US embassy cable - 05ANKARA7016

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 007016 
 
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 
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Cicek: CIA Did Not Interrogate Sakka - Sabah 
Barzani: Kurdish Independence Nothing to be Afraid of - 
Milliyet 
US to Hand Over Command of Iraqi Air Forces to Iraqis - 
Hurriyet 
Iraq TV Censors Saddam Court Proceedings - Aksam 
US-Iran to Meet for the First Time in 26 Years - Sabah 
Peres to Join Sharon's New Party - Vatan 
93.3 Percent of Armenians Approve Constitutional Changes - 
Milliyet 
FBI Wins Sibel Edmonds Case - Aksam 
CNN Fires Operator for `Crossing Off' Cheney - Vatan 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
EU Warns Ankara against Police Violence against Teachers - 
Cumhuriyet 
Euro-Med Summit Cannot Agree on Terror Definition - Radikal 
50 Nations Denounce Terror at Euro-Med Barcelona Summit - 
Zaman 
Erdogan Warns Europe against Roj-TV - Radikal 
EU Penalizes Member Countries Cooperating with CIA - Radikal 
ECHR to Recognize Turkish Cypriot Courts - Zaman 
Washington Times: Turkish Military Warns Erdogan about 
Secularism - Yeni Safak 
Amnesty International: 1,000 Convicts Executed in US since 
1976 - Yeni Safak 
Climate Change Conference to Discuss Kyoto Agreement in 
Canada - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Erdogan Attends Euro-Med Summit:  Prime Minister Tayyip 
Erdogan, in Barcelona to attend the 10th EU-Mediterranean 
(Euromed) Summit, met with the Palestinian leader Mahmoud 
Abbas, Lebanese PM Fuad Siniora and Israeli vice PM Ehud 
Olmert on Monday, papers report.  The leaders discussed the 
future of the Middle East after the opening of the Rafah 
border crossing between Egypt and Gaza Strip, and economic 
cooperation.  Erdogan also met with German Chancellor Angela 
Merkel.  He told the press after the meeting that Turkey and 
Germany will continue to support each other in economically 
and politically, walking together hand-in-hand toward the 
future.  Erdogan noted that he invited Merkel to Turkey, and 
that he will pay a visit to Germany after hosting the German 
Chancellor in Turkey.  Merkel said she accepted the 
invitation.  In response to a question, Merkel said that the 
German government's policy on Turkey's EU membership is 
based on the EU decisions taken earlier.  The two leaders 
spoke on economic cooperation and the integration of Turks 
living in Germany, according to reports.  Reports also say 
that EU could not agree over the definition of terrorism. 
Agreement on a Code of Conduct on struggling against 
terrorism was blocked after the Arab states asked for a 
reference justifying `resistance movements' in the final 
communiqu.  EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the 
sticking point was a question of wording, stressing that all 
sides agreed on the fundamental need to fight terrorism. 
 
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British Prime Minister Tony Blair, co-hosting the gathering 
as current EU president, focused in his speech largely on 
combating terrorism and preventing illegal immigration.  The 
head of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell said that 
Arab leaders' presence would have presented `a stronger 
political commitment.'  The Euromed summit talks brought 
together EU member countries with Turkey, Algeria, Egypt, 
Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, 
Syria, and Tunisia. 
 
 
Erdogan's Office Rejects Borowiec Report in WT:  On Monday, 
the Office of the Prime Minister rejected as `total 
fabrication' a report in The Washington Times (WT) that the 
Turkish military has warned the AK Party government by a 
secret letter over Erdogan's remarks with regard to 
 
SIPDIS 
religious issues, papers report.  A statement from the prime 
ministry said that the report written by Andrew Borowiec in 
the WT is `groundless, and cannot be taken seriously.'  `We 
consider this report as a malicious accusation that targets 
Turkey's unity.  This report is a product of the systematic 
campaign conducted by some networks of interest to incite 
separatism in Turkey,' the statement said.  It stressed that 
the WT and Borowiec will be declared `hired guns lacking 
professionalism, ethics and honor' if they cannot prove 
their allegations.  Erdogan had warned the European Court of 
Human Rights (ECHR) earlier this month to take into 
consideration the views of `Ulema' (Muslim theologians) when 
adopting decisions on critical issues such as the ban on 
women's headwear in `public places' in Turkey. 
 
