US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6954

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 006954 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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 
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US: We Did Not Urge Denmark to Close Roj-TV - Hurriyet 
Rehn Warns Turkey to End Free Expression Violations - 
Milliyet 
Iraq Oil Flows to US Companies - Sabah 
Iraq to Lose 200 Billion USD to Foreign Oil Investors - 
Vatan 
Annan: Middle East Leaders Concerned About Syria - Sabah 
Merkel the Only Woman PM in Europe - Vatan 
CNN's `X Files': Starring Cheney - Sabah 
Cheney: Former Hawk Has Become an Albatross - Vatan 
Woodward: Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld Not My Sources - Hurriyet 
Bush Plot to Bomb Al-Jazeera - Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Erdogan: Turkey is a Mosaic - Cumhuriyet 
Rehn: Rights Violations Have Become the Rule in Turkey - 
Cumhuriyet 
Semdinli to Complicate Turkey's EU Bid - Cumhuriyet 
Iraq Oil to be Turned Over to US, UK Companies - Yeni Safak 
Democratization Leads to Corruption in Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Israeli Jets Target Lebanon Again - Radikal 
Bosnian Groups in Washington to Discuss Constitutional 
Changes - Zaman 
CNN `Crosses Off' Cheney - Zaman 
Bush, Blair Planned to Bomb Al-Jazeera - Yeni Safak 
6 Million Children Die of Hunger Every Year - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Parliamentary Investigation into Unrest in Southeast Turkey: 
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told the ruling AK Party group 
meeting yesterday that his government is determined to 
resolve the `unpleasant' incidents in Semdinli.  The PM was 
referring to the November 9 bombings that are being blamed 
on members of the security forces.  Five persons have been 
killed in the unrest so far, while dozens of others, 
including several policemen, have been injured.  `We will 
bring those responsible to justice.  This is a matter that 
requires solidarity among all political parties,' Erdgan 
said.  The PM added that `Turkey is a mosaic composed of 
diverse elements.  We will lose our richness if we leave 
aside a part of that mosaic.'  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul 
said that Turkey has changed, and that those trying to 
conceal irregularities will be sacked.  Turkish Parliament 
Human Rights Committee chairman Mehmet Elkatmis led a 
delegation to Hakkari on Tuesday to investigate bombings in 
Semdinli and the nearby town of Yuksekova.  On Wednesday, 
the parliament will discuss motions submitted by the AKP, 
the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), and the 
Motherland Party (ANAP) in support of a parliamentary 
inquiry into the Semdinli affair.  Meanwhile, "Milliyet" 
reports that the prosecutor in Semdinli has passed the case 
file on the bombing to his superiors, with a recommendation 
that more serious charges be considered.  Such charges could 
include the formation of a criminal gang, or even terrorism. 
"Milliyet" adds that the bombs found in the car belonging to 
the jandarma were identical to that used in the November 9 
 
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Semdinli bombing. 
 
PKK Informant, Village Guard Implicated in Silopi Bombing: 
"Sabah" reports that a former PKK member turned government 
informer and a village guard have been implicated in an 
attempted bombing of a police building in the southeastern 
city of Silopi last week.  The two men allegedly threw a 
grenade into the courtyard of the building.  There were no 
casualties in the incident. 
 
Acquittal of "Yuksekova Gang":  Papers report that five 
members of Turkish security forces who had been charged with 
a range of crimes including murder, kidnapping, extortion, 
and drug trafficking in the southeastern province of Hakkari 
in the 1990s have been acquitted by a Turkish court.  The 
officials had been accused of being part of what became 
known as the `Yuksekova Gang.'  One former PKK member who 
had turned government informant was convicted in the case 
and sentenced to 8 years in prison. 
 
