US embassy cable - 05ANKARA7158

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 007158 
 
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, DECEMBER 6, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Rice: We Have Protected Europeans from Terror Attacks - 
Sabah 
Rice Defends US Terror Policies - Star 
John McCain: Turkey Won't Accept a Kurdish State in Northern 
Iraq - Sabah 
Rumsfeld Blames Turkey Again - Milliyet 
Gul Urges EU to Keep Pledges on Turkish Cyprus - Milliyet 
Saddam Turns into a Militant at Court - Milliyet 
Saddam Show, Part 3 - Vatan 
Baradei: Tehran Can Produce Nukes in a Few Months - Aksam 
Suicide Attack in Netanya: 5 Killed - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Rice: Europe Knew about Transfer of Suspects - Radikal 
Rice: CIA Intelligence Saved European Lives - Yeni Safak 
CIA Tortures Suspects to Death on Planes - Yeni Safak 
Poll: European Businessmen Want Turkey in EU - Yeni Safak 
`Moderate Islam' Summit in Mecca - Cumhuriyet 
Saddam's Counsel Leaves Court Room - Zaman 
Ramsey Clark: Saddam Trial Will Divide Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Russia to Sell 1 Billion USD of Weapons to Iran - Cumhuriyet 
Nazarbayev Wins Kazakh Presidency by 91 Percent of Votes - 
Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
US: Greek Orthodox Patriarchate is Ecumenial:  The US 
administration declared on Monday that they consider the 
Istanbul-based Greek Orthodox Patriarchate to be 
`ecumenical,' and see Patriarch Bartholomew I as `a 
religious leader of global standing,' papers report.  US 
State Spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement that the 
US took very seriously the issue of religious freedom in 
Turkey.  `As illustrated in the 2005 International Religious 
Freedom Report, concerns highlighted in the report are 
issues related to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, including the 
reopening of the Halki seminary, as well as issues related 
to other religious minorities in Turkey,' McCormack said. 
McCormack added that President Bush had urged the reopening 
of Halki Seminary during a meeting with Prime Minister 
Erdogan in June.  Halki Seminary on Heybeli Island in the 
Sea of Marmara was founded in the 1700s to train orthodox 
clergymen, and was closed in 1971 during a Turkish military 
takeover, following a Constitutional Court decision to 
nationalize all private religious high schools. 
 
Sunnis to Join Iraqi Politics:  "Milliyet" reports that 
Sunni groups are expected to join the new administration of 
Iraq after December 15 elections in an effort to strike a 
balance against the Shiites and Kurds.  The paper expects 
this move by the Sunnis to help block separatist demands in 
Iraq.  Ankara arranged a meeting of Iraqi Sunni groups in 
Istanbul over the weekend.  US Iraq Ambassador Zalmay 
Khalilzad joined the Sunnis' meeting on Sunday.  Sunnis 
asked the US to suspend operations, release prisoners and 
announce a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.  The two 
sides agreed that elections will be monitored by 
 
ANKARA 00007158  002 OF 005 
 
 
international and Sunni observers.  Sunnis will be 
represented in election commissions and among ballot 
observers and Iraqis living abroad will be allowed to join 
the legislative election this month.  Ankara expects the 
compromise reached in Istanbul to reduce the power of the 
Shiites and Kurds in the Iraqi parliament and in state 
institutions, comments "Milliyet." 
 
Sinop Radar Facilities Reactivated:  The US radar station in 
Turkey's Black Sea coastal city of Sinop, an effective 
installation which has provided crucial information to the 
US secret intelligence service National Security Agency 
(NSA) during Cold War, has been reactivated, "Hurriyet" 
reports from Washington.  The facility, refurbished with new 
technology, was reactivated following September 11, 
according to US intelligence sources.  The Governor's office 
in Sinop denied the reports, saying that only some American 
families who have served in Sinop in the past came to the 
city for short vacations.  `There are no US troops inside 
the facilities,' said the Governor's Office. 
 
Gonul in the US:  Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, in 
Washington to attend Southeastern European Defense Ministers 
(SEDM) meeting, told reporters after meeting with Secretary 
Rumsfeld that the US Administration must handle the issue of 
the terrorist PKK presence in northern Iraq, adding that 
Ankara was uneasy in the face of US reluctance to remove 
terrorists from Kandil Mountains.  Gonul also said that a 
255-man Turkish contingent in Afghanistan would join an 
international brigade to be established by southeastern 
European countries.  During his stay in Washington, Gonul is 
to meet with executives of American-Turkish Council (ATC). 
SEDM meetings will be held on Tuesday with participation of 
Turkey, the United States, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, 
Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Romania and Slovenia. 
 
