US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4735

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 004735 
 
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, AUGUST 11, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
Thursday, August 11, 2005 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Al-Qaida's Key Man Arrested - Milliyet 
Erdogan: Democracy the Only Solution to Kurdish Problem - 
Sabah 
Bush Bypasses US Senate for Edelman Appointment - Milliyet 
6 US Troops Killed in Iraq - Milliyet 
Iran State Radio: US Meets `Iranian PKK' in Mosul - Milliyet 
Israel to Pull Out of Occupied Palestine - Sabah 
Gaza Pullout Will be Painful - Aksam 
Jewish Settlers in Gaza Want Palestinian IDs - Aksam 
Abbas Calls on Palestinian Groups to Obey Ceasefire - Aksam 
Iraqi `Brains' Move North for Jobs - Zaman 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Al-Qaida Operation: 2 Syrians, 10 Turks Detained - 
Cumhuriyet 
Edelman Now Responsible for US Bases Around the World - 
Zaman 
Greek Cypriots Angry at Americans for Visiting `Occupied' 
Areas - Yeni Safak 
Attacks Kill 38 in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Hamanei `Fatwa' Bans Nuclear Weapons - Yeni Safak 
EU Invites Tehran to Negotiating Table Again - Zaman 
Netanyahu Declares War on Sharon Over Gaza Pullout - Zaman 
Dissident Journalist Genci Continues Hunger Strike in Tehran 
- Radikal 
Serbian War Criminal Lukic to Surrender - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Turkish Police Arrest al-Qaida Suspects:  A Syrian man, 21- 
year-old Hamed Obysi, was arrested in Istanbul on charges of 
belonging to al-Qaida, while another Syrian, who is a 
suspect in the Istanbul bombings of November 2003, is being 
interrogated by anti-terror police, Turkish media report. 
Obysi was detained in Turkey's Mediterranean province of 
Antalya.  The second Syrian, Luai Sakra (32), was detained 
in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir Saturday.  Sakra 
was reportedly carrying forged Turkish identity documents, 
and was brought to Istanbul for questioning on Sunday. 
Papers report that police arrested the two Syrians following 
the discovery of two forged passports and one ton of 
explosives and chemicals used in the manufacturing of bombs 
in a flat in Antalya.  Sakra is allegedly a high-level al- 
Qaida militant with links to Abu-Musa al-Zarqawi, and Obysi 
is charged with acting as a courier in the suicide attacks. 
Turkish television reports claimed yesterday that at least 
10 suspects had been detained in connection with suspected 
terrorist attacks aimed at Israeli visitors in Turkey.  The 
detainees were reportedly gathering information on 
synagogues in Turkey and on Israeli ships to prepare for 
attacks.  Israel on Monday warned its nationals to avoid a 
strip of Turkey's Mediterranean coast between the resorts of 
Alanya and Kemer in Antalya province, citing `grave' terror 
threats.  On Friday, Israel rerouted four Israeli cruise 
liners from their destination in Alanya to northern Cyprus 
based on fears of a possible attack.  Responding to press 
questions about the police operations, Interior Minister 
Abdulkadir Aksu advised the media to have `patience' for `at 
least two more days.' 
 