Buyukanit on Semdinli Incidents:  Turkish Land Forces 
Commander General Yasar Buyukanit denied in an interview in 
today's "Hurriyet" claims that the military deliberately 
flew F-16s over the large crowds attending a funeral for 
those killed in recent pro-Kurdish protests in order to 
intimidate them.  Buyukanit categorically rejected 
speculation about the involvement of military officials in 
Ankara in the Semdinli affair.  He declined to comment 
further on the issue, noting that a judicial investigation 
is underway.  Buyukanit pointed out that security forces had 
been attacked with stones, Molotov cocktails, and weapons. 
`Turkish flags have been removed, and busts of Ataturk have 
been destroyed.  Military housing units have been attacked. 
PKK flags have been raised, and slogans have been chanted in 
support of PKK terrorists.  People have died.  As a 
commander responsible for this region, I have the right to 
ask whether the incidents that occurred after the bombing 
were legal,' the general said.  Buyukanit insisted that the 
F-16s flying low over the funeral procession in Semdinli was 
`a coincidence,' and that the planes were conducting routine 
training flights.  He added that there would be no reason to 
try to intimidate people attending a funeral.  The commander 
blamed the PKK for the 16 blasts that have rocked Hakkari 
province over the last two months.  Buyukanit recalled that 
on the same day the blast was reported in Semdinli, three 
soldiers had been killed in a landmine explosion in Hakkari. 
He refused to characterize recent incidents as a 
`rebellion,' stressing that the military is strong enough to 
block efforts to partition Turkey.  Buyukanit also said he 
sees no reason to impose `emergency rule' in the region, 
adding that the problem can be addressed by implementing the 
necessary measures in the anti-terror law. 
 
MIT Undersecretary Met With Barzani:  NTV reported today 
that the Turkish intelligence undersecretary traveled to 
northern Iraq for a meeting with Iraqi Kurdistan Regional 
President Barzani before Barzani's travel to Washington and 
Europe.  The report was based on an article in yesterday's 
English language daily, "The New Anatolian." 
 
Denmark: Roj TV Not Illegal:  Ankara has been disappointed 
by the decision of Danish police not to bring charges 
against Copenhagen-based Roj-TV for its alleged links to the 
outlawed PKK, Turkish papers report.  Denmark said the Roj 
TV broadcasts take place within the framework of freedom of 
expression.  Dailies speculate that the hard-line attitude 
Prime Minister Erdogan displayed when he walked out of a 
joint press conference with the Danish Prime Minister last 
week to protest the presence of Roj-TV correspondents in the 
 
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briefing room had no impact on the Danish position. 
Commentaries slam Denmark for protecting Roj-TV despite 
evidence submitted by Turkey showing the pro-Kurdish 
broadcaster'saffiliation with the PKK.  Meanwhile, papers 
report that the US State Department Spokesman said he had 
`no information' about claims that the US had pressed the 
Danish Government to close down Roj-TV. 
 
Turks Launch Military Exercises in Cyprus:  Turkish forces 
stationed in northern Cyprus kicked off the `Toros-2005' 
military exercise on land, sea, and the airspace of the 
`TRNC' on Wednesday, the semi-official Anatolian News Agency 
(AA) reported.  Forces from Turkey will not participate in 
the exercises this year.  Civilians will be allowed to watch 
the maneuvers on their final day, November 25.  The Toros 
exercises are seen as retaliation against the Greek Cypriot 
`Nikiforos' exercises that were held last month. 
 
Rehn Warns Turkey on Rights Violations:  EU Enlargement 
Commissioner Olli Rehn warned Turkey yesterday to put an end 
to ongoing violations of freedom of expression.  `Violations 
of freedom of expression seem to have become the rule rather 
than the exception.  These kinds of violations are not to be 
expected from a country seeking EU membership,' Rehn said. 
The Commissioner reportedly warned that Turkey's EU 
accession process could be suspended if Turkey does not 
address the situation over next 1-2 years. 
 
ECHR Sentences Turkey Over Killing of Greek Cypriot in 1997: 
Turkey has been found responsible in the death of a Greek 
Cypriot national who entered the buffer zone in Cyprus 
in1997, and has been ordered by the European Court of Human 
Rights (ECHR) to pay 43,500 Euros in compensation to the 
victim's family.  The relatives of Petros Kakoulli claimed 
that he had been intentionally killed by Turkish soldiers 
near the green line while he was collecting snails.  The 
Turkish government maintained that Kakoulli had crossed the 
ceasefire line and, despite being warned verbally and with 
hand gestures, refused to stop.  Turkey tops the list of 
countries ordered to pay compensation in cases adjudicated 
by the ECHR. 
 
Iran to Send Missionaries to US:  "Vatan" reports that the 
head of the Imam Khomeini Institute, Ayetollah Mohammed 
Taghi, a strong supporter of hardliner President 
Ahmadinajad, said that 5,000 `Shiite missionaries' will be 
sent to the United States.  Some one million Iranians live 
in the US after having fled the Islamic revolution in Iran, 
according to the report. 
 
