US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6012

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 006012 
 
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, OCTOBER 5, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Gul: Europe a Global Actor Now - Milliyet 
Erdogan: EU the Best Route to a Democratic Turkey - Vatan 
Rice Urges Cypriots Not to Push for NATO Membership - Sabah 
US `Silences' Greek Cypriots - Milliyet 
Condi's Intervention Ended EU-Turkey Crisis - Hurriyet 
Straw: Secular Turkey is Ataturk's Legacy - Aksam 
Chirac: Turkey Needs `Cultural Revolution' to Join EU - 
Milliyet 
Rehn: Entry Talks with Turkey Will be Fair - Sabah 
The Independent: Turkey is Europe's New Frontier - Milliyet 
Bush Congratulates Muslims on Ramadan - Hurriyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Gul: EU-Turkey Negotiations Will be Tough - Zaman 
Rehn: Turkey Screening To Begin October 20 - Radikal 
Barroso: Turkey Must Win European Hearts and Minds - Yeni 
Safak 
Zarkawi Calls for More Attacks During Ramadan - Cumhuriyet 
Kurdish Leaders Threaten to Pull Out of Government - 
Cumhuriyet 
Blair, Putin Meet in London - Cumhuriyet 
NATO to Send 6,000 New Troops to Afghanistan - Yeni Safak 
US Imposes Arms Embargo on Uzbekistan - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
US Presses EU on Behalf of Turkey:  Turkish dailies write 
that the elimination of the `Cyprus and NATO obstacle' from 
Turkey's path to EU membership talks was made  possible by 
the pressure the US put on the Greek Cypriot administration. 
On Monday, Secretary Rice called Papadopoulos to warn the 
Cypriot president not to use the EU as a `wedge' in 
Nicosia's aspirations to join NATO, US diplomatic sources in 
Washington told "Milliyet."  State Department Spokesman Sean 
McCormack said that Secretary Rice met with the 25 EU 
ambassadors in Washington on Tuesday.  `Secretary Rice 
reiterated the US view that a Turkey firmly anchored in 
Europe will best serve the interests of the transatlantic 
family and will be a positive force for advancing peace, 
prosperity and democracy,' McCormack said.  Many papers 
highlight the key role played by UK Foreign Minister Straw 
and PM Blair, who reportedly called PM Erdogan on Monday 
afternoon to urge him to accept the EU framework document. 
Turkey's oppositino parties are divided on the outcome of 
the Luxembourg talks.  CHP leader Deniz Baykal charged that 
the government came home with a bad deal, and charged the 
AKP leadership of not sharing information with the 
opposition during the decision-making process.  ANAP leader 
Erkan Mumcu praised the start of accession talks as a 
`success for the Republic,' but cautioned that Turkey could 
face problems during the negotiaion process.  Turkey's 
financial markets soared on Tuesday as a result of Turkey's 
deal with the EU.  The Turkish stock market was up nearly 4 
percent, and the central bank was forced to intervene to 
prevent a sharp appreciation in the Turkish lira. 
 
EU Screening of Turkey to Begin October 20:  EU Enlargement 
Commissioner Olli Rehn is expected to arrive in Ankara 
Wednesday evening to discuss with government officials 
Turkey's EU screening process, which will begin on October 
20.  The talks will be carried out in 35 policy areas in 
which Turkey will try to bring its system into line with EU 
regulations.  Rehn told a news conference in Brussels that 
the screening process will begin with the chapter on 
education and culture, adding that this chapter could take 
as long as one year.  `We are talking about an open-ended 
negotiation process that could take 10-15 years,' Rehn said. 
He also noted that recognition of Cyprus is a part of 
Turkey's accession process. 
 
Gul: Europe Will Benefit from Turkish Membership:  Foreign 
Minister Abdullah Gul told the press in Luxembourg yesterday 
that EU membership will boost Turkish economic growth and 
help convince wary Europeans of the benefits of Turkey 
joining the EU.  `In five to six years time, the EU will 
recognize the advantages of admitting Turkey,' Gul said.  He 
said the prospect of opening the talks had bolstered 
Turkey's privatization program, attracting more foreign 
investors and contributing to economic growth.  `Increased 
investment will create more jobs in Turkey, reducing the 
desire of Turks to go and work abroad,' Gul said, addressing 
a key concern among EU members who fear a considerable 
influx of cheap Turkish labor once Ankara joins the European 
club.  `In the medium to long term the EU will bring 
prosperity and Turkey will be stronger and more stable,' Gul 
said.  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting 
yesterday with the Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc that 
Turkey hoped to reach its target of full membership soon. 
`The two important topics of the negotiation process are the 
Copenhagen and Maastricht criteria.  During entry talks, we 
will take advantage of our customs union relationship with 
the EU, which has been in place since 1996.  Other EU 
candidate states did not have such an advantage,' Erdogan 
said.  Arinc characterized the outcome with the EU as 
`positive,' and voiced hope that Turkey will take its place 
within the EU family very soon.  Turkish papers claim that 
Ankara's efforts to remove provisions concerning the EU 
capacity to `absorb' new members and about permanent 
derogations failed.  Some warn that the provisions and 
restrictions on the free movement of Turkish labor will 
become a source of problems for Turkey. 
 
Ramadan Message from President Bush:  President Bush 
congratulated Muslims on the holy month of Ramadan in a 
message to Muslims in the United States and around the 
world, Turkish papers report.  Bush said that Ramadan, the 
holiest month of the Muslim year, is a special time of 
`reflection, fasting, and charity.'  `It is also a time of 
spiritual growth and prayer and an occasion to remember the 
less fortunate by sharing God's gifts with those in need,' 
Bush said, and wished Muslims a blessed Ramadan season.  The 
President's message was carried prominently by "Hurriyet." 
 
