US embassy cable - 05ANKARA7278

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 007278 
 
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, DECEMBER 12, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
CIA Chief in Ankara - Sabah 
CIA Chief to Talk About Terrorism - Milliyet 
Top Secret US Propaganda War - Milliyet 
FM Gul: CIA did not Interrogate Anyone in Turkey - Milliyet 
CIA Director Arrives in Ankara with 22 Agents - Hurriyet 
What is the Reason for FBI and CIA Visits to Turkey? - Vatan 
Terrorist Attack Suspicion in London Blast - Hurriyet 
FM Gul denies all Allegations over CIA Planes - Turkiye 
Rice Praises US Middle East Policy - Turkiye 
Surprising Guest from the USA - Posta 
Israel Plans to Attack Iran - Sabah 
Sharon Orders to Attack Iran - Vatan 
Europe Watches two Law Suits in Turkey - Aksam 
PKK Bargaining with the CIA - Hurriyet (12/11) 
Land Forces Commander Buyukanit Leaves for the US - Hurriyet 
(12/11) 
Mueller Visit Topic is PKK - Hurriyet (12/10) 
Some Turkish Companies are on the FBI's Black List - Sabah 
(12/10) 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Two Messages from US to EU - Zaman 
In Goss' Briefcase: Iraq, the Kurds and the PKK - Yeni Safak 
There are Many FBI Agents in Turkey - Cumhuriyet 
Talabani: "No Single Party can Win the Elections" - Zaman 
CIA Director Arrives in Turkey - Radikal 
Orhan Pamuk Trial is on Friday - Radikal 
PM Erdogan: Religion is Our Cement, not an Upper Identity 
for Turkish Citizens" - Radikal 
Iran Invites US to Bid for the Nuclear Energy Power Plant - 
Yeni Safak 
FBI Chief Visits National Intelligence Organization (MIT) - 
Radikal (12/10) 
PKK Summit with the FBI Director - Zaman (12/10) 
US-Turkey Cooperation for PKK will Continue - Yeni Safak 
(12/10) 
 
BRIEFING 
 
CIA Director Goss Comes to Turkey:  All papers and TV 
channels cover the visits of CIA Director Goss and FBI 
Director Mueller extensively with Sunday's "Hurriyet" giving 
front page placement to the story. Saturday's "Zaman" 
reported that Director Mueller said that his visit was a 
step in boosting the partnership and cooperation between the 
US and Turkey.  He added that cooperation between the two 
countries would help speed progress in the fight against 
terror organizations like Al-Qaeda and PKK.  Sunday's 
"Hurriyet" says that the visits of the two intelligence 
directors following directly after new US Ambassador Ross 
Wilson's arrival and comments on PKK caused speculation in 
Ankara official circles in that Washington might launch a 
serious initiative against the PKK after the Iraqi 
elections.  Although the schedule of Goss was kept big 
secret, it was reported that he would meet with Prime 
 
SIPDIS 
Minister Erdogan, TGS (military) and MIT (intelligence) 
officials.  "Sabah" reports that Al-Qaeda and PKK will be on 
the top of Goss' agenda and that Director Goss would ask 
Turkish officials to inform the CIA if there was any 
 
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captured Al-Qaeda militants.  Turkey would also be asked to 
freeze the assets of Turkish companies extending financial 
support to terror organizations like Al- Qaeda.  "Sabah" 
adds that in return, the Turkish side would ask for the US 
to take concrete steps against the PKK.  "Milliyet" says 
that the visits of the FBI and CIA directors had been 
arranged at the request of the new US Ambassador Ross 
Wilson.  "Cumhuriyet" reports that there are 165 FBI agents 
working in Turkey. 
 
Foreign Minister Gul on Spy Planes in Turkey: "Milliyet" 
reports on Foreign Minister Gul's comments on CIA's torture 
planes.  Gul rejected the allegations that a CIA plane 
landed in Turkey to interrogate the prisoners, saying that a 
proper request was made to land for refueling and servicing 
and that request was granted.  "Posta" says that Gul 
admitted that a CIA plane landed at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen 
airport, however no interrogation took place. 
 