Cicek Denies CIA Interrogated Sakka:  Dailies report that 
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek denied on Monday claims that 
Louai Sakka, a leading ringleader of the terrorist al-Qaida, 
was interrogated by CIA operatives in a prison in Istanbul. 
`Sakka has only been visited by his sister and nephew, as 
well as his lawyer.  He has not met any other foreigners,' 
Cicek said.  Sakka's lawyer Osman Karahan insisted that CIA 
members interrogated Sakka for four hours, adding that he 
will disclose soon the names of captives the CIA abducted 
from Turkey on planes. 
 
Bryza to Visit Nicosia in December:  Independent Greek daily 
"Fileleftheros" said in a news commentary on Monday that US 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza is expected 
to visit Nicosia in the first half of December.  Nicosia 
believes that Americans are both attempting to come closer 
to the Republic of Cyprus, and to `upgrade' the statelet in 
the north.  A recent meeting of Secretary Rice with Turkish 
Cypriot leader Talat in Washington is seen by the Cypriot 
government as an indication of American intentions.  Nicosia 
believes that the Bryza visit will be a good opportunity to 
display the views of the Cypriot government.  It is unclear 
if Bryza will visit Athens and Ankara.  His predecessors 
used to visit the European states slated for the EU 
presidency.  Austria will take over the post from Britain on 
January 1.  Diplomatic sources said that such a visit will 
be useful if the issue of EU regulations for the Turkish 
Cypriots is not resolved under the British presidency, said 
the article. 
 
Jandarma Officers Suspected of Semdinli Bombings Arrested: 
A court ordered the arrest of Ali Kaya and Ozcan Ildeniz, 
jandarma officers implicated in the November 9 bombing of a 
bookstore in Semdinli in the southeastern province of 
Hakkari, on a request from the prosecutor investigating the 
incident.  The bombing had triggered angry protests in 
Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast.  The two men were briefly 
detained on November 9, but freed pending an investigation. 
 
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The Turkish parliament last week conducted a full 
investigation into the bombing in which one person was 
killed.  The officers were almost lynched by local people 
after the bombing as they tried to flee.  Police found in 
their car weapons and maps, including one pinpointing the 
bombed bookshop.  Kaya and Ildeniz denied any wrongdoing, 
saying they were only passing through Semdinli when the 
blast occurred. 
 
EU Warns Ankara on Slow Reforms Process, Police Violence: 
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn expressed concern at 
the 20th Turkey-EU Joint Consultation Committee meeting on 
Monday over the use of excessive force by police against 
protesting teachers in Ankara over the weekend, say papers. 
`EU kept its promise and opened full membership talks with 
Turkey, and now it is Turkey's turn,' Rehn said.  He noted 
that deficiencies in the implementation of reforms in Turkey 
are concerning.  Rehn indicated that lawsuits filed against 
Turkish intellectuals such as Orhan Pamuk, Hrant Dink, Burak 
Bekdil, Ragip Zarakolu, Ibrahim Kaboglu and Fatih Tas 
constituted a violation of free speech and free press.  He 
noted that Turkey should also eliminate discrimination 
against women, take positive steps regarding non-Muslim 
minority foundations, not impose restrictions on religious 
communities, and adopt a zero tolerance policy regarding 
torture.  `There is no shortcut on the road to the EU,' Rehn 
told Ankara.  "Zaman" reports EU sources in Brussels as 
complaining that PM Erdogan and FM Gul had made no 
statements in support of freedom of expression.  Meanwhile, 
the Chief of Turkish General Staff (TGS) Hilmi Ozkok warned 
yesterday that Turkey should not strive to join the EU at 
any price.  `Turkey must seek EU membership on equal footing 
and must avoid irreversible concessions,' Ozkok said. 
 
MFA Warns Kretschmer over Lausanne Treaty Remarks:  Turkish 
Foreign Ministry (MFA) Deputy Undersecretary Ertugrul 
Alpakan phoned EU Commission Representative Hansjorg 
Kretschmer to ask him to be more careful in his statements 
over possible amendments to the Lausanne Treaty, papers 
report.  Atakan reportedly told Kretschmer that any 
amendment to the Lausanne Treaty is out of the question. 
 
