US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6101

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 006101 
 
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, OCTOBER 7, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Rehn: Turkey Must Open Ports to Greek Cypriots - Milliyet 
Borrell: Cyprus will be Resolved at UN - Milliyet 
Erdogan: We Want Integration with EU, Not Assimilation - 
Turkiye 
PKK Ends Cease-Fire - Vatan 
Terror Casts a Shadow on Kurdish Politics in Turkey - 
Milliyet 
Dubai to Invest 5 Billion USD in Istanbul - Turkiye 
The Times: Iran Supports Iraqi Insurgents - Sabah 
Amnesty International: Greece Violates Human Rights - Vatan 
Bush: God Told Me to Invade Iraq - Hurriyet 
Talabani: US Troops Must Stay in Iraq - Star 
Franklin Was Israel's `Mole' at the Pentagon - Aksam 
Al-Qaida Seeks `Editors' for its Webpage - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Rehn Outlines EU `Homework' for Ankara - Yeni Safak 
Borrell: EU Has No Magic Formula for Cyprus - Radikal 
Talabani: Early Coalition Pullout Would be `Disastrous' - 
Cumhuriyet 
Arab Capital Shifts to Turkey - Cumhuriyet 
UK, Iran in `Intelligence War' - Yeni Safak 
Blair Targets Iran - Radikal 
Bush to Veto Law Banning Abuse of Terror Captives - Yeni 
Safak 
Israeli Court Bans Army from Using Human Shields - 
Cumhuriyet 
Abbas, Sharon to Met October 11 - Ortadogu 
Hurricane Stan Killes 231 - Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Rehn Visits Turkey:  European Union Enlargement Commissioner 
Olli Rehn told Turkish officials on Thursday that Turkey 
needs to ratify a protocol extending its customs union with 
the EU to new member states, including Cyprus, and to speed 
up political and human rights reforms following the launch 
of Ankara's EU membership talks on Monday.  `I have come to 
encourage Turkey to focus all its energies on reforms and 
the accession process from this point forward,' Rehn told a 
press conference after meeting with Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul.  Rehn said at a meeting with Turkish lawmakers 
that the free movement for Turkish nationals in Europe could 
be delayed until at least 2020, and could even become 
permanent depending on labor market conditions in the EU. 
Gul said that Turkey had some advantages over other 
candidate countries because it had been in a customs union 
with the EU for the past 10 years.  Gul pledged that the 
Turkish Government is ready to move forward with the reforms 
on the long road to full membership.  Rehn, in remarks seen 
as a response to PM Erdogan signaling that Turkey will not 
rush to extend its customs union to include Cyprus, said 
that Ankara should ratify the protocol `without delay' and 
fully implement it.  He also called for a new push to reach 
a comprehensive settlement between the two sides on Cyprus. 
Rehn said that the EU paid `special attention' to charges 
filed against acclaimed Turkish author Orhan Pamuk for 
`denigrating the Turkish identity.'  He also cited the need 
for changes to Turkey's draft law on non-Muslim minority 
foundations.  Rehn emphasized that the Greek Orthodox Halki 
Seminary in Istanbul should be reopened.  `Turkey will be 
under closer scrutiny from the EU, and especially from the 
European public, member states' governments, and 
parliaments,' Rehn stressed, warning that Turkey's 
shortcomings will be included in the enlargement report to 
be released by the EU Commission on November 9.  Rehn also 
met with Turkey's chief EU negotiator, Economy Minister Ali 
Babacan, and traveled with Gul to the central Anatolian city 
of Kayseri later in the day.  Kayseri is the Turkish FM's 
home town. 
 
PKK Calls an End to Cease Fire:  The PKK declared that it 
had ended a two-month `suspension of operations' against 
Turkey.  In a statement to international media, the PKK said 
that it is resuming its armed campaign against Turkish 
security forces because they had `ignored the opportunity to 
forge a lasting peace and had continued operations against 
the organization,' killing 43 of its fighters during the 
cease-fire.  `With the start of EU accession negotiations, 
the Kurdish problem is no longer Turkey's problem alone.  It 
is now a basic problem of the Union,' the PKK said in a 
statement cited by the German-based Mesopotamia News Agency. 
 
