US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6535

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 006535 
 
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, NOVEMBER 1, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
McEldowney: Turkey Must Deal With Iraq on PKK Issue - 
Hurriyet 
Blair: Coalition to Withdraw When Iraq Violence Ends - 
Hurriyet 
Israel Expects Ankara to Denounce Tehran - Milliyet 
Cicek: Europe Not Honest in Combating Terror - Turkiye 
UN Approves Syria Resolution - Hurriyet 
China, Russia Save Syria - Milliyet 
Annan Gives No Timetable on Cyprus - Milliyet 
Bomb Attack in Basra Kills 20 - Sabah 
Cheney to Testify on CIA Leak - Sabah 
Popular Support for Bush Sinks to 39 Percent - Sabah 
UNICEF: 17,000 Children Killed in Pakistan Quake - Turkiye 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
McEldowney: Cooperation between Turkey-Iraq Essential - 
Radikal 
McEldowney to Turkey: Improve Ties with Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
McEldowney Points to Iraq for PKK Solution - Yeni Safak 
Talat: Cyprus Solution to be Under UN Umbrella - Radikal 
Blair Hosts Barzani - Radikal 
Barzani Thanks Blair for Liberating Iraq - Zaman 
Iraq Lies Shake Washington - Cumhuriyet 
Republicans Pressure Bush to Change Staff - Radikal 
Addington to Replace Libby - Radikal 
UN Invites Syria to Cooperate - Zaman 
US Strikes Iraqi Civilians Again: 40 Killed - Yeni Safak 
Basrans Furious at British Troops - Yeni Safak 
Israel, US Want Iran Denounced - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
US Plans for Politicizing the PKK:  "Cumhuriyet" claims that 
the US is preparing to make the PKK part of the new 
independent Kurdish state to be established in northern 
Iraq.  On September 13, Iraq President Talabani and 
President Bush discussed plans in Washington to work out a 
political solution to the PKK issue, the report claims.  On 
October 4, an American delegation accompanied by KDP 
peshmerge reportedly went to the Kandil Mountains to meet 
with PKK ringleader Cemil Bayik to persuade the group to lay 
down its arms.  Bayik demanded that the PKK be recognized as 
a political party, and that its imprisoned leader, Abdullah 
Ocalan, be set free.  The report claims that the US 
delegation promised to support the political activities of 
the PKK if the militants agreed to lay down their weapons. 
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan warned the US at a party group 
meeting on October 19 that Turkey expected effective steps 
to eliminate terror groups in the region.  Traffic among 
Kurdish leaders and the US accelerated after Erdogan's 
warning, the paper argues.  Turkey, angered at the meeting 
between Bush and `President' Barzani, has been told that 
Bush urged Barzani to keep the PKK under control, protect 
the Turkmen, and defend Iraq's territorial integrity.  The 
article claims that the US wants to `distract Turkey's 
attention' while Americans work to accommodate the PKK into 
the new Kurdish state. 
 
Ankara to Review Iran Policy:  "Cumhuriyet" reports that 
Turkey is to review its Iran policy following a recent 
statement by President Mahmoud Ahmadinajad that Israel 
should be wiped off the map.  The paper claims that Turkey 
is preparing to adopt a stronger position toward Tehran, and 
will support international resolutions to block Iran's 
nuclear activities.  Dailies also report that the Israeli 
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom sent a letter to his Turkish 
counterpart, Abdullah Gul, to express his disappointment 
with the Turkish response to Ahmadinajad's remarks.  The MFA 
has given no response to Pinhas Avivi, the Israeli 
Ambassador to Ankara, who had asked for an appointment to 
convey the letter to Gul.  Pro-government "Yeni Safak" 
reports that US embassy officials had also raised the issue 
at the foreign ministry, and had urged Ankara to make a more 
forceful response. 
 
McEldowney on the PKK, Cyprus, Ambassador Wilson:  US Charge 
d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney told the press on Monday after 
her visit to the Anatolia Contemporary Education Foundation 
that President Bush, at a meeting at the White House last 
week, reiterated to Massoud Barzani and his delegation the 
need to take action against the PKK in northern Iraq. 
McEldowney said President Bush has explained to Barzani that 
Iraq should be preserved as a unified, democratic, and 
federal entity, stressing again the importance the US places 
on strong, positive ties between Iraq and Turkey.  `What we 
want to do is establish democracy and stability in the 
region.  Making such an endeavor a reality depends on strong 
ties between Iraq and Turkey.  This is the only way to 
overcome the problems in the region, including the PKK,' 
McEldowney said.  She noted that the US is working to ease 
the isolation of Turkish Cypriots, and to reach a fair and 
lasting solution of the Cyprus problem.  McEldowney also 
said that Ross Wilson, President Bush's nominee as the new 
US envoy to Ankara, is a very experienced and skilled 
diplomat.  She added that Wilson's nomination to Ankara 
indicated the importance the United States gives to Turkey. 
The Charge emphasized that Wilson's appointment must be 
approved after a hearing at the US Senate, and she declined 
to  predict when the new US Ambassador will arrive in 
Ankara. 
 