Yerevan Rally to Protest Constitutional Changes:  About 
5,000 demonstrators rallied in Yerevan on Monday to protest 
President Robert Kocharian's government of rigging a weekend 
referendum that approved changes to the constitution, 
Turkish papers report.  Western observers said the vote 
fraud had inflated the size of the `Yes' vote.  The election 
commission said 93.3 percent of polling stations had backed 
the changes, with 5.4 percent against.  Opposition leaders 
at the protest called for Kocharian's resignation. 
Armenia's government has said that the changes to the 
constitution, including giving more power to parliament, 
were vital to bring Armenia into line with European 
democracies.  The constitutional changes include reforming 
the judicial system, enhancing the powers of the prime 
minister, and allowing Armenia's large diaspora community to 
apply for Armenian citizenship. 
 
Illegal Organizations Use Children in Their Protests:  "Yeni 
Safak" criticizes fundamentalist and separatist 
organizations for using children at ages 7 to 15 during 
rallies.  In a front page report, the paper blamed police 
for handing out to a group of children bubble gum and candy 
when they threw stones at another group of children 
supporting the terrorist PKK.  The children had stoned a 
police station during a recent demonstration in the southern 
city of Mersin. 
 
 
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AKP Municipalities Ban Alcohol:  Prime Minister Erdogan 
rejected press reports that the municipalities held by the 
ruling AK Party are implementing a ban on alcoholic 
beverages, dailies report.  `We have not introduced such an 
implementation.  According to Turkey's Constitution, the 
state is obligated to protect youth from alcohol addiction. 
Municipalities are state agencies.    Municipalities issue 
licenses for tourism facilities, hotels, and restaurants 
where alcoholic beverages are consumed.  If anybody is not 
given a license, they should come and see us.  They cannot 
be banned.  There is no sense in exaggerating the issue this 
much,' Erdogan said.  Meanwhile, Deputy PM Abdullatif Sener 
criticized the AK Party municipalities that have banned the 
sale of alcohol, saying that such a move is hard to 
understand in the modern world. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq 
 
"The Kurdish Reality in Northern Iraq" 
Hasan Cemal observed in the mainstream "Milliyet" (11/29): 
"Kurdish self-rule in Iraq, either as a federation or as an 
independent Kurdish state, serving as a model for Turkish 
Kurds is a source of anxiety in Turkey.  The stage for a 
Kurdish state in northern Iraq has been set since 1992.  A 
likely federation structure in Iraq could be a forerunner to 
an independent Kurdish state. According to the new Iraqi 
constitution, there is going to be a confederation where 
Kurds will be given self-rule as they have been doing since 
1992. Kurdish leader Talabani is the president of Iraq, 
while Barzani, another Kurdish leader, has become the 
president of the regional administration of Kurdistan. 
Barzani has been traveling around the world, including 
Washington, London and Berlin and receiving presidential 
level treatment.  Are we going to treat them like tribal 
leaders when they visit Turkey one day?  I don't think so. 
The realities of life will prevail sooner or later." 
 
"From Saddam to Barzani" 
Cengiz Candar asserted in the tabloid "Bugun" (11/29): "The 
new Iraq constitution has brought a loose federation model 
for Iraq.  The approval of the constitution both legitimized 
and legalized the structure.  In the loose federation model 
which is very close to a confederation, the northern part of 
Iraq is characterized as the `Kurdistan Regional 
Administration.'  And as part of this constitutional 
procedure, Barzani has gained the title of president of the 
regional administration of Kurdistan.  Turkey has some 
options regarding this new Iraq.  One option is not to 
accept the new structure.  Choosing this option will cause 
Turkey to be aiding in the division of Iraq.  If Turkey 
accepts the new structure, Turkey will have to recognize 
Barzani in his new status and act accordingly.  Turkey 
should abandon its attempt to shape its Iraq policy based on 
the pre-2003 structure.  The policy should be based on the 
reality that the Saddam regime is now over." 
 
MCELDOWNEY