US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6313

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006313 
 
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 
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Gul: UN Aid to Pakistan to be Transferred Via Incirlik - 
Turkiye 
Talat to Ask for Direct US Flights to northern Cyprus - 
Sabah 
Greek Cypriots Angered at US Invitation to Talat - Milliyet 
Shiites to Settle Accounts With Saddam - Aksam 
Saddam to Use Milosevic Tactics in Court - Sabah 
Iran Accuses Britain in Ahvaz Bombings - Vatan 
Baku Tense over Guliev's Return - Milliyet 
Rice Denies She Will Run for US Presidency - Star 
US Prepares for Hurricane Vilma - Star 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Rice Invites Talat to Washington - Yeni Safak 
Papoulias: Turkey's Occupation of Cyprus a Disgrace - 
Radikal 
Nicosia to Hold Nikiforos Exercise - Zaman 
Earthquake Unite Hindus, Muslims in Kashmir - Zaman 
Iraq Constitution May be Rejected - Yeni Safak 
Sunnis Unhappy with Iraq Constitution - Zaman 
70 Killed in Ramadi, Mostly Civilians - Yeni Safak 
Regime Opponents Unite in Syria - Yeni Safak 
Israel Suspends Security Ties with Palestine - Zaman 
Basayev Claims Nalchik Attacks - Cumhuriyet 
Rove, Libby May Soon be Sacked - Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Gul on Iraq Constitution Vote:  Foreign Minister Abdullah 
Gul has described the referendum on the new constitution in 
Iraq as `a success.'  Gul told the Turkish press while en 
route to Finland yesterday that although the constitution 
created many concerns for Turkey, the political process in 
Iraq will continue.  `A new government will be formed in 
Iraq following the elections to be held in December.  The 
new parliament may exacerbate our concerns or eliminate 
them.  Everything will become clear during the political 
process,' Gul said.  FM Gul also stressed that unity is 
necessary in Iraq in order to preserve stability. 
 
Earthquake Aid to Pakistan through Incirlik Airbase: On 
Monday, Foreign Minister Gul said at a press briefing prior 
to his official travel to Finland that UN High Commissioner 
for Refugees Antonio Guterres had called him on Sunday to 
ask for Turkey's help in the transfer of 700 tons of UN aid, 
now waiting in Turkey's southern province of Mersin, to 
Pakistan.  Gul said the aid will be flown to Pakistan 
through Incirlik Airbase using NATO assets and Turkish 
aircraft. 
 
Erdogan to Visit Quake-Hit Pakistan:  Prime Minister Tayyip 
Erdogan will visit quake-stricken Pakistan later this week, 
a Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) official said on Tuesday. 
Erdogan is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Thursday, and 
will hold talks with President Musharraf and PM Aziz on 
Friday.  He will also visit some of the areas affected by 
the quake, according to MFA sources. 
 
US Invites Talat to Washington:  Turkish Cypriot leader 
Mehmet Ali Talat has been invited to Washington on October 
28 to meet with Secretary Rice, his office said on Monday. 
Douglas Silliman, Assistant Director for Southeast European 
Affairs at the State Department, conveyed the invitation 
during a meeting with Talat yesterday in Cyprus.  Silliman 
said after the meeting that the invitation was part of US 
efforts to seek a lasting settlement on the divided island. 
Talat welcomed the invitation, calling for an end to the 
decades-old economic isolation of northern Cyprus.  Turkish 
papers report that the invitation has caused great 
consternation among Greek Cypriot leaders. 
 
Yakis Hints at Possible Opening on Ports Issue:  AKP Deputy 
and former foreign minister Yasar Yakis said yesterday that 
`it wouldn't be the end of the world' if Turkey were to open 
its ports and airports to the Greek Cypriots.  Yakis' 
comments appeared on the front page of the leftist- 
nationalist "Cumhuriyet" and were also carried this morning 
on NTV.  In discussing the issue, Yakis mentioned the 
example of Taiwan, `which is not recognized but which has 
trade relations with the whole world.'  Yakis implied that 
the Government is working on a possible solution to the 
problem. 
 
Turkey Interested in Chinese Missiles:  Visiting General Xu 
Caihou, vice-chairman of China's Central Military 
Commission, met with Turkish General Staff (TGS) Chief 
General Hilmi Ozkok on Monday to discuss military 
cooperation between the two countries, "Aksam" reports. 
Turkey wants to make use of China's space technology and 
produce short-range missiles with the Chinese. 
 