Turkey Slams Belgium for not Trying Erdal:  On Monday the 
Turkish government strongly criticized Belgium for deciding 
not to try terror suspect Fehriye Erdal for offences she 
committed in Turkey, papers report.  The Belgian court had 
decided previously that Erdal's offences in Turkey, 
including the alleged murder of Turkish businessman Ozdemir 
Sabanci, would not be classified as `terror crimes,' but 
that she would be charged with carrying firearms, 
participating in the activities of an outlawed terrorist 
organization, and using forged identity cards.  Erdal, a 
member of the leftist terrorist group DHKP-C, is suspected 
of killing Sabanci and his two aides on January 9, 1996 with 
the help of two other DHKPC members.  Erdal was captured on 
September 26, 1999 in Belgium for carrying a forged 
passport.  Belgium rejected Turkey's demand to extradite 
Erdal, and also rejected Erdal's application for asylum. 
Turkish government spokesman and Justice Minister Cemil 
Cicek recalled that Turkey had asked Belgium to extradite 
Erdal to Turkey.  `They refused our demand, citing the 
existence of capital punishment in Turkey.  However, when we 
abolished capital punishment they pledged to try her for 
crimes committed in Turkey.  Now, it seems they will try her 
just for the offences committed in Belgium,' Cicek said 
after the council of ministers meeting in Ankara yesterday. 
 
Turkey's Objections to EU Partnership Accession Document: 
Ankara is uneasy with EU demands for giving Greek Cypriots 
access to Turkish ports, allowing official education in 
Kurdish, linking the Turkish General Staff (TGS) to the 
Defense Ministry and solving border disputes, "Cumhuriyet" 
reports.  Diplomatic sources say that Turkey will voice 
objections to these demands lined up in the accession 
partnership accord prepared by the EU.  Turkey will reject 
EU calls to normalize ties with Nicosia and opening Turkish 
harbors to the Greek Cypriots as long as the isolation of 
north Cyprus continues.  Ankara says that private Kurdish 
language schools opened in various provinces had been closed 
due to low interest.  Ankara also underlines the fact that 
the state-owned TRT television was already broadcasting 
programs in Kurdish.  Ankara says that it bears no 
responsibility regarding border disputes with Greece and 
Armenia.  International agreements offered a solution to 
disagreements with Greece, according to Ankara.  Turks 
reject the EU proposal to link the TGS to the Defense 
Ministry in the short term, saying that new adjustments were 
needed to meet EU demands on the subject.  Turkish officials 
said that Ankara kept in touch with Brussels to make the 
necessary changes to the document, says "Cumhuriyet." 
 
EU Progress Report on Turkey:  "Vatan" reports that in an 18- 
page progress report sent to the European Union (EU), Turkey 
refers to Kurdish was `a dialect, not a language,' and adds 
that the state broadcaster TRT is airing programs in Bosnian 
and Arabic as well as Kurdish dialects.  The report points 
to the civilianization of the National Security Council 
(NSC) and to judicial reforms.  It notes that information 
regarding the Alevis had been added to schoolbooks.  The 
report notes that 127,000 out of 360,000 displaced people 
have returned to their villages in the southeast.  The 
report also claims that the Turkish government has given a 
positive response to requests to clarify the legal status of 
the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul.  The government 
says it plans to release a regulation with regard to the 
functions of the Patriarchate. 
 