Erdogan: Kurdish Question Cannot be Solved by Violence:  A 
12-member delegation of Turkish activists and intellectuals 
that met with Prime Minister Erdogan on Wednesday repeated 
its call for the PKK to lay down its arms immediately and 
unconditionally.  Professor Gencay Gursoy told the press on 
behalf of the delegation that many `positives' had come out 
of the three-hour meeting.  `The PM assured us that the 
Kurdish question will be solved without any compromises to 
democracy,' Gursoy said, adding that PM Erdogan would give 
positive messages during his visit to the southeastern city 
of Diyarbakir tomorrow.  Guroy underlined that the 
delegation sees a solution to the Kurdish problem not by 
shrinking democracy but by expanding it.  `The Kurdish 
question is not a simple problem of security, and cannot be 
solved by military and security measures alone.  Civilian 
leaders must exercise their authority, and the parliamentary 
will should come the forefront.  Relations with local 
authorities should be strengthened,' Gursoy said.  Gursoy 
repeated a call for the PKK to lay down its arms in view of 
the increasing democracy in Turkey.  Ahead of his meeting 
with the delegation, Erdogan said that the Kurdish question 
is a problem of democratization, stressing that the 
government would not tolerate those who resort to violence. 
`We believe that all problems in Turkey have their solutions 
in democratization,' Erdogan said.  The PM also noted that 
the terrorist PKK in no way can be seen as the 
representative of the Kurds.  `Our government believes that 
our people should have better living standards.  We are 
carrying out a transformation program based on democracy and 
fundamental rights,' Erdogan stressed.  Papers report that 
at the meeting, the delegation asked the PM to ensure that 
emergency rule in southeast Turkey is not restored, that the 
government continue steps for democratization, that the 
Kurdish issue should be considered separately from PKK 
terrorism, and that the government should prepare the 
necessary grounds for the formation of alternate political 
organizations as the Kurdish political movement in Turkey 
becomes more pluralistic.  FM Abdullah Gul, State Minister 
Besir Atalay, Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker, parliamentary 
commission for human rights chairman Mehmet Elkatmys, AKP 
MPs Ihsan Arslan, Huseyin Besli, and Omer Celik, PM U/S Omer 
Dincer, and PM advisors Yalcyn Akdogan and Nabi Avci also 
participated in the meeting. 
 
Edelman Appointed Defense Undersecretary:  Former US 
ambassador to Turkey, Eric Edelman, has been appointed as 
Undersecretary of Defense for Policy by President Bush to 
replace Doug Feith.  President Bush had nominated Edelman 
for the number three post at the Pentagon shortly after the 
former US ambassador to Ankara resigned from his post.  The 
US House Armed Services Committee held a hearing for Edelman 
in late June, but efforts led by Senator Carl Levin (D) 
aimed to force the Pentagon to submit some documents 
pertaining to Doug Feith prevented Edelman from getting 
Senate confirmation, according to "Milliyet."  President 
Bush, however, opted to `bypass' the US Senate by signing a 
`recess appointment' on August 9.  Edelman assumed his post, 
but will have to appear before the Armed Services Committee 
in early 2007.  "Zaman" reports that Edelman will take over 
the job of restructuring US bases around the world, a task 
left unfinished by Feith. 
 
Grossman Interview with "Milliyet":  The following is a 
summary of former Ambasador Grossman's remarks in the last 
installment of a four-day interview carried today in 
"Milliyet." 
 
`Turkey's full membership in the European Union is 
definitely in the interests of the United States.  If the EU 
does not keep its pledge to open accession talks with Turkey 
in October, it will be making a huge mistake.  Under the 
leadership of three US presidents, we have worked hard for 
Turkey's EU membership, because Turkey's path toward 
membership enabled the country to progress in the direction 
of more democracy and freedom.  Turkey had a largely 
centralist and state-controlled economy 15 years ago. 
Turkey's relationship with the EU has changed the country in 
a positive sense.  When you go to Denizli, Kahramanmaras, or 
Gaziantep, you can witness a business success in the Turkish 
style.  Turkey's relationship with the EU has also expanded 
Turkey's strategic perspective.  When Turkey's openings to 
the Turkic states began, it became easier for an EU-oriented 
Turkey to show these countries that change brings a more 
promising future.  The same is true for the Middle East.  As 
a democratic and secular country with a Muslim majority, 
Turkey's chances of joining one of the most productive 
organizations in the world, the EU, brings hope for change 
in the Middle East.' 
 
`The US should do something if the EU loses interest in 
Turkey.  Turkey is a country that must continue in the path 
of democracy and be successful economically.  If the EU 
cannot succeed in integrating Turkey, that responsibility 
will fall on the US.  We must help Turkey, whether through a 
free trade agreement or something else.' 
 
