US embassy cable - 05ANKARA7014

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 007014 
 
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 
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
CIA Plane Arrives in Istanbul - Aksam 
Erdogan: Terrorism not Compatible With Islam - Vatan 
`TRNC' to Take Down `Berlin Wall' in Cyprus - Milliyet 11/26 
Arabs' No-Show in Barcelona Disappoints EU - Hurriyet 
Allawi: Situation in Iraq Worse than Saddam Era - Sabah 
Rumsfeld: Al-Jazeera Broadcasts `Erroneous, Ugly' - Sabah 
Ramsey Clark Joins Saddam's Defense Team - Sabah 
Bosnia, EU Kick Off Membership Talks - Milliyet 11/26 
Scotland Demands Independence - Vatan 
British Marines Abuse Recruits - Hurriyet 
Poland Reveals Warsaw Pact's Nuclear Secrets - Hurriyet 
11/27 
Dervis May be Picked to Succeed Annan - Hurriyet 11/27 
Nobel Peace Fund Invests in US Weapons Companies - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
EU-Mediterranean Summit to Discuss Terrorism - Radikal 
Spain: Turkey a Good Model for Muslim World - Zaman 11/27 
To Vima: CIA Planes Landed in Athens, Cyprus - Radikal 
EU: US Has `Gitmo-Type' Prison in Kosovo - Yeni Safak 11/27 
Armenia Approves Critical Constitutional Changes - Zaman 
Sharon's New Party to Radicalize Israeli Right - Cumhuriyet 
Mubarak: Sharon is a Man of Peace - Cumhuriyet 
Israel Has 500 Nuclear Warheads - Yeni Safak 
Israel Gradually Occupies East Jerusalem - Zaman 11/26 
Palestine Votes for Al-Fatah's Barguti - Radikal 11/27 
Palestinians Rush to Rafah Border Crossing - Yeni Safak 
11/27 
Zarkawi Aide Killed in Ramadi - Yeni Safak 11/27 
Ahmadinajad: West Must Account for its Crimes - Radikal 
11/27 
Polls: 6 of 10 Americans Do Not Trust Bush - Cumhuriyet 
Britain Fails Xenophobia Test - Cumhuriyet 
`Fixed' Elections in Chechnya - Yeni Safak 
Abortion Claims 68,000 Lives Every Year - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
`CIA Planes' Land in Istanbul:  Dailies carried extensive 
reports over the weekend claiming that a `CIA plane' landed 
in Istanbul on November 15, and stayed for 27 hours.  The 
Minister of Transportation, Binali Yildirim, told the press 
that a CIA plane had landed at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen 
Airport to refuel during a `routine flight.'  Yildirim said 
that the plane `had only a crew, and no passengers.'  The 
Minister later clarified that the Government had not known 
whether the plance in question belonged to the CIA.  A 
column in Sunday's "Sabah" claimed that before November 15, 
another `mysterious' CIA plane had stopped over in Istanbul 
while en route to Canada.  Many commentators pressed the 
Turkish Government to demand answers about the alleged CIA 
flights from the US. 
 
Sakka Lawyer Claims His Client Interrogated By US:  The 
lawyer for Syrian al-Qaida ringleader Louai Sakka, currently 
in a prison in Istanbul for his alleged role in the November 
2003 bombings there, claimed that a team including two 
 
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Americans interrogated Sakka on November 15.  The 
interrogators allegedly offered to resettle Sakka in a 
country of his choice on the condition that he testify 
against the Asad regime in the investigation of the 
assassination of former Lebanese PM Hariri.  The lawyer 
claimed that the interrogators threatened to kill Sakka if 
he refused to cooperate.  Turkish Justice Minister Cemil 
Cicek denied the report on Monday, saying that no foreigners 
had been involved in Sakka's interrogation. 
 