Arinc, Erdogan Due in Spain:  Turkish Parliament Speaker 
Bulent Arinc will travel to Spain to attend the 5th 
Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean Speakers of Parliament 
in Barcelona from November 24-27.  Arinc will chair a 
session on `society, culture, and dialogue among 
civilizations.'  Arinc will also hold a bilateral meeting 
with Speaker of the Bulgarian Natinal Assembly, Georgi 
Pirinski.  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will travel to 
Spain November 26 to attend the high-level group meeting of 
the `Alliance of Civilizations' project with Spanish Prime 
Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. 
 
Turkey-Greece Natural Gas Pipeline:  A planned natural gas 
pipeline between Turkey and Greece will be completed by 
November 2006, international wires reported on Tuesday. 
Greece and Turkey agreed last year to build the 300 million 
USD, 285 km pipeline as part of plans to transport natural 
gas from the Caspian Sea and the Middle East to Europe.  The 
Turkish state pipeline company, BOTAS, has invited separate 
 
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tenders for land and sea pipelines after a previous tender 
was cancelled due to claims of corruption.  The initial 
volume of gas flow is put at 750 million cubic meters (bcm). 
The project will eventually pump up to 11 billion bcm of gas 
a year -- 3 bcm for Greece and the rest for re-export to the 
rest of Europ.  Earlier this month, Italy and Greece signed 
an accord worth 950 million Euros to extend the pipeline 
from Greece to Italy.  The 200 km pipeline between the 
coasts of Italy and Greece will be built by Poseidon, a 
joint venture between Edison and the Greek gas firm Depa, at 
a cost of 350 million Euros. 
 
Gul Meets Konare:  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on 
Tuesday at a joint press conference with visiting African 
Union Commission Chairman Alpha Qumar Konare that Turkey is 
very interested in a solution to the political problems in 
Africa, the Anatolian News Agency (AA) reported.  Gul 
recalled that Turkey had declared 2005 `The Year of Africa,' 
and added that the Turkish International Cooperation Agency 
(TIKA) had  opened an office in Addis Ababa.  `Turkey will 
contribute to the solution of humanitarian problems in 
Africa.  Turkish troops were assigned to peacekeeping 
missions in several African countries,' Gul said.  Konare 
noted that Turkey has been active in economic and security 
issues in African countries.  Turkey joined the African 
Union in 2005 as an observer.  Turkish Foreign Ministry 
(MFA) Spokesman Namik Tan said at a weekly press briefing 
that Turkey will do everything it can to assist African 
countries in efforts to bring a solution to the continent's 
`chronic' problems.  `To this end, Turkey has given 1.8 
million USD to the World Food Program (WFP).  The money will 
be sent to Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Sierra 
Leone, and Guinea,' Tan said. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Dayton Anniversary; Merkel/Germany 
 
"Dayton Lessons" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mainstream "Milliyet" (11/23): "Even 
ten years after the Dayton accord, Bosnia-Herzegovina 
continues to feel the impact of civil war. The accord's 
spirit of `unification within disintegration' has been 
adopted as disintegration.  Currently Bosnians, Serbians and 
Croats are living separately and even sending their children 
to different schools.  Observers note that the people in 
this area prefer to identify themselves along ethnic and 
religious lines and that micro-nationalism is prevails.  In 
its 10th anniversary, the Dayton Accord should be considered 
as a success of diplomacy.  But it will take a long time to 
go for Bosnia to recapture its multi-cultural mosaic 
character." 
 
"Prime Minister Angela Dorothea Merkel" 
Kamuran Ozbir wrote in the nationalist "Ortadogu" (11/23): 
"Angela Merkel never yielded and she finally got the prime 
ministerial seat.  Her success was a first in German 
history. After experience in various strata of politics and 
a long standing political struggle, Merkel reached the 
premiership as she turned out to be a trustworthy figure for 
both business circles domestically and in the US. There are 
certain similarities between British PM Margaret Thatcher, 
the Iron Lady, and German PM Merkel, who seems determined to 
adopt Thatcher style politics.  In Turkey she will be 
closely watched due to her comments on Turkey and the 
European Union.  She is not alone in this matter, as there 
are quite number of people in the EU who agree with Merkel 
regarding Turkey's EU membership." 
 
MCELDOWNEY