Buyukanit Visits the US:  Visiting Turkish Land Forces 
Commander General Yasar Buyukanit will meet US military 
officials and `neo-cons' from the American Enterprise 
Institute (AEI), "Vatan" reports.  The paper says that 
Washington deems the Buyukanit visit important as it is 
expected to shape US-Turkey military ties in 2006-2008. 
General Buyukanit is to become the chief of Turkish General 
Staff (TGS) in 2006. 
 
FM Gul Due in Brussels for NATO Summit:  Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul is due in Brussels on December 8 to attend the 
Fall meeting of NATO foreign ministers. 
Developments in the Greater Middle East region, security 
issues, NATO's role in Afghanistan and Kosovo will be taken 
up at the meeting, a statement by the Turkish Foreign 
Ministry (MFA) said on Monday.  "Milliyet" says that Gul 
will not join a dinner of NATO-European Union foreign 
ministers later this week in protest of the failure of 
Europe to ease trade restrictions on the northern Cypriot 
enclave. 
 
EU Report Criticizes Turkish Anti-Terror Bill:  The EU 
Commission Representation in Turkey sent Brussels a report 
which said that the Turkish anti-terror bill contradicted 
democratization laws passed by Turkey, "Zaman" reports.  The 
Turkish military played a key role in drafting the bill, 
says the report, adding that it can jeopardize the success 
of Turkey in adopting EU harmonization laws.  It notes that 
the ruling AK Party government is working to adjust the 
demands of the nationalist bureaucracy and the nation with 
Copenhagen political criteria.  The report says that 
according to the Turkish anti-terror draft, even individuals 
who have no links with terror organizations can be 
 
ANKARA 00007158  003 OF 005 
 
 
persecuted as terrorists.  It underlines that people 
expressing their personal views can be penalized by courts 
for praising terrorism. This provision is seen as the 
biggest threat to basic rights and freedoms.  According to 
the anti-terror bill, non-violent actions can also be 
branded as terrorism.  The EU report warns that such 
provisions can be abused by the security forces and the 
judiciary. Individual rights have been seriously restricted 
in the anti-terror bill.  There are also provisions granting 
extensive powers to security forces and administrative 
units, according to the EU report. 
 
Turkey Condemns Suicide Attack in Israel:  The Turkish 
Foreign Ministry (MFA) strongly condemned in a statement on 
Monday the suicide bomb attack on a mall entrance in Netanya 
in which four people were killed and more than 30 others 
were injured.  `This heinous attack was staged by groups 
which aim to hamper efforts for peace and stability in the 
region.  Such attacks, in a period when Israel's withdrawal 
from the Gaza Strip and a part of West Bank has given rise 
to hopes for reviving the peace process, are extremely 
distressing.  We call on both Israelis and Palestinians to 
act with common sense and not allow those groups to achieve 
their goals,' MFA said. 
 
Erdogan Visits New Zealand:  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, 
on a 10-day visit to New Zealand and Australia, met with his 
counterpart Helen Clark in Wellington.  At a joint press 
conference on Monday, Clark said New Zealand will support 
any new UN initiative to bring about a settlement in Cyprus. 
Erdogan said New Zealand had pledged to support Turkey's bid 
to be given non-permanent membership of the UN Security 
Council for 2009-2010.  Turkey has not been a non-permanent 
member of the UN Security Council in over 50 years despite 
its substantial contributions to peace and security, papers 
comment.  Erdogan dismissed press reports that the tombs of 
Anzacs in Gallipoli have been damaged.  `On the contrary, we 
are trying to renovate the area in order to make it more 
attractive,' Erdogan said.  Erdogan claimed that US 
attitudes toward terrorism had changed after September 11 
attacks.  `Now the US regards all suspects as potential 
terrorists,' Erdogan said.  The PM also invited New 
Zealander businessmen to invest in Turkey.  Dailies report 
Turkish opposition parties as lashing out at Erdogan for 
spending most of his time abroad. 
 
Aksu Reveals Terror Statistics:  On Monday, Interior 
Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said in response to a motion 
submitted to the parliament that 966 terrorists have been 
arrested and 359 others killed in Turkey since 2003.  Aksu 
added that 116 terrorists have been extradited to Turkey 
from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Greece, Azerbaijan and Ukraine. 
 