Talat Seeks New UN Cyprus Initiative:  Turkish Cypriot 
leader Mehmet Ali Talat said on Monday that the European 
Union (EU) was not the party to solve the Cyprus problem. 
Talat argued that the United Nations has established the 
only legitimate basis for handling the issue.  `The EU is 
not impartial,' Talat said in an evaluation of Greek Cypriot 
policies to push the EU to the foreground in efforts to seek 
a settlement.  `During talks with UNSYG Annan, we reaffirmed 
our conviction that the lifting of isolation will contribute 
to the solution of the problem, and that it will provide for 
unification, not division.  We hope that the UN Secretary 
General will assess these developments and launch an 
initiative,' Talat said after meeting with Annan in New 
York.  Talat noted that the UN Secretary General will engage 
in a new peace process only if it can be successful.  `It is 
common knowledge that Annan is not willing to initiate a new 
negotiation process before preparing the groundwork.  He 
believes that Cyprus is a serious problem that may affect 
Turkey's accession to the EU, causing instability in the 
region.  An initiative will be made, but its time, place, 
and conditions are unknown,' Talat stated. 
 
Athens on Turkish Protests against Ecumenical Patriarchate: 
A spokesman for the Greek Government said on Monday that 
Education and Religious Affairs Minister Marietta Yiannakou 
and Deputy Foreign Minister Panayiotis Skandalakis had 
spoken to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in the wake of 
a protest last weekend by some 150 Turkish extreme 
nationalists outside the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in 
Istanbul, the government-affiliated Athens News Agency (ANA) 
reports.   A statement by the Greek Foreign Ministry 
reiterated the Greek government's strong support for 
Patriarch Bartholomew I and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 
 
Turkey to Buy 120 Jetfighters:  "Milliyet" reports that 
Turkey has invited bids to buy 120 new generation fighter 
planes worth 5-8 billion USD.  Turkey is seeking bids from 
Alenia Aeronautica, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing.  Turkey's 
move to buy jetfighters is seen as a search for an 
alternative to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project of the 
US, Britain and Italy. 
Terror Suspects Arrested:  On Monday, Istanbul Police Chief 
Celalettin Cerrah said that eight suspects had been arrested 
in two operations launched against the outlawed PKK.  Cerrah 
said that six PKK were arrested for the explosion that 
occurred at a gas station in Istanbul's Maslak neighborhood 
on October 15.  He noted that two other suspects were 
arrested in an operation against a religiously-motivated 
terrorist organization.  Meanwhile, four terrorists, 
including a woman, surrendered to security forces in Silopi, 
in southeastern city of Sirnak. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iran; Syria 
 
"New Signs of Danger" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (11/1): "The 
recent remarks of the Iranian president provide some insight 
into the Iranian stance on certain issues.  Ahmedinejad's 
harsh remarks against Israel and his insistence on 
maintaining Iran's nuclear program indicate that Tehran 
plans to increase its regional influence and is ready to 
stand against international pressure to protect its nuclear 
program.  . In fact, nobody believes that Iran is going to 
declare war against Israel.  But the Tehran regime has the 
intention of weakening Israel by increasing support for 
organizations such as Hizbullah, Islamic Jihad, and others. 
Iran's position on this sensitive issue and the pressure 
from the international community mean that tension in the 
region and the potential for conflict will remain high. 
Iran seems to be a candidate for being the `axis of danger' 
in 2006." 
 
"Iran's Satellite" 
Fikret Ertan commented in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman" 
(11/1):  "Iran is exerting extraordinary efforts to develop 
its space program while continuing to improve its 
conventional military power.  The latest example of these 
efforts is the first civilian Iranian satellite that was 
launched into space in coordination with Russia.  This 
satellite has already caused a major disturbance among many 
countries, especially Israel.  As a matter of fact, it has 
been reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, 
during his visit to Israel on the same day the Iranian SINA- 
1 satellite was launched, had to face Israeli deputy Prime 
Minister Simon Perez's questions on this issue.  Of course, 
the main worry for other countries is whether Iran will 
continue with military satellites after launching civilian 
ones.  If it does, we need to look at what the 
characteristics of such satellites would be, such as their 
range and capacity." 
 
"A Sequel to `The Godfather': Damascus" 
Cengiz Candar commented in the tabloid "Bugun" (11/1): "The 
Mehlis report is actually an interim report, because the UN 
investigation has not yet been concluded.  Completion of the 
investigation requires Syria's cooperation.  This is a 
problem, because both the Syrian president's brother and his 
uncle are suspects in the killing.  President Assad's 
personal role has also yet to be clarified.  The minority 
dictatorship in Syria is moving toward implosion.  The 
Syrian investigation is already on the UN agenda, so an 
American intervention against Syria seems unlikely.  In 
fact, it is not necessary at all.  The Syrian regime may 
well collapse after going through a period of internal 
conflict.  The Mehlis report paves the way for that." 
MCELDOWNEY