US embassy cable - 05ANKARA5035

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005035 
 
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, AUGUST 26, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
Friday, August 26, 2005 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
DAS Bryza: "PKK is US, Iraqi, Turkish Problem - Hurriyet 
Sakik Calls on Ocalan to Give Up Armed Struggle - Hurriyet 
US Formula Against the PKK - Sabah 
A New Front Against Ocalan - Milliyet 
US Praises Turkey for Democracy Drive - Milliyet 
Greek Cypriots Launch Initiative for Counter-Delaration - 
Aksam 
Conflict Among Shiites in Iraq - Aksam 
Support from US to Erdogan - Turkiye 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Shiite Clashes Spreads-Radikal 
US: "Turkey's Steps on Democratization are Impressive - 
Radikal 
Bush Determined to Continue War in Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
DAS Bryza: "No Magic Wand to Eliminate PKK"-Cumhuriyet 
Foreign Ministry Warns Revival of Article 8 Would Harm EU 
Drive - Zaman 
US Examines Turkish Model for Training of Imams - Zaman 
MIT Investigates TV, Radios Planning Kurdish Broadcasting - 
Zaman 
US Requests Imams from Turkish Religious Affairs - Yeni 
Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
DAS Matt Bryza Visits Ankara:  All papers report on US 
Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Bryza's second visit to 
Turkey within the past month.  During the first day of his 
two-day visit, Bryza met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, 
Religious Affairs officials, and officials at the Foreign 
Ministry.  Following his meeting with Foreign Ministry 
Deputy Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan, Bryza told reporters 
that he had had fruitful meetings with Turkish officials. 
"Hurriyet" reports that Bryza expressed full support to 
Turkey ont the PKK and Cyprus issues.  Bryza underlined that 
the US is determined to coordinate with Turkey in every 
field to eliminate the PKK.  He said the PKK is a common 
problem for Turkey, the US, and Iraq.  `It is in the US 
interest to eliminate the PKK,' Bruza stressed, adding that 
`we cannot stop PKK or other terrorism in Iraq by pushing a 
button.'  "Sabah" highlighted Bryza's claim that the US is 
working on a new effort aimed at the arrest of PKK leaders 
in Europe, the shutting down of PKK-affiliated media outlets 
such as "Roj-TV," and the interdiction of financial flows to 
the PKK.  Bryza stressed that the PKK issue cannot be 
resolved solely through military means.  "Sabah" also 
highlighted Bryza's positive comments on the state of the US- 
Turkish bilateral relationship.  Bryza acknowledged that 
there had been a period of tension in the relationship 
earlier this year, but added the Turkish-US relations had 
`hit bottom' and had now started to rebound.  Islamist- 
oriented "Zaman" reported that when asked about his visit to 
the Religious Affairs Directorate, Bryza noted that `among 
Muslim countries, Turkey is the most successful secular 
democracy.  The Religious Affairs office employs imams, and 
ensures that the country's secularism is preserved.  This 
office provides secular control over mosques and imams in 
Turkey.  Religious Affairs may be able to help us work with 
our allies in Turkey and in Europe to help immigrants from 
Turkey, Morocco, and Algeria, who have became disconnected 
from their own traditions.  These traditions provide a 
natural shield against extremism.' "Radikal" columnist Murat 
Yetkin drew attention to two messages issued by Bryza.  When 
asked about the possible revival of Cyprus talks, Bryza said 
that the uncompromising attitudes of the Greek Cypriot 
leader Papadopulos could lead to recognition of Northern 
Cyprus as a separate political entity by a third country at 
some point.  Bryza added that demands for the recognition of 
Greek Cyprus by Turkey as a precondition for the start of 
EU entry talks are ill-advised. 
 
US Charge McEldowney Visits State Minister Tuzmen:  US 
Embassy Charge d'affaires Nancy McEldowney said after a 
meeting with State Minister for Trade Kursad Tuzmen that 
`the US is determined to cooperate with Turkey in the fight 
against terrorism.'  When she was asked about the concrete 
results of that cooperation, McEldowney said that `Turkey is 
impatient in solution of PKK problem.  I understand the 
reason for this impatience.  The US is ready to exert every 
effort for a solution to this complicated problem.' 
McEldowney recalled that the US has always supported Turkey 
in the fight against terrorism.  Minister Tuzmen in turn 
said that the US is `doing a lot of singing' about fighting 
against the PKK, but now Turkey `wanted to see some 
dancing.' 
 
US Praises Turkey's Democracy Drive:  In a written response 
to a question taken at the State Department press briefing 
earlier this week, US State Department spokesman Sean 
McCormack said that the US has long supported Turkey's 
democratization efforts as it continues on its path toward 
the European Union.  MacCormack noted that Turkey has made 
impressive strides on democratization and human rights 
issues, as reflected by the European Union decision to grant 
Turkey a date for accession talks. 
 