Turkish Cypriot Opposition Wants Turkish Troop Pullout of 
Cyprus:  The Turkish Cypriot opposition Peace and Democracy 
Movement (BDH) chairman Mustafa Akinci announced a 
`normalization package' which calls for a partial withdrawal 
of Turkish troops from northern Cyprus and a smoothing of 
ties with the Greek Cypriot side, "Radikal" reports.  The 
package envisages that the Turkish Cypriot `President' 
should be allowed to assume the deputy presidency of Cyprus, 
that Turkey should open its ports and airports to the Greek 
Cypriots, that Maras (Varosha) should be opened to 
settlement, and that Turkish troops should pull out from the 
island in a way that will not cause a security problem. 
 
Karamanlis Due in Turkey:  Greek Prime Minister Kostas 
Karamanlis is to visit Turkey October 21, "Sabah" reports. 
Prime Minister Erdogan will join Karamanlis at the Christian 
Democrats and Orthodox Church Dialogue Meetings organized by 
the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul. The two leaders 
are expected to issue messages about  a `meeting of 
civilizations' and `compromise among religions,' according 
to the report. 
 
Syria, Turkey Discuss Joint Economic Projects:  A Syrian 
delegation led by deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Dardari met 
with the Turkish-Syrian Friendship Group in the Turkish 
parliament yesterday, the semi-official Anatolian News 
Agency reports.  Dardari said the two sides discussed 
cooperation in agriculture, oil, motorways, and 
infrastructure, and called for the removal of obstacles to 
bilateral investment.  The Syrian delegation later met with 
Energy Minister Hilmi Guler.  Guler said after the meeting 
that Turkey had drafted a memorandum of understanding (MOU) 
for joint exploration of oil and natural gas in Syria by 
Turkish Petroleum Inc. (TPAO) and Syrian partner company. 
Guler said they also discussed the project for a dam to be 
built on the Asi River in Turkey, as well as other 
irrigation projects. 
 
Sezer, Guler to Georgia for BTC Ceremony:  Turkish Energy 
Minister Hilmi Guler said on Thursday that he will travel to 
Georgia on October 12 to participate in the inauguration of 
the Tbilisi leg of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil 
pipeline project, papers report.  Visiting Georgian Minister 
of Energy, Nika Gilauri, discussed with Guler joint 
endeavors such as BTC and the Shah Deniz pipeline project. 
Guler said after the meeting that Georgia expected Turkey's 
participation in the privatization of seven of the country's 
power plants. 
Talabani Warns against Early Iraq Pullout:  Iraqi President 
Jalal Talabani warned that an early pullout from Iraq by US- 
led coalition forces would be `disastrous.'  Meanwhile, 
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that British troops 
would stay in Iraq `for as long as necessary.'  Talabani is 
on his first official visit to Europe since taking office in 
April.  Talabani predicted at a joint news conference with 
Blair in London that coalition forces should be able to 
leave within two years once Iraq's own security force is 
ready, but he did not set a timetable for a withdrawal.  `A 
timetable will only help the terrorists,' Talabani said. 
Blair said that Britain's mission is to help the Iraqi 
people create a peaceful democracy, free from violence.  `We 
intend to stay with you for as long as you need us,' Blair 
stressed, and added: `After the December elections, there 
will be a sovereign and democratically elected government in 
Iraq.  If they want us to stay to help them, then we will 
stay.' 
 