 `I believe that US ambassadors' raising their voices in 
Turkey on the side of democracy and human rights and against 
torture -- and I put Ambassador Abramowitz at the top of the 
list here -- has always yielded positive results.  I am not 
saying that Turks have made those reforms just to please US 
ambassadors, but our discussions on such issues have 
provided the grounds for debate in Turkey.  All of this 
makes me believe that the Turkish-American relationship has 
a great future -- and that is a military, political and 
economic future.' 
 
`I can't help but remember Turkey's policy a few weeks prior 
to when Ocalan left Damascus.  Troops were moved to Turkey's 
southern border, and Turkish leaders made tough declarations 
about the need to get Ocalan out of Damascus.  At that time, 
Turkey offered Damascus a choice.  Now, the US and the 
international community are offering Damascus a choice. 
Turks, who successfully gave an ultimatum to Damascus now 
say they cannot understand why this regime is being 
confronted with an ultimatum.  This is, to say the least, 
ironic.' 
 
`One thing that must be understood is that after September 
11, every nation has become a front country.  Geography 
matters less today.  If you remember that people can fly 
planes into the World Trade Center, and that this operation 
was dreamed up in Afghanistan and planned in Hamburg, you 
will see that the importance of geography has diminished. 
But Turkey is still very important, because it is the place 
where the historical experiment of being secular, democratic 
and Muslim is taking place.  I believe that Turkey will 
succeed in this experiment, and because it will succeed, 
nobody around the world will say that this is impossible! 
If you are an Iraqi, a Lebanese, or a Syrian, and somebody 
tells you that `you will never become democratic,' you know 
that it is no longer true, because there is the example of 
Turkey.' 
 
`The biggest cause of anti-American sentiment in Turkey is 
Iraq.  A considerable number of Americans cannot understand 
how strong feelings the Turks have regarding what is going 
on in Iraq.  To struggle against anti-Americanism, the 
Turkish government and opinion leaders must make statements 
to protect the Turkish-American relationship.  There is an 
important strategic relationship between Turkey and the US. 
Turkish leaders must tell their people that `we understand 
your concerns about Iraq, but you must not miss our 
country's larger strategic interests.' 
 
US Meets with `Iranian PKK':  "Milliyet" reports Iran state 
radio as claiming that `US commanders' met in Mosul with the 
leadership of the `Free Living Party' (PEJAK), the PKK- 
affiliated organization which recently killed four Iranian 
soldiers.  Iran state radio said that the PEJAK members had 
given the Americans a report on their activities.  The radio 
also claimed that Iran had recently signed a cooperation 
agreement with Turkey with regard to combating the PKK. 
 
Karasu: US Won't Dare to Confront the PKK in Northern Iraq: 
Mustafa Karasu, a member of the PKK leadership, told the PKK- 
affiliated "Ozgur Yasam" that the US will not take action 
against the organization's militants in Iraq, "Milliyet" 
reports.  `We have been in northern Iraq for 20 years 
without getting permission from anybody.  If the US suffers 
casualties by confronting us, it will not be able to explain 
this to the American people,' he stressed.  Karasu also 
called on the people of Diyarbakir not to show interest in 
the visit of PM Erdogan, who is to visit the mainly Kurdish 
city on Friday. 
 
Turkey Uneasy About Iraqi Draft Constitution:  The Iraqi 
draft constitution, which envisages leaving the 
administration of Mosul and Kirkuk to a Kurdish federal 
entity, has raised concerns in Ankara, according to 
"Cumhuriyet."  Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) sources said 
that Turkey will `have a say' if Iraq's constitution is 
finalized this way.  `Iraq's constitution is not only Iraq's 
business.  From the international standpoint, it will affect 
Turkey as well,' the sources told "Cumhuriyet."  The paper 
claims that Ankara has warned the Iraqi administration to 
change the draft. 
 
