US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4734

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ANKARA 004734 
 
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 10, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US Generals Abizaid, Jones to Visit Ankara - Milliyet 
Ereli: US Delegation's Travel to North Cyprus Not against 
the Law - Aksam 
Diyarbakir on Security Alert for Erdogan's Visit - Sabah 
Racist Attack in Berlin: 8 Killed, Including 4 Children - 
Aksam 
Chirac Assures Papadhopoulos: Turkey Will Recognize Nicosia 
- Hurriyet 
Rehn: EU Entry Talks with Turkey Will Kick Off October 3 - 
Milliyet 
Iran Launches Military Operation against Kurdish Militants - 
Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Bryza: Turkey Already Has Troops in Iraq - Radikal 
A Second US Delegation in Turkish Cyprus - Yeni Safak 
Erdogan to Hold Terror Summit with Turkish Intellectuals 
Today - Cumhuriyet 
Diyarbakir Goes on `Emergency Rule' Ahead of Erdogan Visit - 
Cumhuriyet 
US to Reinforce Troops in Iraq in October - Yeni Safak 
A Constitution to Divide Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Racists Set Fire in Berlin Muslim Neighborhood, 8 Killed - 
Yeni Safak 
Rumsfeld Blames Iran for Allowing Arms Transfer to Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
US Warns Tehran against Violating Minority Groups' Rights - 
Cumhuriyet 
Britain to Set Up `Terror Courts' - Yeni Safak 
Famine Threatens North Korea - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
DAS Bryza on PKK, Iraq:  CENTCOM Commander General John 
Abizaid and the US military commander in Europe, Marine 
General James Jones will soon visit Ankara to discuss 
military measures for combating PKK terrorists in northern 
Iraq, papers report, quoting remarks by DAS Matt Bryza to 
VOA Radio Tuesday.  Bryza said that the US, Turkey and Iraq 
had agreed at a three-party security summit in Washington 
last weekend to enhance cooperation against the terrorist 
PKK threat in northern Iraq.  Bryza added that the security 
talks in Washington had focused on the monitoring, 
identification and capturing of the PKK militants.  Bryza 
said that new steps were needed to strengthen the Iraqi 
democracy and judiciary instead of making hasty moves 
against the PKK.  `Iraq has to solve its own problems before 
extending support to its neighbors,' he stressed.  In 
response to a question about a possible Turkish military hot 
pursuit against the PKK militants in Iraq, Bryza said that 
Turkey already had 1,500 troops in northern Iraq.  `I don't 
understand what the Turkish side means by hot pursuit,' 
Bryza said.  Bryza noted that the next three-party security 
talks will be held in October. 
 
US Promises to Meet Turkish Expectations on the PKK:  The 
mass appeal/sensationalist "Aksam" Ankara bureau chief 
Ismail Kucukkaya claims in a news commentary today that the 
United States was preparing to take measures to cut 
financial flows to the PKK from Europe.  A high-level source 
from the US Embassy in Ankara noted the capture of Abdullah 
Ocalan, stressing that only the United States supported 
Turkey's struggle against terror, says the "Aksam" report. 
The US official said that they knew Turkey's sensitivities 
on the issue, that they had forgotten the March 1 crisis, 
and that they wanted to make a fresh start with Turkey.  The 
US needs Turkey, and Turkey has a strategic partnership with 
the US, the official emphasized, adding that the US would 
take no steps in the region without consulting Turkey.  The 
official said that US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Nancy 
McEldowney told PM Erdogan at a meeting on Monday that the 
US was making `serious preparations' that cannot be shared 
with the public for the time being with regard to the PKK 
issue.  `We are facing serious hardships in Iraq.  Our 
troops get killed there.  As a country struggling with 
terror, we are aware of your expectations and we will meet 
them,' "Aksam" quotes the US official as saying. 
 
Grossman Interview with "Milliyet":  The following is a 
summary of the Grossman remarks in an interview carried 
today in "Milliyet." 
 
`I don't agree with the US observers who think that Turkey 
has not displayed a high profile in the struggle against 
global terror and radical Islam after September 11.  Turkey 
has taken the ISAF command in Afghanistan twice.  Not only 
the Turkish military work against terror, but the speech 
delivered by FM Gul against violence and extremist views in 
Tehran confirms a political attitude as well.' 
 
`It will be the Turks who decide on how they will live.  For 
us, it is important that a secular democracy is working in 
Turkey.  The greatest of all modernist experiments, whether 
a country with a Muslim majority can also be democratic and 
secular, continues in Turkey.  My response to that question 
will be `yes.'  I think that the greatest Turkish 
contribution to global civilization will be to show that 
Turkey can make it.' 
 