AKP Lawmaker Joins ANAP:  Hasan Ozyer, an AKP lawmaker from 
Mugla province, joined the Motherland Party (ANAP) on 
Tuesday after resigning from the AKP yesterday.  The 
following is the new distribution of seats in the 
parliament:  AKP 355, CHP 155, ANAP 22, SHP 4, DYP 4, HYP 1, 
Independent 5, and Vacant 4. 
 
Kurdistan Freedom Hawks Claim Istanbul Bombing:  The 
Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, described by the Turkish media as a 
PKK splinter group, has claimed responsibility for last 
Saturday's bombing of a gas station in the Istanbul 
neighborhood of Maslak.  Police say they are looking for `a 
team of 5 PKK militants' in connection with the bombing. 
 
Three Terrorists Killed in East Turkey:  Security forces 
killed three terrorists in the eastern province of Tunceli 
on Monday, papers report.  The Tunceli Governor's Office 
said the three Maoist Communist Party-People's Liberation 
Army (MKP-HKO) militants were killed in a clash in a rural 
area of Tunceli during operations targeting PKK fighters. 
 
Motorola Close to Deal on Telsim Sale:  "Milliyet" reports 
that US telecom giant Motorola is nearing an agreement with 
the Turkish Savings Insurance Fund regarding proceeds from 
the sale of Telsim, the cellular network confiscated from 
the Uzan family.  Motorola has accused the Uzans of 
defrauding the company of several billion dollars in the 
late 1990s.  Under the proposed deal, Motorola would receive 
20 percent of the revenue raised in the sale of Telsim.  The 
report claims that a final agreement is being held up due to 
Motorola's reluctance to agree to pay back the money in the 
event that the telsim sale is rejected by the Turkish 
courts. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq 
 
"The `Yes' Vote Will Not Settle Everything" 
Sami Kohen observed in the mainstream "Milliyet" (10/18): 
"Even though the official figures have not yet been 
announced, we can conclude that the majority of Iraqi people 
have accepted the constitution.  The Sunnis, who boycotted 
the elections in January, largely participated in the 
referendum, which helped it to gain greater legitimacy.  The 
tendency in the voting was toward `no' votes from the Sunnis 
and mostly `yes' votes  from the Kurds and Shiites.  This is 
a clear indication that Iraq remains divided on regional, 
ethnic, and religious grounds. . The Bush administration 
views the referendum results as a triumph for the 
establishment of democracy in Iraq.  The referendum was 
indeed a good test by Middle East standards, but we really 
have to wait to see whether this `democracy' will actually 
bring peace, security, and national unity in Iraq.  The 
people of Iraq, as expressed during interviews about the 
referendum process, want to see an end to the problems they 
face in their daily lives -- water shortages, power 
failures, and a lack of security.  Whether the new political 
process in Iraq will be able to address those problems 
remains to be seen." 
 
"Iraq" 
Cengiz Candar commented in the tabloid "Bugun" (10/18): "It 
looks like the Iraq constitution will be approved by a 
narrow margin, thus paving the way for parliamentary 
elections on December 15.  This process will be an important 
indicator of whether the Sunni-led armed resistance in Iraq 
will start to weaken.  This is especially important, as we 
still cannot talk about a consensus constitution -- a 
majority of Sunnis, who make up 20 percent of Iraq, did not 
approve it.  Iraq and the entire Middle East will continue 
to be problematic.  . Iraq is an issue for the entire Middle 
East.  In the event that Iraq is divided, other countries -- 
Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait  -- cannot remain 
within their current borders, as of these borders were drawn 
at the same time as Iraq's.  The Middle East will be chaotic 
in the short and medium terms.  We need to be prepared for 
this." 
 
"The Iraq Referendum -- Putting Water in a Basket" 
Mustafa Balbay argued in the leftist-nationalist 
"Cumhuriyet" (10/18): "We have learned from President Bush 
that a majority of Iraqi people have accepted the 
constitution.  The American administration decided on the 
Iraqis choice first, and then put the ballot boxes in front 
of them. . The US was planning to establish stability and to 
reconstruct Iraq.  According to the plans shaped prior to 
the occupation, these results should have been successfully 
achieved by now. But the reality is different.  There are 
even reports about insurgents gaining control near the 
`green zone.'  In other words, the US is not comfortable 
even in the most secure areas of Iraq. . It looks like the 
US will have a much harder time leaving Iraq than it did 
entering.  US efforts to establish order in Iraq are 
starting to look like trying to fill a basket with water." 
 
MCELDOWNEY