Semdin Sakik Urges Ocalan to end PKK Violence:  "Hurriyet" 
gives extensive front page coverage to a letter by jailed 
PKK militant Semdin Sakik to jailed PKK leader Osman Ocalan 
calling on Ocalan to give up the PKK's armed struggle and 
urge militants to lay down their arms.  The paper recalled 
that Sakik had been Ocalan's right-hand man when the two men 
controlled PKK attacks back in the 1990s.  In his letter, 
Sakik wrote that `your only responsibility in solving the 
Kurdish issue is to make the PKK militants lay down their 
weapons.' 
 
Kurdish Groups Form New Front Against PKK:  "Milliyet" 
reports that Kurdish groups not connected to PKK are making 
new efforts to restart Kurdish political movements.  One new 
movement is led by HAK-PAR leader Abdulmelik Firat.  Another 
group is chaired by Kurdish activist Serafettin Elci, a 
former government minister.  Firat is planning to convene a 
meeting of Kurdish activists and intellectuals in Ankara 
September 4 to discuss the way forward.  Elci says he is 
accelerating work to establish a new political party.  Both 
groups want to become alternatives to Leyla Zana's 
Democratic Society Movement (DTH), which is increasingly 
being regarded as a satellite of the PKK terror 
organization. 
 
MIT Investigating TV Stations Seeking to Start Kurdish 
Language Broadcasts:  "Zaman" reports that Turkish 
intelligence (MIT) has initiated investigations against TV 
and radio channels that have applied to begin Kurdish 
language broadcasts.  Local TV and radio channels must 
obtain permission from the Supreme Broadcasting Board (RTUK) 
before launching the broadcasts.  "Zaman" says that while 
making its decision about the applications, RTUK will take 
into account the MIT report. 
 
General Electric to Enter Turkish Banking Sector:  Papers 
report that the US-based General Electric Consumer Finance 
Corporation has reached agreement with the Dogus Holding 
Group on the purchase of a 25.5 percent stake in Garanti 
Bank.  The deal would reportedly be worth about 1.8 billion 
USD.  It would represent the first siginificant US 
investment in Turkey's banking sector. 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq; Gaza Disengagement 
 
"Iraq's Constitution" 
Erhan Basyurt wrote in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman" 
(8/26):  "The new Iraqi constitution was drafted by the 
Shiites and the Kurds, while objections from the Sunnis were 
ignored.  At this point, fundamental changes to the text 
seem unlikely.  The constitutional draft includes advanced 
standards on freedom and minority rights.  It accepts Arabic 
and Kurdish as the two official languages, and paves the way 
for Kurdish language education in a federal region of 
Kurdistan. . Other minorities, such as Turkmens and 
Assyrians, are not ignored either.  Their right to education 
in their mother tongue will be allowed upon request.  . It 
is also important that the Iraqi constitution defines a good 
structure with regard to the relationship between the state 
and religion.  The constitution accepts Islam as the state's 
official religion, but rules out the passage of any law 
which is against both Islam and democracy.  In other words, 
Iraq will not be a religious state, and a conflict between 
the state and religion is prevented. . The main issue about 
the new constitution is the extent to which it will really 
be implemented, even if it is approved by the people of 
Iraq.  The constitution, in its current form, could bring 
chaos to Iraq in the short term, because Iraq does not have 
a deeply-rooted democratic experience.  On the contrary, 
Iraq presents a complex picture with its competing ethnic, 
linguistic, and religious groupings.  Given the impact of 
tribal culture in daily life and the low level of education, 
Iraq may not continue to sail toward freedom, but may find 
itself in chaos and under pressure from divisive forces. 
Deferring the status of Kirkuk until 2007 is another 
potential problem for Iraq's future. . Under its new 
constitution, Iraq is designed to be a model for the region. 
Let's hope that it will not end up being dragged into a 
chaos of freedom." 
 
"Sharon's Plan" 
Kamuran ozbir wrote in the nationalist "Ortadogu" (8/26): 
"Israel has pulled out of the Gaza strip, but that does not 
necessarily represent a defeat for the Sharon 
administration.  As expressed by Israeli authorities, the 
withdrawal decision was not the result of terrorist attacks. 
Israel had managed to control the level of attacks prior to 
the withdrawal plan.  Israel still has control over the 
withdrawal plan, and is implementing it by gaining even more 
power than before in Eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank. . 
Even after the withdrawal, the big picture in the Middle 
East still favors Israel.  Israel continues to control the 
West Bank, and has provided only a small relief for the 
Palestinians by pulling out from a limited area." 
 
MCELDOWNEY