`I don't see a possibility that the regime in Turkey will 
change in the direction of an Islamic state.  However, the 
final decision on this issue will be determined by the 
Turkish nation.  Many nations around the world are seeking a 
balance between secularism and piety.  We are a secular 
nation as well, but religion has a place in our political 
life, which it doesn't have in Turkey.  This doesn't make us 
better or worse, more secular or less; it just makes us 
American.' 
 
`The vision that can serve as an alternate to the AK Party 
vision in Turkey has presented a fractured picture thus far. 
Those who will have to create such an alternate vision are 
wasting time by fighting each other instead of offering a 
positive vision.  I have always thought that instead of 
being a party to the national debate on Turkey's future, 
other political parties are wasting lots of time by fighting 
among themselves or with each other.' 
 
`The Americans want strong democratic institutions in 
Turkey, but with which political parties and leaders depends 
on the Turks.  The situation that makes the AK Party like a 
single party is something that was brought about by voters. 
Therefore, we naturally do not question it.' 
 
`PM Erdogan's choice to pursue a full membership in the EU, 
putting among his priorities establishment of a good 
relationship with the US, inviting the people in the north 
of Cyprus to vote for the Annan Plan, and following a 
successful economic program, were positive steps.  It was 
also positive that when he met with President Bush during 
his Washington visit, Erdogan spoke in favor of Turkey-US 
ties and stressed that the two countries have to become 
strategic partners.  With regard to Turkey's strategic 
interests, PM Erdogan is following foreign policy lines 
based on healthy judgments.  Those lines are EU membership, 
a close relationship with the US, and relations with 
Israel.' 
 
`For long years, we have said that the solution to Turkey's 
problems required more democracy, not less.  One day, that 
democracy brought Mr. Erbakan to power.  I decided that the 
Turkish voters' decision should be respected and worked to 
tell Mr. Erbakan the importance of US-Turkey ties.' 
 
`It's not true that the US gave direct or indirect support 
to the military or the bureaucracy for toppling Erbakan 
during the February 28 process in Turkey.  We are happy to 
see that today Turkey is a more democratic nation compared 
to those days.' 
 
`Turkey's democratic evolution has changed the military a 
great deal.  The Turkish government's proposal to support 
the Annan Plan in Cyprus was a significant sign of the 
evolution in civilian-military relations in Turkey.' 
 
`During my first assignment in Turkey in 1989, there were 
only two TV channels.  Today, there are dozens.  Very few 
Turks used to go abroad then, and few companies had invested 
in Turkey.  In 1989, you could not even spell the word 
`Kurdish.'  It is not a that remote past.' 
 
`There are still lots of things to do for Turkish democracy. 
There is still the issue of protecting human rights.  The 
protection of journalists and religious freedoms are also 
serious issues.  Halki Seminary is a specific example of the 
continuing challenge for democracy Turkey.' 
 
US Congressional Staffers in Turkish Cyprus:  On Tuesday, a 
seven-member delegation of US Congressional staffers met 
with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in Lefkosa.  No 
public statements were made after the meeting.  The group 
later called on `TRNC Foreign Minister' Serdar Denktas.  `It 
is important that the Americans see what is going on in 
Cyprus,' Denktas said after the meeting.  The Americans will 
meet leaders of political parties and NGOs before leaving 
the `TRNC' on August 14. 
 
Cicek on Government-Military Ties, Terrorism:  Justice 
Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said that 
there is no difference of opinion between the Turkish 
government and the military with regard to combating 
terrorism.  Cicek told the all-news channel NTV Tuesday that 
if necessary, the government will sort out the shortcomings 
in existing laws to counter terrorism.  Cicek was speaking 
in response to TGS Chief General Ozkok's statement that the 
military's authority on security issues had been crippled by 
regulatory changes.  Cicek said that the Turkish government 
and the military are on the same side in fighting terrorism, 
and that there is no need to hold a special security summit. 
Cicek also said that Turkey is now working to cut the 
financial support for terrorism.  `We expect the EU to 
cooperate on this issue rather than simply sending 
condolences to Turkey,' Cicek stressed. 
 