US Talks with Israel on Assad:  "Yeni Safak" cites the 
"Debkafile" webpage as reporting that a UN-led investigation 
has found proof that Syrian President Assad's brother Mahir 
and brother-in-law Asaf Sevket were involved in the 
assassination of former Lebanese PM Hariri.  President Assad 
may hand the suspects over in an effort to save his regime, 
"Yeni Safak" claims.  The paper notes that Assad's 
`flirtation' with Iran and Russia is continuing.  "Yeni 
Safak" also cites Israel's "Ha'aretz" as reporting that US 
diplomats have asked their Israeli counterparts who would 
replace the Syrian president if he is ousted.  The report 
claims that the US is looking for a replacement for Assad, 
and favors a name that would not disrupt stability in the 
region. 
 
Oyak Outbids Competitors for Erdemir Steel:  Oyak, a company 
managed by the Turkish military pension fund, outbid 5 local 
and international competitors to win the privatization 
tender for a 47 percent stake in the Erdemir steel works. 
Oyak will pay nearly 2.8 billion USD for the shares in what 
is Turkey's most profitable state-owned enterprise. 
 
PKK Bomber Killed in Blast in Istanbul:  One PKK member was 
killed and another wounded in an explosion in a building in 
Caglayan, Istanbul Tuesday night, papers report.  Police 
said the blast occurred while the two militants were making 
a bomb.  Six bystanders were also injured in the blast. 
 
Two PKK Terrorists Killed in Hakkari:  Two PKK militants 
were killed and one other was captured on Tuesday in 
Yuksekova in the southeastern province of Hakkari, papers 
report.  Another terrorist managed to flee the area. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Turkey and the EU 
 
"Turkey Has to Fight on Three Fronts" 
Oktay Eksi opined in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (10/5): 
"Yesterday, a new era began in Turkey.  We are happy today, 
but as the Prime Minister said, `the difficult process 
starts now.'  From now on, Turkey will be fighting on three 
fronts in the EU accession process.  First, Turkey will be 
struggling with the EU member states in the membership 
negotiations.   The second struggle will take place in 
Turkey.  From the state administration to individuals, we 
will have to start living according to EU reforms in order 
to transform our daily life in line with EU standards. 
Finally, and most importantly, there will be a struggle for 
international public opinion.  We have to introduce Turkey 
to the people of the EU countries, and convince them to 
support Turkey's membership in the union.  This will be the 
hardest fight of all, because as Turks we will have to erase 
prejudices rooted in history from the minds of Europeans, 
and replace this with a new image of Turkey's beauty and 
civilization.  There are difficult tasks before us, but the 
goal is worth all the effort." 
 
"The Right Not to be Pleased" 
Murat Yetkin argued in the liberal-intellectual "Radikal" 
(10/5):  "I would like to draw your attention to two 
political reactions from Turkey's opposition leaders:  DYP 
leader Mehmet Agar criticized the EU framework document, but 
in the end described the start of EU negotiations as `a 
success for the Republic.'  CHP leader Deniz Baykal, on the 
other hand, wasn't too pleased with developments, and 
criticized those who are happy with the result.  If Turkey 
had cut off its relations with the EU and walked away from 
the negotiation table, which direction would it have gone? 
Political and economic liberalization would have come to an 
end, and foreign companies would have stopped investing in 
Turkey.  It is a basic democratic right to draw attention to 
a government's mistakes.  But it is also part of democracy 
to be able to separate bad from good, and to be happy for 
developments that are clearly in the interest of the 
country." 
 
"Why Did Washington Kiss Turkey?" 
Rusen Cakir wrote in the mass appeal "Vatan" (10/5): 
"Secretary Rice intervened at a time when Turkey's relations 
with the EU were at a breaking point.   This support was 
given as a result of the changed Turkish attitude toward the 
US.  Recently, Turkish officials have exerted every effort 
to strengthen Turkey-US ties.  Washington extended  support 
to Turkey when it was needed the most.  Nevertheless, this 
support should not be exaggerated.  The accession talks 
started after huge efforts exerted by Turkish politicians, 
diplomats, NGOs, academicians, and the Turkish public.  As 
for foreign support, Europe's leftists and Green parties 
deserve more applause than President Bush and his team." 
"Like a Gunshot Wound" 
Cuneyt Arcayurek wrote in the leftist-nationalist 
"Cumhuriyet" (10/5):  "Despite our objections, language on 
the `absorption capacity' of the EU remained in the 
framework document.  Our ability to veto Greek Cypriot 
membership in international organizations such as NATO has 
been called into question, and we had to content ourselves 
with a letter and verbal assurances.  The idea of  a 
privileged partnership is still being discussed.  This is 
all very important.  The ruling party and its toadies and 
flatterers in the press don't mention that the EU insists on 
these things, or that they are absolutely binding on us. 
Restrictions on free movement and on agricultural subsidies 
which have never been applied to any other candidate country 
are being imposed on Turkey.  The Prime Minister takes his 
government to the AK party building and receives foreign 
ambassadors there.  Our writers, who have such a burning 
love for the EU, view it as normal that the state is being 
run by a party.  After giving concessions to the EU that 
should have never been given, and accepting conditions that 
should never have been accepted, the Prime Minister then 
calls the President and the opposition leader in a cosmetic 
gesture to blunt the accusation that he withheld information 
from them during the decision-making process.  This 
document, which binds Turkey hand and foot and humiliates 
the nation, is like a gunshot wound.  A person who is shot 
doesn't feel the pain at first.  It is only after a little 
while that it starts to bleed and cause suffering.  That is, 
after it's already too late." 
 
MCELDOWNEY