US Gives Two Messages to the EU:  "Zaman" gives front page 
coverage to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew 
Bryza's remarks.  Bryza reportedly gave two important 
messages to the EU in Brussels, saying that `the EU should 
step up its struggle against PKK and should bring the PKK 
militants captured in Europe to justice'.  Bryza added that 
Turkey's EU accession should not be linked with the Cyprus 
issue. 
 
Israel Plans to Attack Iran; Iran Energy:   "Sabah" says 
that following Iran President Ahmedinejad's comments that 
Israel should be moved to Europe, tension between Iran and 
Israel escalated.  "Sabah" reports that Britiain's `Sunday 
Times' cited Israeli military sources as saying that Prime 
Minister Sharon has ordered his military forces to attack 
Iran in March 2006.  "Posta" says Israel denied such 
allegations.  Regarding US-Iran relations, "Yeni Safak" 
reported on Iran's invitation to US to bid for its nuclear 
energy power plant construction. 
 
Europe Watches Two Law Suits in Turkey:  "Aksam" reports 
that the EU is closely following two critical law suits due 
to open this week in Turkey.   University rector Yucel 
Askin's trial will begin Tuesday, December 13 and author 
Orhan Pamuk trial begins on Friday, December 16.  "Aksam" 
quotes the "Financial Times:" "On Friday not only Orhan 
Pamuk but also Turkey will face justice." 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  CIA Director in Turkey/US-Turkey 
Relations 
 
"Important Developments Regarding US-Turkey Relations" 
Semih Idiz observed in the mainstream "Milliyet" (12/12): 
"No expertise is required to see that something important is 
going on as the visit of the FBI Director is followed by 
that of the CIA Director.  All of this indicates a 
comprehensive dialogue with Turkey. The agenda for these 
meetings is not hard to guess: Iraq on the eve of elections, 
the PKK in northern Iraq, recent troubling remarks by the 
Iranian president and Syria.  On the other hand, the CIA 
torture planes will not be a main topic of discussion.  The 
immediate appointment for credentialing given to the new US 
Ambassador Ross Wilson is also a sign of good coordination 
between Turkey and the US.  These developments require 
Wilson to be present in Ankara.  The developments are 
obviously Iraq-related.  A behind-the-scenes diplomatic 
success was recently achieved when Turkey managed to bring 
Americans and Iraqi Sunnis together.  On the PKK issue, it 
is still unclear what kind of cooperation is in place. 
According to American sources, some developments are due. 
 
ANKARA 00007278  003 OF 003 
 
 
If that is the case we should expect to see some indications 
soon.  Otherwise, as the Washington Institute's recent 
report concluded, the PKK issue will continue to poison 
Turkish-American ties.  It seems the US has reached a better 
understanding on this matter and has started listening to 
Turkey's views on Iraq more often." 
 
"What is the reason for the FBI and CIA Visits?" 
Rusen Cakir argued in the mass appeal "Vatan" (12/12): 
"First FBI Director Mueller came to Ankara, and now CIA 
Director Porter Goss is visiting Turkey.  The FBI and CIA 
visits should not be seen only in terms of the `PKK 
dimension.'  There certainly will be some promises regarding 
the PKK issue but there will be some demands as well. 
Traditionally speaking, neither the FBI nor the CIA gives 
anything without taking something in return.  Therefore 
Turkey should be careful of the demands. In the past, the 
CIA captured PKK leader Ocalan and handed him over to 
Turkey.  Today the power of the CIA is strong enough to root 
out the PKK in Iraq if it really wants to.  But it still 
seems like a remote possibility.  On this issue the 
prevailing view is that catching a few PKK chieftains will 
not help achieve a solution. Along with the Goss visit, the 
recent changes in Turkey's Iraq policy and the internal 
debate over Turkish and Kurdish identity indicate that 
Turkey has changed a lot.  Given the situation, we might 
expect to see a couple of anti-PKK operations designed to 
win over the public but we might also see certain radical 
steps toward the settlement of the Kurdish issue as well. 
 
WILSON