Erdogan to Visit Diyarbakir:  Papers expect Prime Minister 
Tayyip Erdogan to issue a call for unity during his visit to 
Diyarbakir on Friday.  Dailies report that people in the 
region say that new dams, hospitals, and schools are 
desperately needed to help improve the situation.  On 
Wednesday, the PM will discuss the southeast with a group of 
Turkish intellectuals who earlier called on the PKK to lay 
down its arms.  The intellectuals will ask Erdogan to lower 
the 10 percent election threshold to 5 percent, improve ties 
with municipalities controlled by pro-Kurdish DEHAP, declare 
an amnesty for those who have not been involved in terrorist 
actions, speed up the return of displaced people to their 
villages, and develop economic, political, and cultural 
projects to sort out the problems in southeast.  The 
activists will also advise Erdogan to examine the cases of 
the IRA and ETA.  The EU expects efforts by the Erdogan 
Government to achieve a breakthrough in region, according to 
"Yeni Safak." 
 
AKP MP Report on Southeast Turkey:  AKP lawmaker Mahfuz 
Guler said in a report to Prime Minister Erdogan that 
declaring a state of emergency in the southeastern provinces 
of Tunceli, Diyarbakir, and Bingol would be a `big mistake,' 
"Hurriyet" reports.  `If emergency rule is declared, the 
region will be isolated from the world and mystery killings 
will be seen again,' the Guler report said.  It noted that 
30 economic packages released thus far have yielded no 
results, and that there are still thousands of unemployed 
youth in the region.  Despite lucrative incentives offered 
by the government, businessmen are reluctant to invest in 
the southeast, according to the report.  The report claimed 
that the PKK is trying to block Turkey's EU entry by 
provoking Turkey through terrorist attacks to declare 
emergency rule on the eve of October 3.  The report stressed 
that paving more roads in the southeast would help to 
prevent PKK landmine attacks.  It also claimed that people 
in the region are happy with moves for more democratization 
and human rights, and added that support for the PKK has 
declined. 
 
Trial of Turkish Academic in Yerevan:  Thirteen Turkish 
intellectuals and academics have sent a letter to Armenian 
President Robert Kocharian to demand the release of Turkish 
researcher Yektan Turkyylmaz, who was detained in Yerevan 
last month on charges of attempting to smuggle antique books 
out of the country.  The first hearing for Turkyilmaz, a 
Turkish national of Kurdish extraction, will be held on 
Friday.  He is facing between four and eight years in 
prison.  The letter said that Turkyilmaz, a doctoral student 
at Duke University in the US, was among the few Turkish 
academics who maintained an impartial stand with regard to 
the `events of 1915.'  The Turkish Embassy in Tbilisi has 
also asked for the release of Turkyilmaz, saying that he 
bought the books from a second-hand book dealer in Yerevan. 
Human rights activists and officials from the US Embassy in 
Yerevan attended the opening session of the Turkyilmaz trial 
on Tuesday.  More than 200 academics in the United States, 
Turkey, and Armenia have signed an open letter to President 
Robert Kocharian, calling for his release.  Bob Dole, a 
former pro-Armenian member of the US Senate, wrote to 
Kocharian last week, arguing that detaining Turkyilmaz on 
grounds `as dubious as these' called into question Armenia's 
commitment to democracy.  The Armenian Helsinki Committee 
said that Turkyilmaz is among the few Turkish historians who 
question Ankara's official line on the 1915-17 mass killings 
and deportations of Armenians by Ottoman forces. 
 
Protest March for Closure of Incirlik Airbase:  "Cumhuriyet" 
reports that several democratic organizations and NGOs will 
hold a march from Istanbul to Incirlik Airbase in Turkey's 
southern province of Adana from August 26-28.  The groups 
said in a statement Tuesday that they will demand the 
closure of Incirlik Airbase, a symbol of `collaboration' 
between the Turkish military and US policies. 
 
Turkish Police Tip Off Israel on Terror Threat in Turkey: 
Dailies report Israel's anti-terror chief Danny Arditi as 
saying that Israel has warned its nationals against 
traveling to Turkey after receiving warnings from the 
Turkish police that al-Qaida affiliated militants would 
attack resorts densely populated by foreign visitors.  Over 
the weekend, the Israeli government rerouted a total of six 
Israeli cruise liners with thousands of passengers on board 
away from Turkey's Mediterranean coast to northern Cyprus, 
citing `grave' security threats.  Meanwhile, Turkish police 
captured 10 terror suspects from a religious group and 
seized C-4 explosives and a zodiac boat during security 
operations in Antalya last week.  Papers say the suspects 
are the members of the "Selam" wing of the Hizbullah 
organization.  Israeli press reported over the weekend that 
the cruise liners could be attacked by small boats packed 
with explosives, similar to the attack against the USS Cole 
in Yemen in 2000. 
 
