the potential to create a deep impact on 
Turkish public opinion.  It seems likely that the ruling AKP 
will find itself trapped between security considerations 
coming from the Turkish military, and diplomatic 
considerations in its relations with the US.  The US, on the 
other hand, is primarily interested in creating a smooth 
process in Iraq, particularly the completion of work on the 
constitution by August 15, and the holding of a general 
election in December.  In this process, the Kurds in 
northern Iraq are considered the closest allies of the US. 
Therefore, the last thing the US wants to do is to turn the 
Kurds against it while it is trying to deal with the Sunnis 
and Shiites.  The current situation brings a question to 
mind: By taking no action against the PKK, is the US trying 
to put the AKP is a difficult position domestically, or is 
the US really helpless in trying to control the situation in 
Iraq?" 
 
"The Death of King Fahd" 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in the conservative "Turkiye" (8/3): 
"The Saudi dynasty is top-heavy compared with other 
dynasties we have seen throughout history.  The Saudis 
wealth comes from the country's oil resources, which are the 
world's largest.  Saudi Arabia remains the biggest oil 
exporter in the world.  The oil drilling business in Saudi 
Arabia belongs to American companies.  Although the Sauids 
have had close relations with the US since the country was 
established, they have now, for the first time, entrusted 
the kingdom to their first anti-American monarch.  Because 
of his brother's illness, King Abdullah has been the de 
facto ruler of Saudi Arabia for some time.  Despite his anti- 
American inclinations, it would be unrealistic to expect 
Abdullah to pursue a policy that is truly independent from 
the United States.  He will no doubt continue to cling to 
President Bush.  It is obvious that the US will not allow 
such an oil rich country to make a clean break from US 
influence." 
MCELDOWNEY