Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report,

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002240

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, APRIL 20, 2004

THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER
THREE THEMES:

HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Kurdish Commander for Iraqi Army - Sabah
Protests Against Denktas - Milliyet
AKP/CHP Cooperation Against Military Coups - Milliyet
Denktas Accuses Turkey of Sacrificing Cyprus For the EU -
Hurriyet
Erdogan Rejects Israeli Businessmen - Sabah

OPINION MAKERS
Government Considers 10 Changes in the Constitution -Radikal
UN confirms: Srebrenica was Genocide - Radikal
Denktas: Cyprus Sacrificed for EU - Cumhuriyet
Bremer: Iraq Needs Foreign Support to Establish Security -
Cumhuriyet
Crisis in the Bush Cabinet - Cumhuriyet
Greek Cypriots Censor Verheugen Speeches on TV - Zaman
US Disappointed With Spanish Military Withdrawal - Zaman
Powell Crisis in the White House - Yeni Safak
Bush is the Leader of the Crusaders - Yeni Safak

BRIEFING
Cyprus: "Milliyet" reports that `TRNC President' Rauf
Denktas visited some villages last weekend in Cyprus to
campaign against the Annan plan. However, Denktas was met
by protesters in almost every village, including Yesilirmak,
which will be left to the Greek Cypriots if the UN plan is
accepted. "Cumhuriyet" reports that Denktas criticized the
Turkish government harshly for `sacrificing' Cyprus for the
sake of EU accession. "Turkiye" notes that `TRNC Prime
Minister' Mehmet Ali Talat urged people to vote for `yes' at
the referendum, arguing that the plan will benefit Turkish
Cypriots. "Sabah" says that 5 EU countries (Germany,
Sweden, Britain, Finland and Belgium) have indicated that
they are ready to recognize the `TRNC' if the UN plan is
accepted by the Turkish Cypriots and rejected by the Greek
Cypriots. The paper also notes that EU Enlargement
commissioner Verheugen has been barred from speaking on
Greek Cypriot television in the days leading up to the April
24 referendum.

Constitutional Amendments: "Sabah" and "Yeni Safak" report
that Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that a package of
some amendments will be submitted to the parliament soon.
Minister Cicek stressed that Turkey needs more extensive
constitutional reforms, but added that there is not
sufficient time. The government will therefore submit a
more limited package of reforms in the hopes of getting them
approved in parliament by the middled of May. Key
provisions in the constitutional reforms would change the
structure of the state security courts, remove military
representatives from state institutions including the Higher
Education Board (YOK), and provide for increased gender
equality and freedom of the press.

Iraq: "Cumhuriyet" reports that Iraqi Interim Governor Paul
Bremer acknowledged that Iraqi Security Forces are not
capable of establishing security in the country on their own
after the transition to a new political authority on June
30. "Sabah" reports that Babekar Zebari, a Kurdish origin
Iraqi from the KDP, has been assigned to lead the new Iraqi
Army.
EDITORIAL OPINION

"Greek Cypriot - Russian connection"
Fikret Ertan wrote in the conservative/intellectual "Zaman"
(4/20): "About 20 billion dollars of Russian capital has
entered Greek Cyprus since 1995. In that period, the amount
of illicit Russian money transfer to southern Cyprus has
never been disclosed. . Four years ago, American inspectors
determined that Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic also
deposited the money he stole from Serbia into Greek Cypriot
banks. The Greek Cypriots have never faced any sanctions
for such illicit money transfers. . Turkish diplomacy has
wasted many opportunities in opposing Greek Cypriot
policies. This diplomacy has failed to secure international
recognition for the `TRNC.' Turkey has not been able to
defend the cause of Turkish Cypriots. . Today it would be
unfair to blame Denktas, who has merely been acting within
the framework of that diplomacy. . For centuries, the
western world has favored the Greek Cypriots. Their
position will not change today, even if the Turkish side
votes for the Annan Plan."

"Cyprus: The EU and a new identity"
Herkul Millas commented in the conservative/intellectual
"Zaman" (4/20): "Those supporting the Annan Plan on both
sides of Cyprus are open to the vision of a common Europe.
They do not regard the Turks and Greeks as enemies. .
However, the sides are not ready to live within the
structure of a joint federal state. . The Turkish Cypriots'
acceptance of the UN plan will reduce international pressure
on Turkey. The Cyprus issue will then become a problem to
be settled between the two Cypriot communities. No matter
what their opponents say, the AK Party government has been
the architect of this positive development."EDELMAN

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