Police Capture Terror Suspects:  Istanbul Police Chief 
Celalettin Cerrah said on Tuesday that the two men killed by 
a premature blast during the manufacturing of a bomb in the 
Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul last weekend were militants 
of the PKK.  Cerrah also said that four suspected PKK 
militants had been detained in connection with a bombing 
attack on July 23 outside a cafe in Istanbul in which a 
waiter and a Dutch tourist were injured.  Cerrah added that 
police seized 1.8 kg of plastic explosives, detonators and 
electronic circuits used in bomb making at the suspects' 
homes. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq/Terrorism 
 
"The Reality about the New Iraq" 
Sami Kohen observed in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (8/10): 
"While the constitution process is underway in Iraq, all 
indicators suggest that Iraq is eventually going to be both 
federal and Islamic.  Iraq is currently undergoing a complex 
and bloody transition period.  Once that is over, there will 
be more clear clues to the permanent political order in 
Iraq. . The new constitution apparently does not foresee a 
`united' and `secular' state system for the future of Iraq. 
It seems that to reach a consensus among the contentious 
groups, a federal and religiously fundamentalist plan will 
have to be adopted.  . Turkey should take into account the 
new trends and emerging realities as part of Iraq's 
rebuilding process.  In principle, Ankara does not object to 
Iraq having a federal system.  Keeping Iraq's territorial 
integrity intact -- more specifically, keeping the de-facto 
Kurdistan in northern Iraq as part of a unified Iraq -- is 
the most important point for Turkey.  Therefore, a 
federation that embraces all Iraqi groups should receive 
Turkey's support as well. . Turkey should facilitate a close 
dialogue with Iraqi officials and leading groups to support 
the country's territorial integrity and reduce conflict 
between the communities.  The new realities in Iraq require 
Turkey to assume an active role in the rebuilding of the 
country." 
 
"The Impact of Northern Iraq on Turkey's Southeast" 
Erdal Safak commented in the mass appeal "Sabah" (8/10): 
"Recent developments in northern Iraq are a direct concern 
for Turkey, and have a large impact on the problems in 
Turkey's southeast region.  Fighting against PKK terrorism 
requires more than security measures, which are already 
being implemented.  There needs to be a thorough discussion 
and real solutions to the problems faced by people in the 
southeast. . As one Turkish columnist rightly pointed out, 
people in the southeast have become alienated due to 
developments in Iraq that favor of Kurds, including the 
election of a Kurdish president of the country and the 
increasingly autonomous status of the Kurdish region. 
Turkey can only address these developments in northern Iraq 
by settling its problem in the southeast.  Otherwise the 
people in this region will feel resentment while watching 
the privileges gained by their brethren on the other side of 
the border." 
 
"EU Efforts on Counterterrorism Insufficient" 
Zafer Atay commented in the economic-political "Dunya" 
(8/10):  "It seems that the ongoing debate among EU 
countries is between those who have witnessed their own 
terrorist activity and the others who think the terrorists 
will never attack their country.  The countries determined 
to fight terrorism are taking their own action without 
consultation with the EU.  France is a good example of this. 
Italy also recently approved a new anti-terrorism law. 
According to the new law, governors will have the authority 
to deport people who shelter terrorists.  It will be 
interesting to see if the UK will start forcing certain 
communities to leave the country in the event of more terror 
attacks in the country.  This could be similar to the 
Ottoman deportations of Armenians in 1915 or US deportations 
of Japanese in 1941.  I am not suggesting that these will 
necessarily happen.  I am just thinking out loud.  . On the 
other hand, Turkey should not expect support from the EU in 
countering terrorism.  PM Erdogan mentioned a few days ago 
that in one of the Scandinavian countries there is a 
political party which that financial support to terrorists. 
You do not need to be a fortune teller to know that he is 
talking about Sweden, Denmark, or Norway.  Norway is not the 
member of the EU.  But terrorist organizations in Sweden and 
Denmark carry out their activities freely.  The PKK has been 
sheltered in these countries, and has opened cultural 
offices there.  Belgium still refuses to extradite the 
murderer terrorist Fehriye Erdal to Turkey, with the lame 
excuse that she did not use an automatic weapon in her 
crime.  Germany ignores Spain's EU arrest warrant.  The UK 
refuses to deport terrorists to Spain and France.  It is 
hard to know for sure, but it looks like some EU countries 
will not make any effort until they have been attacked 
directly by the terrorists." 
 
MCELDOWNEY