Dubai-Istanbul Investment Agreement:  According to a 
statement by the Istanbul Municipality, Dubai Crown Prince 
Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum and the municipality signed a 
5 billion USD real estate investment accord on Thursday. 
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan participated in the signing 
ceremony. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Turkey and the EU 
 
"Political Courtesy and the Delicacy of the Political 
Situation" 
Murat Yetkin wrote in the liberal-intellectual "Radikal" 
(10/7):  "The statements made one after the other yesterday 
by EU Enlargement Commissioner Oll Rehn during his visit to 
Ankara indicate that things are only going to beocme more 
difficult as Turkey gets into the EU process.  Perhaps the 
Government would have preferred to have a few months to 
catch its breath as it did after December 17, 2004.  Rehn's 
emphasis on human rights and social equality could bother 
those who view the reforms with suspicion.  But leaving 
aside those whose interests will not be served by the 
country becoming more free, both politically and 
economically, the silent masses support the steps that have 
been taken toward an improved living standard in Turkey. 
This support is not just limited to the masses, however.  I 
spoke recently with three former ministers in the DSP-MHP- 
ANAP government, all of whom told me they believe it was the 
right decision for Turkey to begin the accession talks under 
current conditions.  The current leaders of Turkey's 
opposition have started to draw their arguments in a 
different direction.  CHP leader Baykal says that, while he 
supports EU membership, he doesn't believe the agreement 
reached with the EU in Luxembourg can lead Turkey to full 
membership.  MHP Chairman Devlet Bahceli urged the 
government not to begin the talks, and has warned that new 
conditions on Cyprus and Armenia will make it impossible for 
Turkey to continue the process in 2006.  In fact, 2006 is 
shaping up as a very difficult year for Turkey.  The 
increasingly serious situation in Iraq will probably lead to 
an insurmountable crisis for the new Government of Iraq 
early in 2006.  The fear that Iraq will disintegrate and 
that a Kurdish state will be established in the North may 
become a reality.  On the EU front, it is likely that the 
accession talks will run into their first real hitches in 
2006.  This scenario has led some, both inside and outside 
of Turkey, to believe there is the possibility of an early 
election." 
 
"The EU is as Lucky as Turkey" 
Sami Kohen commented in the mainstream daily "Milliyet" 
(10/7):  "Among the messages I received from all around the 
world after October 3, the shortest and most meaningful one 
was from Helena Finn, a US diplomat who formerly served in 
Ankara.  Ms. Finn's message was as follows: `Many 
congratulations.  How lucky the Europeans are.'  Turkey's 
geo-strategic position will contribute to the EU's political 
role.  Developing the Turkish economy and Turkey's young 
population will bring a dynamism to Europe.  Moreover, as a 
secular and democratic country with a Muslim population, 
Turkey's access to the Christian community in the EU will 
help the EU to understand the Islamic world better.  There 
is no doubt that becoming an EU member would be a great 
advantage for Turkey.  But as Helena Finn says, this is a 
great chance for the EU as well." 
 
"Turkey Needs the EU" 
Erhan Basyurt wrote in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman" 
(10/7):  "In the past Turkey has needed the EU to carry out 
its democratic transformation.  Today, Turkey needs the EU 
as much as it has in the past in order to implement these 
reforms.  The EU process is also a guarantee for economic 
stability.  The Copenhagen criteria will ensure that the 
Turkish people have a prosperous life with higher standards 
of living.  It is definitely Turkey and the Turkish public - 
not the EU -- that will benefit from these reforms." 
 
"We Owe US Gratitude" 
Hasan Mesut Hazar wrote in the conservative/nationalist 
"Turkiye" from Washington (10/7):  "There are two economic 
powers today that control the world economy -- the US and 
the EU.  But having a strong an important economy is not 
enough to become a superpower.  The EU has to enhance its 
foreign policy capacity.  That is why we have repeated many 
times that the EU should not be seen as an alternative to 
the US.  Without the US, the EU has no influence in the 
world.  The EU and the US share many joint interests. 
Turkey is an important strategic ally of both the US and the 
EU.  That is why the US acted so effectively in support of 
Turkey's EU membership bid.  Secretary Rice continuously 
called EU leaders for three days to lobby on Turkey's 
behalf.  Undersecretary Nicholas Burns also supported Turkey 
by sending the message that `Turkey belongs to Europe.'  The 
start of the EU negotiations is in the interest of Turkey, 
Europe, and the whole world.  We owe a debt of gratitude to 
the US and all the other parties who supported us in our 
efforts to get the negotiations started." 
 
MCELDOWNEY