US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4636

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ANKARA 004636 
 
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 
MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Monday, August 8, 2005 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Americans Do Not Support Bush on Iraq - Hurriyet 
Iraq War Opponents Protest Bush in US, Britain - Aksam 
Assad Visits Tehran for `Wide' Cooperation - Vatan 
Netanyahu Resigns to Protest Gaza Pullout - Sabah 
Withdrawal Crisis in Israel - Hurriyet 
Three Turkish Truck Drivers Abducted in Iraq - Hurriyet 
60th Anniversary of Hiroshima - Sabah 8/7 
Europeans Purchased 262 US Companies in 2005 - Milliyet 8/7 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Iraqi Leaders Disagree on Federalism - Zaman 
US Warns Shiites - Radikal 
Talabani: No US Pressure on Iraq Constitution - Zaman 
Barzani: Iraq Should be Federal and Democratic, Not Islamic 
- Yeni Safak 
Iraqi Police Shoot at Protesters: 1 Killed, 60 Injured - 
Cumhuriyet 
New York Times: Iraqi Insurgents Use Iranian-Made Bombs - 
Zaman 8/7 
Assad Makes Support Visit to Iran - Yeni Safak 
Iran Challenges EU Troika - Radikal 
Ahmedinajad Takes Oath, Rejects EU Proposals on Nuclear 
Program - Zaman 8/7 
Fanatic Brits Call for Death to Muslims - Yeni Safak 8/7 
Popular Support for Bush Iraq Policies Plunges - Cumhuriyet 
War Opponents Unite in US - Yeni Safak 
US on Terror Alert in Saudi Arabia - Yeni Safak 
Cheney, Father Bush in Saudi Arabia - Yeni Safak 8/7 
London, World Mourn for Cook - Radikal 
Hiroshima's Pain Still Fresh - Radikal 8/7 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
US-Turkey-Iraq Security Talks:  Turkish diplomats have asked 
the US at three-party security meetings among US, Turkey and 
Iraq in Washington to close the PKK offices in northern 
Iraq, weekend papers report.  US and Iraqi officials said 
that the office in Kirkuk belonged to the Kurdistan 
Democratic Solution Party, and that they could not close the 
offices of political organizations.  Americans, however, 
promised to take action if evidence linking the party to the 
PKK is provided, say reports.  Turkey also reiterated 
requests for extradition of 150 PKK terrorists hiding in 
Iraq and urged the Iraqis to tighten border security 
measures to prevent infiltration of terrorists into Turkey. 
Monday papers agree that the security talks held in 
Washington had yielded no results.  US officials are 
reported by the Turkish press as saying that the PKK was not 
seen as a primary threat in `sovereign' Iraq, and advising 
Turkey patience.  Some papers speculate that Washington had 
told the Turks that the US was ready to mediate between 
Turkey and Iraq for resolution of the PKK problem. 
Meanwhile, Saturday "Zaman" reports a meeting held by the 
Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs in 
Washington.  Specialists participating in the meeting 
stressed that the US must launch action against the PKK as 
soon as possible, says the report.  Monday "Hurriyet" quotes 
retired general Osman Pamukoglu as warning that cross-border 
incursions against the PKK in northern Iraq would produce no 
results.  Pamukoglu, the former commander of the Hakkari 
Mountain Brigade, said that there was no point in 
infuriating the world by launching operations against the 
PKK on Iraqi territory.  He advised Turkey to set up an anti- 
terror ministry, claiming that this practice would be 
adopted around the world in a few years. 
 
Grossman on US/Turkey, Iraq War, PKK:  Former State 
Department U/S Marc Grossman said in an exclusive interview 
with "Milliyet" that the US needed to take forward steps 
against the PKK if it wanted to ease Turkish reactions to 
the `hooding' of Turkish troops by American forces in 
Suleymaniye in northern Iraq in July 2003.  According to 
Grossman, the US made three mistakes in bargaining with 
Turkey before the war with Iraq: the US failed to outline a 
plan for struggling against the PKK while negotiating with 
Turks the transfer of US troops to Iraq through Turkish 
territory; post-war plans should have been more `specific'; 
and the US should have voiced the benefits of a democratic 
and prosperous Iraq to Turkey louder, so that the Turkish 
nation would not have felt being excluded from the process. 
Grossman also said that the Turkish military had been 
informed of all the details of the Iraq war beforehand. 
Grossman regards the rejection of March 1 as the failure of 
both the US and Turkish governments in convincing the 
Turkish parliament.  `Now we must look at the future,' 
Grossman said.  `Now we must do something to convince the 
Turkish nation that Turkey should make some political 
investments to see a successful Iraq, which will be in the 
interests of Turkey.'  Grossman also said that the Turkish 
nation was very much aware of the US support for Turkey 
against the PKK until the end of 1990s.  `I hope the Turkish 
nation will not forget that it was the United States who put 
the PKK in the list of terror organizations and pressured 
the European Union to do the same,' Grossman stressed. 
 