Turkey May Launch Cross-Border Incursions into Iraq: 
Saturday's "Aksam" reported that at a security summit last 
week in Ankara, Turkish officials discussed preparations for 
a cross-border incursion into northern Iraq to pursue PKK 
militants if KDP leader Massoud Barzani fails to cooperate 
with Turkey.  The paper regards the recent visit to 
southeast Turkey by TGS Chief Ozkok, Land Forces Commander 
Buyukanit, and Jandarma Commander Fevzi Turkeri as a 
preparation for a possible cross-border operation. 
Meanwhile, Saturday papers cite a report by the "Kurdistan 
Observer" website claiming that President Talabani had 
offered to close down PKK camps in northern Iraq in exchange 
for a financial contribution to his Patriotic Union of 
Kurdistan (PUK).  A PUK spokesman denied the report.  The 
website report claims that Barzani rejected a similar 
Turkish offer, and gave Ankara the message that he will move 
against the PKK only if he is acknowledged by Turkey as the 
regional President of Iraqi Kurdistan.  `Reliable KDP 
sources' said that this was Barzani's only condition to 
normalize ties with Turkey.  The sources said that Barzani's 
nephew Nechirvan will pay a visit to Ankara before the 
upcoming Iraqi elections on December 15.  A news-commentary 
in "Radikal" quotes unidentified Turkish Foreign Ministry 
(MFA) sources as saying that if the US decides to remove the 
PKK presence in northern Iraq, it will use the Kurds rather 
than its own troops in the region. 
 
ITF Chairman Meets With FM Gul:  Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) 
Chairman Saadettin Ergec said after meeting with FM Gul in 
Ankara over the weekend that he was pleased to still have 
Turkey's `full support.'  Ergec denied press reports that he 
is uncomfortable with the meeting held between Barzani and 
Turkish intelligence Undersecretary Emre Taner in the 
northern Iraqi city of Salahaddin earlier this month. 
During the meeting, Barzani had reportedly stressed to Taner 
that it is necessary to find a `democratic solution' to the 
PKK problem, and that the Iraqi Kurds will establish an 
independent state `if it becomes necessary.'  The Turkish 
General Staff (TGS) announced in a statement on Friday that 
press reports claiming that two Turkish generals 
participated in Taner's meeting with Barzani are false. 
 
Erdogan on TGS Change of Command, Semdinli Incidents: 
Monday papers report that Prime Minister Erdogan has 
rejected speculation that the ruling AK Party government is 
bothered by the fact that Land Forces Commander General 
Yasar Buyukanit will become the new Chief of the Turkish 
General Staff (TGS) in August 2006.  The pro-Government 
"Yeni Safak" carried the story with a front-page headline 
saying `we have no prejudice against Buyukanit.' The PM also 
denied that the AKP was seeking to extend the mandate of the 
present TGS commander, General Hilmi Ozkok.  Erdogan said he 
had never claimed that Buyukanit would not replace Ozkok as 
the chief of the TGS as scheduled, or that Ozkok would be 
supported by the AKP for the Turkish Presidency.  Regarding 
the ongoing probe of the Semdinli bombings, Erdogan said 
that people in the region are afraid of speaking out against 
the PKK.   `People coming from different ethnic groups in 
Turkey cannot be asked to reject their background,' the PM 
 
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said, stressing that all groups in Turkey should be united 
`under the Turkish flag.' 
 
Parliamentary Investigation into Semdinli Bombings:  A 
delegation of the Turkish Parliamentary Human Rights 
Committee, in Semdinli to investigate the alleged 
involvement of security forces in the bombing of a bookstore 
in the mainly Kurdish town on November 9, said over the 
weekend that the bombs used in the attack on November 9 had 
been produced by the Turkish arms producer MKE.  Military 
officials have told the commission that the Semdinli 
incident may be part of a rivalry between the PKK and groups 
controlled by Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader 
Massoud Barzani.  Hakkari mayor Metin Tekce said over the 
weekend that the suspects in the Semdinli bombings are being 
protected by `high-level Turkish officials.'  Tekce noted 
that the main suspect in the bombing, jandarma officer Ali 
Kaya, remains free even though he has also been charged in 
anotehr case for intimidating Kurdish businessmen in 
Diyarbakir.  `I am a Kurd, not a Turk, but I am proud to be 
a Turkish citizen,' Tekce said. 
 
EU Parliament Not Satisfied with Turkey's Performance:  The 
European Commission criticized Turkey for stalling on the 
implementation of reforms, Sunday papers reported.  The 
report, drafted by Christian Democrat lawmaker Elmar Brok, 
welcomed recent comments by Prime Minister Erdogan on the 
Kurdish problem in Turkey.  It also urged Turkey to open its 
ports and airports to Greek Cypriots. The report called on 
Turkey to give priority to freedom of expression and 
worship, independence of the judiciary, the prevention of 
torture, the potection of women's rights, and the 
preventio of domestic violence.  It expressed concern about 
the rise in violence in southeast Turkey.  The EU Parliament 
will discuss the report in December.  The EU Commission 
Representative in Turkey, Ambassador Hansjorg Kretschmer, 
complained that Turkey had not set up a single institution 
to coordinate EU accession negotiations.  Kretschmer told FM 
Gul earlier this month that the EU had `doubts about the 
efficiency of the negotiating structure' announced by 
Turkey's chief negotiator, Economy Minister Ali Babacan. 
Turkish diplomats said that is is `not fair' to criticize 
the negotiating structure, given that the negotiations 
started just two months ago. 
 
