US embassy cable - 05ANKARA5444

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 005444 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 19, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US Takes Turkish Red Crescent Out of Tal Afar - Aksam 
Schroeder Rejects a Coalition with Merkel - Hurriyet 
Majority of Turks in Germany Voted for Schroeder - Aksam 
Germany in Two Pieces - Turkiye 
Ereli: US Policy on Armenian `Genocide' Claims Unchanged - 
Milliyet 9/18 
Annan to Launch a New Initiative on Cyprus - Aksam 
Kurdish MP Hussein Killed in Iraq - Milliyet 
Two PKK Terrorists Killed in Bingol - Milliyet 
Last Two Days' Toll in Iraq: 250 Killed - Sabah 9/17 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Gul: Annan Will Take New Steps on Cyprus - Radikal 
Karamanlis to Visit Turkey in November - Yeni Safak 
Coalition `Puzzle' Emerges Out of German Ballot Box - Zaman 
Blair: BBC is Anti-US - Yeni Safak 
Return to New Orleans Begins - Yeni Safak 
Tehran to Break Ties with West - Cumhuriyet 
Palestine Closes Gaza-Egypt Border Crossing - Cumhuriyet 
Hugo Chavez Visits Bronx in New York - New York 
Afghanistan Holds `Historic' Elections - Cumhuriyet 
Kabul Writes History, First Polls Held Since 1969 - Radikal 
Afghans Shrug Off Taliban Threats, Go to Ballot Box - Zaman 
Sharon: Israel Does Not Oppose a Palestinian State - Yeni 
Safak 9/17 
Iarqi Insurgents Unite against Zarkawi - Yeni Safak 9/17 
Attack against Shiite Neighborhood Kills 30 in Baghdad - 
Cumhuriyet 9/18 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
US Continues Transfer of Military Materiel into Iraq through 
Iskenderun:  Saturday "Cumhuriyet" writes on its front page 
that `thousands' of military vehicles and tons of ammunition 
continued to be shipped to the US forces in Iraq through 
Turkey's Mediterranean port of Iskenderun.  The US Embassy 
in Ankara said in a written statement Friday that the 
Iskenderun Port was not being used for transfer of military 
explosives to American forces in Iraq.  The paper claims 
that a Turkish staff member from the US Embassy called the 
port authorities in Iskenderun to ask why they were making 
such information public.  The "Cumhuriyet" story repeated 
its claims, basing them on the `unclassified' data provided 
by the Iskenderun Chamber of Maritime Commerce, that 3,404 
tons of ammunition and 4,076 military vehicles and 
construction equipment were shipped to Iraq through 
Iskenderun in the first seven months of the year. 
Iskenderun Port authorities said in a statement released 
through the Hatay Governor's Office that 66 tons of 
ammunition and 118 military vehicles were brought to 
Iskenderun in Egyptian and Honduran flagged vessels last 
month.  Zuheyir Amber, a Motherland Party (ANAP) lawmaker 
from the Hatay province said that US logistical support 
materiel transfer into Iraq continued through Iskenderun 
despite the fact that the Turkish Parliament rejected such 
use of Turkish facilities against Iraq, and that he will 
submit to the parliament a motion to discuss the issue. 
 
Turkey-US to Work to Cut Financial Support to the PKK: 
Saturday "Vatan" reports that Turkey and the United States 
decided to adopt some measures in an effort to cut off the 
PKK's financial resources and arrest the leaders of the 
terrorist organization during a meeting held in Washington 
in August.  Turkish and American officials came together at 
a meeting in Ankara last week to share intelligence and 
determine the sources of financial flow to the PKK from 
Europe.  The two countries will send evidence regarding the 
PKK's financial supporters to European capitals, demanding 
their arrest.  In the same story, "Sabah" quotes US Charge 
d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney saying in response to a call by 
Murat Karayilan, in which the PKK ringleader invited the 
Americans to talk with them instead of beginning action 
against his organization in northern Iraq, that the US will 
not discuss anything with terrorists.  During a meeting with 
the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) Deputy U/S Nabi Sensoy 
last week, McEldowney pointed to the `joint efforts' of 
Turkey and the US in the struggle against the PKK, and said 
that a delegation of US experts had recently met with 
Turkish officials with regard to the subject.  McEldowney 
declined to elaborate further, saying that the process 
required secrecy. 
 