US Senators to Visit North Cyprus:  Monday papers report 
that seven US congressmen will fly from Istanbul to northern 
Cyprus today for talks with `TRNC' officials, including 
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.  The Greek Cypriot 
government denounced the `unlawful' visit, papers report. 
Greek lobby attempts to block the visit remained futile, 
according to papers.  Monday "Hurriyet" says that the 
members of the US delegation were not US congressmen, but 
congressional staffers. 
 
MFA on Iraqi Kurds, Constitution:  `Turkey closely monitors 
the developments with regard to residential registration of 
thousands of Kurds in Kirkuk city in Iraq,' Turkish Foreign 
Ministry (MFA) Spokesman Namik Tan said at a weekly press 
briefing on Friday.  `Turkey is aware of the efforts of some 
groups in Kirkuk,' Tan said, adding: `Concluding the 
constitution, which guarantees Iraq's unity and territorial 
integrity, and underlining national ownership of places 
characterized as Iraq's national assets, such as Kirkuk, are 
the expectation of the Iraqi people.  Turkey supports this 
will.'  Tan noted that a division in the future will not be 
a problem concerning Iraq alone, adding that Turkey believed 
that the Iraqis will not allow such a disintegration.  Tan's 
remarks came as a response to the Barzani remarks last week, 
in which the KDP leader had announced inclusion in the 
constitution of referendum rights for the Kurds to determine 
their own fate, say papers. 
 
AKP Lawmakers' Report on Southeast Turkey:  Monday papers 
say that AKP lawmakers from southeast Turkey had drafted a 
report on regional problems on the eve of Prime Minister 
Erdogan's trip to the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakyr on 
Friday.  The report says that unemployment and street theft 
top the list of problems in Diyarbakyr.  Lawmakers suggested 
the following in the report: New irrigation dams are needed; 
agricultural industries should be supported; the 
Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) should be completed; 
economic imbalances in the region should be eliminated; and 
direct flights should be launched from Diyarbakir to 
European countries. 
 
Erdogan to Discuss with Intellectuals the PKK Question:  On 
Wednesday, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is to receive a 
group of intellectuals who have issued a statement calling 
on the PKK to lay down arms and on the government to pass 
necessary legislation, weekend papers report.  Some 
prominent Turkish authors, journalists, academics and 
artists will join the meeting with the PM to discuss 
proposals to end the rising PKK terrorism.  Several Turkish 
intellectuals released a declaration on June 15 expressing 
concern over growing violence in Turkey.  Kurdish 
intellectuals have been reportedly `angered' at the meeting 
for excluding them, and far-rightist Nationalist Action 
Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli denounced the gathering, 
saying that the government had agreed to make a contact with 
the PKK. 
 
General Ozkok Complains of Restricted Military Authority 
against Terrorism:  On Friday, the Chief of the Turkish 
General Staff (TGS) General Hilmi Ozkok pointed to the 
rising terrorist actions in recent days, saying that the 
military's struggle against terrorism will continue despite 
the curtailment of their authority.  Ozkok told a ceremony 
in Ankara to welcome back soldiers serving in the 
multinational peacekeeping force ISAF in Afghanistan that 
the fight against the PKK will be more effective if it is 
carried out with the participation of the Turkish nation and 
its leaders and non-governmental organizations along with 
the military and security forces.  Recent amendments in the 
anti-terror law aimed at facilitating Turkey's entry into 
the European Union have limited the authority of security 
forces, bringing strict rules on house raids and arrests. 
Following legal reforms that took effect on June 1, the army 
is no longer allowed to conduct searches during the night, 
and will need permission from the prosecutor for house 
raids.  The military had asked the government to set up a 
special institution to coordinate the fight against 
terrorism, but the government rejected the request. 
Saturday "Sabah" claims that the Turkish military was 
pressing for new measures against terrorism such as the ones 
seen in Western countries.  Government spokesman Cemil Cicek 
responded to the complaints of Ozkok and said that the issue 
will be discussed at the National Security Council (NSC) 
meeting on August 23. 
 