Military the Most Reliable Institution in Turkey:  A survey 
carried out by the Politics Center Association chaired by 
the ruling AK Party lawmaker Mahmut Kocak has shown that the 
army was seen as the most reliable institution in Turkey, 
"Milliyet" reports.  72 percent of the 1179 people surveyed 
in Ankara said they were not content with the activities of 
AKP, and 73 percent said there was no democracy in Turkish 
political parties.  Support for the government is declining, 
says "Milliyet." 
 
European Businessmen Back Turkey's EU Membership:  In a 
survey of 1,500 European company executives, the vast 
majority support Turkish membership in the European Union 
while only nine percent oppose it, papers report.  The UPS 
Europe Business Monitor poll of 1,500 executives in EU 
countries showed that resistance to Turkish membership was 
 
ANKARA 00007158  004 OF 005 
 
 
strongest among German and French business leaders.  In late 
November, a survey conducted by TNS-Sofres for the `Yalta 
European Strategy' in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain 
and Britain showed that the number of Europeans opposing 
Turkey's EU membership has increased.  Nearly 40 percent 
said they backed Turkey's EU membership while 46 percent 
rejected. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq 
 
"Iraq Goes Toward a Civil War" 
Erdal Guven argued in the conservative "Tercuman" (12/6): 
"Iraq is rapidly moving toward a civil war since the Iraqi 
Kurds are reluctant to share oil reserves and there is no 
clear statement on the topic in the new constitution.  The 
Shiite region of Iraq contains the largest natural gas 
reserves.  Northern Iraq has the second largest.  The Sunni 
region, on the other hand, is suffering from a lack of 
energy resources.  Sunni Arabs who live in central Iraq 
without oil reserves, are disturbed by the prospect of the 
Kurdish federation controlling oil.  Currently the Barzani 
administration arbitrarily distributes the use of northern 
oil reserves to foreign companies without even consulting 
with the central authority.  Nacirvan Barzani, his cousin, 
said that oil belongs to the Kurds when an agreement was 
made between the KDP and a Norwegian oil company to drill 
for oil.  A civil war between Sunni Arabs and the Kurds will 
be inevitable if the US does not revise the status of energy 
resources in Iraq." 
 
"Turkey Intervenes in Iraq" 
Cengiz Candar commented in the tabloid "Bugun" (12/6): "The 
recent Istanbul meeting between US Ambassador to Iraq 
Khalilzad and the Sunni leader Hashemi along with Turkish FM 
Gul was a diplomatic surprise.  In a joint press conference, 
it was announced to the whole world that Iraqi Sunnis have 
agreed to participate in the upcoming elections.  In other 
words, Turkey has achieved a major accomplishment by helping 
to achieve a consensus between the US and the Sunnis, who 
constitute the social root of the Iraqi insurgency. Both 
sides have asked Turkey to assume the role of witness.  In 
fact, the consensus only covers certain Sunni groups since 
the Zarkavi and Ansar Al Islam linked Sunni groups were not 
part of this process.  Yet there is something important for 
us: Turkey, or more specifically, the ruling government has 
been asked to play a facilitative role in the Iraq 
equilibrium and this request came from both the US as well 
as from some Sunni groups.  Turkey is gradually assuming a 
proactive role in Iraq." 
 
"Istanbul Initiative" 
Sami Kohen observed in the mainstream daily "Milliyet" 
(12/6):  "Will the Iraqi Sunnis participate in the upcoming 
elections?  Will it actually be possible for the decisions 
taken at the Istanbul summit to be implemented?  In the 
aftermath of the Istanbul summit hopes for the 
implementation have certainly increased. The agreement 
reached in Istanbul has three basic components:  First, this 
agreement meets all the conditions of the Sunnis; such as, 
increasing the number of the observers of the election; and 
allowing the Sunnis residing in the neighboring countries, 
as well as the jailed ones, to participate in the elections. 
Second, the US has been asked to suspend its military 
operations to ensure a secure election atmosphere; and 
finally, some changes in the constitution will be made after 
the elections to ensure Iraq's stability in the process of 
reconstruction.  Reaching such an agreement by Turkish 
diplomatic initiative is a beneficial development for all 
 
ANKARA 00007158  005 OF 005 
 
 
the parties, including Turkey.  However, the leaders' 
agreement does not guarantee the success of this initiative. 
All the parties should exert efforts to implement these 
agreements.  The only danger during this process is that 
militant groups may try to sabotage this political process. 
As we get close to December 15, no one can guarantee that 
such violent actions will not occur.  Nevertheless, the 
Istanbul initiative strengthens the belief that the process 
will continue without such problems." 
 
WILSON