`TRNC' Launches Peace Attack in Cyprus:  Turkish Cypriot 
authorities have begun to take down the barricades dividing 
Lefkosa's (Nicosia) main avenue, Ledra Street, weekend 
papers report.  Turkey has donated 500,000 Turkish Lira to 
the `TRNC' to carry out the project.  Greek Cypriot 
authorities pledged to remove barricades on the Greek side 
of Ledra Street as well if they are convinced that the move 
will cause no security problems.  Papers comment that the 
Turkish Cypriot move has boosted hopes for a settlement in 
Cyprus.  The new initiative is expected to revive trade and 
visits between the two sides on the eve of Christmas. 
"Milliyet" reports that the Turkish Cypriots are preparing 
to open a new passage to the south in the Green Line buffer 
zone dividing the island.  There are already five crossings 
connecting the two sides.  Dailies also report that Turkish 
Cypriot authorities are preparing for another `surprise step 
forward' to return assets in the north to their Greek 
Cypriot owners.  According to a draft bill, Greek Cypriots 
will be allowed to take back immediately assets in the north 
that are not being used by Turks.  Final decisions with 
regard to the transfers will be made by the `Compensation 
Commission' set up in 2003.  The bill will go into effect 
once it is approved by the Turkish Cypriot `parliament.' 
Papers expect the new regulation to relieve Turkey of 
 
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property disputes being carried to the European Court of 
Human Rights (ECHR) by Greek Cypriots. 
 
Police Violence against Teachers:  Thousands of teachers and 
education workers gathered in Ankara from around Turkish 
provinces were barred from entering the capital by riot 
police, Sunday papers report.  Police intervened to disperse 
the rallies of several small groups in the city, injuring 18 
teachers and detaining scores of demonstrators.  Television 
news showed demonstrators being beaten with truncheons and 
sprayed by water cannons.  Egitim-Sen labor union chairpman 
Alaattin Dincer lashed out at the government for the 
brutality of the police against the demonstrators, and 
demanded the resignation of Education Minister Huseyin 
Celik.  Papers criticize the excessive violence used by riot 
police against peaceful demonstrators, and noted that it was 
likely to draw fresh criticism from the EU. 
 
PKK Kills Two Hostages:  PKK terrorists killed two persons 
they had abducted in Dortyol, the southern province of 
Hatay, on Sunday.  Halil Mese, a village guard, his friend 
Metin Durbak, and a third person were taken hostage by PKK 
terrorists in the Domuzdami region.  The terrorists 
eventually released one of the hostages, but killed the 
other two. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Israel; CIA Planes 
 
"Peretz, Kadima and Washington" 
Washington-based Yasemin Congar wrote in the mainstream 
"Milliyet" (11/28): "The upcoming Israeli elections on March 
28 will mark a first in Israeli history: a majority in the 
Knesset will support a withdrawal from the West Bank and the 
two-state formula, which means an independent state of 
Palestine. The Bush administration showed strong support for 
the Likud government under Sharon's leadership.  The neo- 
cons in the US administration felt close to Likud but more 
importantly Sharon's support of the two-state formula meshed 
with President Bush's personal beliefs. If Sharon becomes 
prime minister again, he might unilaterally pull out of the 
West Bank.  Therefore he and his party, Kadima, are viewed 
positively in Washington.  A possible coalition government 
between Sharon and Peretz is also considered as a positive 
option here in Washington." 
 
"The Rhetoric of Skies" 
Mim Kemal Oke commented in the conservative "Tercuman" 
(11/28): "The CIA use of planes for torturing people is a 
clear crime against humanity.  When the US wanted to deal 
with Al Qaeda suspects outside of international law, the 
entire world was against it.  The use of CIA planes is 
apparently a US tactic to overcome world anger by taking the 
outlaw practices into the skies. If the allegations are 
proved correct, it would be a tragic measure of humanity in 
the 21st century.  It will also show much about how 
civilized the US is. The neo-con mentality which roared in 
the aftermath of 9/11 is drawing a very different picture of 
nationalism and religion.  The mentality encourages 
intolerance and deals with issues in the same spirit as a 
lynching." 
 
MCELDOWNEY