Turkey's EU Secretary-General Resigns:  Turkey's Secretary 
General for EU Affairs Murat Sungar has resigned from his 
post, weekend papers report.  Sungar rejected press reports 
claiming that he had quit over problems with the government, 
adding that his decision was solely for personal reasons. 
Sungar is said to have resigned because of his wife's health 
problems and because he wanted to make room for the 
government to form its own team for Turkey's upcoming entry 
talks with the EU.  Sungar said he would remain in office 
until September.  Papers speculate that Sungar had resigned 
in reaction to delays in EU harmonization reforms. 
 
Israel Reroutes Cruise Ships to Avert Attack:  Israel on 
Friday ordered four of its cruise ships carrying thousands 
of tourists not to dock at Turkey's Mediterranean resort of 
Alanya after receiving warnings of a possible terrorist 
attack, Monday papers report.  There had been information of 
a possible al-Qaida attack against the ships carrying 3,500 
Israeli tourists, say reports.  The ships were diverted from 
Turkey to Cyprus on Monday. 
 
Poll in Turkey on al-Qaida Actions:  A public opinion poll 
conducted by Turks under the Center for International 
Strategic Studies (CISS) on the `perception of terrorism' 
among 2,500 respondents in the major Turkish provinces of 
Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Adana and Bursa shows that only 4 
percent of Turks believe that al-Qaida is pursuing `jihad,' 
and that only 5 percent see al-Qaida militants as freedom 
fighters, "Zaman" reports on Saturday.  Thirty-four percent 
believe that al-Qaida actions have shown  Muslims in 
disrepute.  Eighteen percent see al-Qaida operations as a 
`humiliation' for Muslims, and 31 percent are worried about 
the shape of the things to come.  Bomb attacks in London, 
Madrid and Egypt have been wrong, according to 90 percent of 
Turks.  Five percent believe that the attackers were right. 
Forty percent of Turks said that al-Qaida has attacked 
Istanbul thinking that Turkey constituted the best alternate 
against al-Qaida views.  Thirty-six percent said the 
Istanbul attack was launched against Turkey for being an 
ally of the Western world.  Fifty percent hold President 
Bush responsible for the spread of terror around the world, 
while 22 percent blame Ariel Sharon, 17 percent Osama bin- 
Ladin, and 4 percent Tony Blair.  Six percent believe the US 
policies in the Middle East to be responsible for global 
terror.  Only 4 percent link terrorism to religion, 
according to the survey. 
 
Poll on Popularity of Turkish Leaders:  Monday "Hurriyet" 
reports a public opinion survey which shows that the 
popularity of Prime Minister Erdogan has increased from 40.1 
percent in June to 43.1 percent in July.  Motherland Party 
(ANAP) leader Erkan Mumcu has 15.5 percent of backing of 
those conducted.  The popularity of the Nationalist Action 
Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli and True Path Party (DYP) 
leader Mehmet Agar shows ups and downs depending on the 
political situation and are 16.2 and 15.2 percent, 
respectively.  Public support for the main opposition CHP 
leader Baykal took a dive and is 13.1, says the survey. 
 
Middle Eastern Capital Shifts to Turkey:  Turkey has become 
the center for Middle Eastern capital, with more than 200 
companies operating in Turkey following the enactment of the 
law on direct foreign investments, papers cite the semi- 
official "Anatolian Agency" on Sunday.  The Middle Eastern 
foreign capital amounted to USD 42 million in 2004.  Middle 
Eastern companies operate in Turkey in communications, 
tourism, infrastructure and finance fields.  Dailies comment 
that the Middle Eastern and Arab capital began flowing into 
Turkey after reactions in the United States and the European 
countries against the Arabs and Muslims following the 
September 11 events.  They also say that the speeded-up 
privatization and revival of political and trade relations 
with regional countries were other main factors in the 
transfer of Arab capital to Turkey. 
 
Report: 2.5 Million Unemployed in Turkey:  A report by the 
Ankara Chamber of Trade (ATO) shows the number of unemployed 
in Turkey to be about 2.5 million, papers report.  More than 
one million, which makes 38 percent of the unemployed, are 
the primary breadwinners of their families.  Seventy percent 
of the unemployed, most of them between the ages of 25 and 
49, live in cities, says the ATO report. 
 