US Delays Appointing a New Ambassador to Turkey: The 
appointment of the new US Ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, 
who was expected in Ankara in October at the latest, is 
delayed until Christmas,  claims Monday's "Sabah."   The 
appointment of Wilson to Turkey is seemingly not among the 
priorities of the Bush Administration, says the paper, 
adding that the approval of the US Senate is needed for the 
Wilson assignment.  The report speculates that the US may be 
delaying the appointment due to the successful performance 
of Charge McEldowney in improving the image of the US in 
Turkey with her attitude against the PKK. 
 
Grossman on US Expectations from Turkey:  Former US State 
Department U/S Marc Grossman told "Milliyet" on Saturday 
that the US should work to take the leaders and members of 
the anti-Turkish extremist group, the PKK, out of northern 
Iraq and have them face justice either in Iraq or Turkey. 
The US should take this action now, Grossman stressed, 
adding that without American or Iraqi action soon, it will 
be difficult to dissuade Turkey from unilaterally 
intervening in northern Iraq.  Grossman also called on the 
Turks to be more `flexible' with regard to the US military 
presence in Turkey.  Grossman added: `Turkey must accept its 
responsibilities concerning a solution to the Cyprus 
problem.  It must be careful with religious freedom and 
display tolerance by reopening the Halki Seminary.  It must 
open the border with Armenia and declare zero tolerance 
against anti-Semitism.' 
 
German Elections:  Turkish dailies say that the German 
Conservative leader Angela Merkel's anti-Turkey policies did 
her no good in the general elections as her party came in 
narrowly ahead of Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats.  The 
results will benefit Turkey most since the anti-Turkey 
conservative front will have to make concessions in Turkey's 
favor while bargaining over a coalition government, say 
papers.  Schroeder is quoted as saying that he will not 
allow a coalition government headed by Merkel.  The German 
election outcome brings about the possibility of new 
elections, say papers. 
 
Lagendijk Advises Kurds to Stay away from Ocalan:  Joost 
Lagendijk, the head of the Turkey-EU joint parliamentary 
commission, said that `sympathy' for the PKK had declined in 
Europe, Saturday Milliyet reports.  Lagendijk said that the 
opening of EU accession talks with Turkey will lead to the 
isolation of the PKK, advising the Kurdish politicians to 
distance themselves from Abdullah Ocalan and find a new 
leader to wage a democratic struggle. 
Annan Prepares for New Cyprus Initiative:  Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul said in New York on Saturday that UN Secretary 
General Kofi Annan will take several important steps forward 
regarding the Cyprus issue.  During my meetings with the 
foreign ministers of 12 EU countries, I have detailed 
Turkey's sensitivities on the eve of October 3, Gul said to 
reporters, adding that UNSG Annan will soon launch a fresh 
initiative on the subject.  Papers expect Annan to release a 
statement next week, criticizing the Greek Cypriot efforts 
to take the issue away from the UN to the EU. 
 
DEHAP Complains of Provocative Attacks:  The head of the pro- 
Kurdish DEHAP party branch in Van, Abdurrahman Dogan, has 
been arrested for propagandizing in support of the outlawed 
PKK and provoking hatred, "Cumhuriyet" reports on Sunday. 
Four DEHAP officials were arrested in Adana during security 
operations.  DEHAP's Ankara office complained in a statement 
that the party had become the target of lynching attempts, 
criticizing attacks by angry mobs against party branches in 
several provinces across Turkey.  The statement criticized 
Turkish officials for remaining silent in the face of 
provocations, stressing that such `provocations' undermined 
the `peaceful coexistence' of Turks and Kurds. 
 
Kurdish Politicians Conduct Defense in Kurdish at Court: 
Turkey's all-news channel NTV reported Monday that the 
leaders of the `Rights and Freedoms Party' (HAK-PAR), on 
trial for speaking in Kurdish during their party congress, 
made their defense in Kurdish through an interpreter.  Party 
Chairman Abdulmelik Firat told the press after the court 
hearing that the party officials were tried for speaking in 
Kurdish during their party congress, but the court allowed 
them to conduct their defense in Kurdish. 
 
Aydin Gives US Red Cross 1.5 Million USD:  Turkish State 
Minister Mehmet Aydin presented the US Red Cross official 
Rosemary W. Mackey with an aid check for 1.5 million USD 
meant for Hurricane Katrina victims in New York on Friday, 
weekend papers report.  Mackey thanked Aydin for the 
donation, saying that it is a new expression of the 
relations between the US Red Cross and Turkish Red Crescent 
(Kizilay). 
 
Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan Railroad Project:  Turkey will 
host a meeting on September 19 to discuss the developments 
regarding the Kars-Javakheti-Tbilisi-Baku Railway Project, 
weekend papers report.   The Turkish and Azerbaijani 
ministers of transportation and the Georgian infrastructure 
minister will participate in the meeting to discuss the 
project, which aims to establish a direct railway between 
Turkey and Georgia and between Turkey and Azerbaijan via 
Georgia.  The three countries signed a memorandum of 
understanding in December last year to put the project into 
force.  The project will further develop the Eurasia- 
Caucasus-Asia transportation corridor, and contribute to 
efforts to revive the historic Silk Road, say reports. 
 
PKK Terrorists Killed in Eastern Turkey:  Security forces 
killed two PKK terrorists in separate operations in the 
eastern provinces of Van and Tunceli, papers reported on 
Sunday.  Three terrorists reportedly escaped after the clash 
and crossed the Iranian border. 
 
Bus Explosion Kills Two in Turkey:  An explosion on a bus 
which was traveling from the southern city of Adana to 
Antalya killed two people and wounded 10, Turkey's semi- 
official "Anatolian Agency" (AA) reported on Monday.  AA 
said that the blast came from the hand-baggage shelf inside 
the bus en route to the tourist centre Antalya.  Police 
launched an investigation into the blast. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq/PKK; German Election 
 
"Expecting Action Against PKK" 
Yasemin Congar reported from Washington in the mass appeal 
"Milliyet" (9/19): "Attending the UN summit, PM Erdogan left 
New York with expectations to see some concrete action 
against the PKK presence in Iraq.  In a press conference 
prior to his departure, Erdogan expressed hope to see some 
deeds along with words from US and Iraqi officials by saying 
`our expectations continue since there were some positive 
developments recently.'  . Both Iraqi and American officials 
confirm that they are well aware of threat which the PKK 
presence in Iraq poses, as well as Turkey's concerns 
regarding it. . A Turkish government official who attended 
the meetings with both Iraqis and Americans noted that the 
Turkish side heard about the PKK exactly what it was hoping 
to hear.  And such words should follow with actions, Turkey 
emphasizes.  Regarding the nature of the action, several 
speculations can be made.  For example, tangible measures by 
Iraqi police force is one possible action.  But Talabani 
said only `we will do our best' and he did not go any 
further than that.  The US sources, on the other hand, 
continue to rule out the possibility of a comprehensive 
military operation against PKK at this point.  In fact, 
Erdogan and his close circles are not expecting a 
comprehensive operation either.  A Turkish official 
described the expectation by giving an example: `For 
instance, helicopter fire can hit a PKK target.  This will 
certainly not solve the issue but can create a huge 
psychological impact both on Turkish public opinion and on 
the PKK.'  The impression I got from American as well as 
Iraqi officials indicates that there will be more 
cooperation on intelligence matters which may result in on- 
the- spot operations.  On that note, there is even a 
speculation that certain leaders of the PKK may be arrested. 
. In an attempt to cope with anti-Americanism in Turkey and 
to demonstrate loyalty to its principles regarding combating 
terrorism, the Bush administration has recently started 
using clear and strong rhetoric about the PKK.  The 
Americans will use the upcoming Rice-Gul meeting to express 
American sensitivity on the PKK issue.  FM Gul wants to hear 
clearly what the US would do in Iraq.  There are some in 
Turkey who trust neither Talabani nor Barzani and believe 
the US is going to keep the PKK in northern Iraq in order to 
threaten Turkey.  Therefore, they do not believe that Turkey 
can achieve anything by creating cooperation [with the US 
and Iraq] against PKK.  Washington must have understood that 
strong rhetoric will no longer be sufficient to change this 
assumption." 
 
"Elections in Germany" 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in the conservative "Turkiye" 
(9/19):  "The prime ministers and foreign ministers of the 
UK and Germany, as well as those of Italy and Spain, all 
stressed the advantages of Turkey's EU membership and also 
all the problems that will occur in the event of Turkey's 
rejection.  The issue was also a part of the election 
debates in Germany.  They said many things except one 
important one: none of them dared to mention that Turkey's 
alternative to the EU is the US.  The US is a NATO ally for 
all these European countries.  Moreover, the US has billions 
of dollars of investment in these countries.  It would be 
contrary to political courtesy to mention that the US is a 
rival of the EU.  At last, former US Ambassador to Ankara 
Marc Grossman has stated that Turkey's EU alternative is the 
US.  President Bush stressed that approval of the Armenian 
genocide draft resolution by the US Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee doesn't reflect the US administration's policies. 
President Bush reiterated his friendship for Turkey with 
this statement." 
 
MCELDOWNEY