US Congressional Staffers in Cyprus: A delegation of US 
Congressional staffers met `TRNC Parliament Speaker' Fatma 
Ekenoglu, `Prime Minister' Ferdi Sabit Soyer, National Unity 
Party (UBP) lawmaker Tahsin Ertugruloglu, and Peace and 
Democracy Movement (BDH) leader Mustafa Akinci.  `PM' Soyer 
said after meeting the Americans that such visits by foreign 
diplomats and bureaucrats helped to show the position of the 
Turkish Cypriots with regard to the Cyprus problem.  Soyer 
said he briefed the delegation in detail on recent 
developments in Cyprus, and called for more such visits. 
The US delegation will leave northern Cyprus on August 14. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Fight with Terrorism 
 
"Democracy is the Remedy for Terrorism" 
Okay Gonensin observed in the mass appeal "Vatan" (8/11): 
"The ongoing debate in Western countries regarding measures 
against terrorism is sending the wrong signal to some in 
Turkey who advocates a decrease in democracy in order to 
combat growing PKK terrorism.  The advancement of human 
rights in Turkey is not the source of PKK terrorism.  The 
defenders of this argument are trying to take Turkey 
backward.  Going back to a limited democracy will definitely 
not solve the terrorism issue.  In fact, PKK terrorism 
emerged and managed to grow when Turkey was suffering from a 
lack of democracy.  Democracy across the country, including 
in Turkey's heavily Kurdish areas, is the only way to 
counter terrorism today.  That will continue to be the case 
in the future.  There is reason to be hopeful for the 
future, because the government is so far standing against 
calls for a return to the past.  The Turkish people should 
never be deprived of their contemporary rights.  . Ankara 
hosted an important event when PM Erdogan discussed the 
Kurdish and terrorism issues with a group of intellectuals 
yesterday.  Presenting this meeting as `bargaining about 
terrorism' is a cheap and dirty political game.  Every 
political party outside the government should give its 
support to this process.  In other words, they should 
support democracy." 
"Being Like the UK" 
Zafer Atay argued in the economic-political "Dunya" (8/11): 
"Following the terrorist attacks in London, the Blair 
administration acted in a very determined way to counter 
terrorism.  The streets of London were immediately full of 
huge numbers of police.  Requesting help from the army was 
also put on the table as an option.  The British authorities 
continue to raid, pursue, and arrest members of the evil 
axis linked to Al-Qaida.  Nobody in the UK is arguing about 
freedom of religion or freedom of expression.  It seems that 
the Copenhagen criteria, which was imposed on Turkey as if 
by holy writ, is not binding for the Blair government. . The 
European Union, with its current composition, will never be 
able to unite in the fight against terrorism.  Therefore, 
the UK is trying to finish the job on its own.  This is the 
UK example.  As for Turkey, we are still late in passing new 
laws to cope with terrorism.  It does not necessarily mean 
that Turkey has to copy the UK, but why not take lessons 
from a good example?" 
 
"Terror and Politics" 
Turgut Tarhanli wrote in the liberal-intellectual "Radikal" 
(8/11):  "After the terrorist attacks in London, the British 
government started changing the law in the name of 
countering terrorism.  Under the new laws, it seems that the 
rights of a suspect in this democratic country will be 
limited, and in some cases completely lifted.  The rule of 
law should not be limited to ordinary periods.  The general 
rules should apply for extraordinary situations as well.  It 
only requires an experienced lawmaker to adapt the general 
rules to extraordinary circumstances.  But now we see there 
are contrary applications in many countries around the 
world.  The US after the 9/11 attacks and the UK after the 
July attacks are examples of this trend.  Although these 
initiatives can supposedly be controlled in the future, many 
unexpected developments will occur in the course of time. 
Unfortunately, if legal amendments tend to increase 
limitations on civil liberties, any future changes will 
likely be made in the same direction." 
 
MCELDOWNEY