Terrorists Kill 5 Soldiers in Southeast Turkey:  Five 
Turkish troops were killed and six others were wounded in an 
attack by PKK militants in Turkey's southeastern Hakkari 
province, papers report over the weekend.  The attack 
happened in the early hours of Friday near the town of 
Semdinli on Turkey's borders with Iran and Iraq.  Military 
officials said that a bomb was left in a plastic bag and 
went off as the soldiers were passing it near the local 
jandarma headquarters in Semdinli.  The bomb is believed to 
have been set off by remote control.  Security forces have 
launched an operation to catch the terrorists.  Meanwhile, a 
landmine thought to have been planted by PKK militants 
exploded on a rural road in the Bingol province in eastern 
Turkey on Friday shortly after a convoy carrying senior 
local officials and AKP lawmakers passed, but there were no 
casualties, local sources said.  On Saturday, five suspects 
were arrested in the Mediterranean city of Mersin in 
connection with a plot to carry out bomb attacks, papers 
report.  Police said that 1.5kg of plastic explosives and 
20kg of chemicals had been seized together with the suspects 
who were preparing for attacks on government buildings and 
tourism facilities. 
 
Three Turks Abducted in Iraq:  Three Turks were abducted by 
an insurgent group called `Al-Fursan Brigades' in Iraq, 
Monday papers quote Al-Jazeera TV.  The group said in a 
statement that its repeated warnings against working with 
the US forces have been in vain and that the punishment 
awaiting the abducted Turks will be the last warning to 
companies cooperating with the occupation forces.  The Turks 
were working for a Turkish company ferrying goods to US 
forces in Iraq. 
 
PKK Terrorists Captured in Mersin:  Five PKK terrorists were 
captured in Turkey's southern port city of Mersin, papers 
reported on Saturday.  1.5 kg of plastic explosives and 20 
kg of chemicals were seized in the hideout of terrorists who 
were preparing to attack state institutions and tourism 
facilities in the region, Mersin police said in a statement. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  GWOT/Iraq 
 
"The US and the PKK" 
Umit Ozdag argued in the mass appeal-sensational "Aksam" 
(8/8): "The trilateral security meeting in Washington about 
the PKK ended with no tangible results.  Turkey raised the 
issue of the PKK bureau in Kirkuk.  However, both Iraq and 
the US representatives described it as a bureau of  the 
`Democratic Solution Party of Kurdistan.'  . The US 
continues to implement certain tactical steps in Iraq. 
Currently the US tactic is to change the demographic 
structure of Kirkuk in favor of Kurds.  In recent weeks the 
number of Kurds flowing into this area reached 80,000.  The 
US army plans to station troops in the military bases along 
the Musul-Erbil-Kirkuk line and control the area.  By doing 
that the American army will leave other parts of Iraq to a 
civil war between Sunnis and Shiites and keep `Kurdistan' in 
the north away from a civil war situation.   US control in 
Iraq's north also means the use of oil by American and 
Kurdish companies.  Given the current situation in Iraq, the 
US is using the PKK against Turkey as well as to gather 
intelligence against Iran.  Turkey is living in a period 
where enemies and friends constantly change." 
 
"Standing against Terror" 
Gungor Mengi commented in the mass appeal "Vatan" (8/6): 
"Growing terrorist incidents in Turkey have become a major 
concern for everybody, and the Turkish Chief of General 
Staff made a call to all segments of society to exert 
efforts to fight against terrorism. . First of all, we 
should not define the PKK's power as being bigger than it 
actually is.  Secondly, Turkey should do its best to 
convince the US of the PKK threat.  The PKK terrorists are 
using the area controlled by the US and manage to cross the 
border to go back to their headquarters after carrying out 
their attacks in Turkey.  The US is currently presenting a 
double standard against the fight on terrorism, and it is 
also betraying its own values.  The US is losing Turkey's 
friendship under the current circumstances. . Turkey's 
problem with terrorism will not come to an end even if we 
convince Washington about the PKK threat.  There is no doubt 
that some neighbors of ours with bad intentions will 
continue to play terrorism as a trump card against Turkey. 
Therefore, Turkey must start thinking about a professional 
anti-terror military force.  A professional structure is a 
must, especially when we don't get sincere support even from 
the US on the fight against terrorism." 
 
"First, the War at Home Has to be Won" 
Kamuran Ozbir observed in the nationalist "Ortadogu" (8/8): 
"The careless attitude of the US is the biggest obstacle for 
an international conference to be arranged on the issue of 
terrorism.  Washington is not enthusiastic about such a 
conference.  Including the UK, all the other allies of the 
US continue to observe the growing terrorism with serious 
concern.  Because they are worried that some Muslim groups 
in their own countries will turn against them in the future 
due to the developing anti-Islam stance in the West.  As the 
famous French author Gilles Kepel mentioned last year, `The 
Muslim's biggest intellectual battle in the next ten years 
is not going to take place in Palestine or Iraq but  more 
likely in London, Paris and in the other European capitals. 
To win the war at home naturally will require great changes 
in the UK's foreign policy." 
 
MCELDOWNEY