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 03 ANKARA 001037

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
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
--------------------------------------------- -----

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Assad Urges Bush to Dialogue With Syria - Hurriyet
Ankara Envoy Calls on Talabani - Turkiye
Bush, Putin Enter Into Democracy `Polemic' in Bratislava -
Hurriyet
Scott Ritter Claims US Will Strike Iran in June - Sabah
Cabinet of Technocrats in Power in Palestine - Sabah
Arafat Supporters Eliminated, Israel Happy - Milliyet
Sharon: Withdrawal Has Been the Toughest Decision in My Life
- Sabah
Damascus Says Will Withdraw Troops From Lebanon - Milliyet

OPINION MAKERS
Ankara Holds Contact With Talabani - Cumhuriyet
Turkish-American Partnership in the Caucasus - Yeni Safak
Bush, Putin Issue Joint Warning For Iran - Cumhuriyet
A `Cold' Day in Slovakia - Radikal
Kurds Want Kirkuk for Supporting the Shiite in Iraq - Zaman
Syria Takes Historic Step Back on Lebanon - Zaman
Iran Opposes US in Nuclear Talks With EU - Yeni Safak
ECHR Convicts Russia For Chechnya Operations - Radikal

BRIEFING

Syrian President Wants Dialogue with US: Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad, in an interview with leading Turkish
dailies "Hurriyet" and "Milliyet" in Damascus, invited
President Bush to come and discuss problems in their
bilateral relations. Assad complained that Syrian efforts
at communication with the US had been left unanswered. `The
peace process has stopped. Turkey's efforts to restart the
process are blocked by some,' Assad said. He held Israel
responsible for the deterioration in US-Syria ties. `The
US, a superpower, does not need to use military force to
become a global leader; it can do so by using its
technological and economic power,' he said. He also blamed
the US for pursuing its own interests and ignoring others'
needs with regard to the Middle East peace process and Iraq
issues: `That is the main reason why US is losing esteem and
political power,' he said. Assad stressed Syria's desire
for dialogue with the US on security issues. `We are seeking
dialogue, but failed to establish it with any focus in
America,' he said.

Turkish Delegation Visits Talabani in Northern Iraq:
Turkey's special Iraq envoy Osman Koruturk, accompanied by
senior MFA and TGS officials, met on Thursday with the
northern Iraqi PUK leader Jalal Talabani in Dokan,
Suleymaniye. Koruturk conveyed a message from PM Erdogan
which assured Talabani that Ankara's support would continue
as long as Turkey's sensitivities are respected, papers say.
Talabani said Iraq's integrity would be protected, PKK
terror activities would be blocked, and Iraq would not be
allowed to become an Islamic state. The status of Kirkuk
will be determined through dialogue with all ethnic groups
living in the city, Talabani reportedly said.

US-Turkey `Eurasia Consultative Forum': Turkey and the US
have agreed to establish a permanent `consultative forum'
for Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia, papers report.
MFA Russia-Caucasus desk chief Halil Akinci discussed with
DAS Laura Kennedy the situation in Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh
and Armenia in Washington. The State Department regards the
talks as part of the strategic dialogue between the US and
Turkey, says "Turkiye." The Turkish side has invited the
Americans to Turkey for the next round of talks. Papers
also report that MFA U/S Ali Tuygan will visit Washington in
late March.

Resignations From Ruling and Opposition Parties: Mehmet
Eraslan, deputy for the province of Hatay, quit the ruling
AKP over `discomfort' with the party's Islamist roots.
Zulfu Livaneli resigned from the main opposition CHP, saying
the party had become undemocratic and resistant to change.
Thursday's resignations follow last week's defection from
the AKP of Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu; another
AKP deputy quit the party on Monday. Papers predict more
resignations to come, and some expect Erdogan to call early
elections this year to boost his majority. AKP still
commands a large majority, with 364 of 550 seats.

EDITORIAL OPINION: Transatlantic Relations

"A Cowboy is Needed"
Mim Kemal Oke argued in the conservative-sensational "HO
Tercuman" (2/25): "Despite US statements which claim
otherwise, the obvious facts indicate serious American
involvement with the Conflict of Civilizations concept. It
is also a fact that the current US method of fighting
against global religious terrorism is itself shaped by a
religious motivation-evangelism. The current US mentality
suggests settling international issues with guns, just like
in the old-fashioned western. Turkey wants to see democracy
flourishing, not only in the Middle East but in all Islamic
countries. However, Turkey stands against this method of
achieving the goal. Freedom and independence are two
indispensable values, but you just cannot impose them on
others by occupation or using force. If Bush is looking for
a cowboy for his Texas ranch instead of a strategic partner,
there is no place for Ankara in such a picture."

"The Aftermath of NATO Summit"
Ferai Tinc observed in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (2/25):
"The summit in Brussels paved the way for an active
involvement of NATO in the process of rebuilding Iraq.
Decisions during the Brussels meeting also indicate a US
strategy to pull out from Iraq. The NATO role in Iraq was
brought up last year, and at that time Washington was very
aloof toward this approach. Yet this time things have
changed and NATO is to be in charge of many important parts
of the rebuilding of Iraq. NATO officials credit the Iraqi
elections as the main reason for the policy change."

"A Notorious Report"
Erhan Basyurt commented in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman"
(2/25): "Douglas Feith and Richard Perle prepared an
important report in 1996. Entitled `A Clean Break: A New
Strategy for State Security,' the report prepared for then-
Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu contained some
very serious suggestions: cancel the Oslo Peace Process;
consider Arafat's alternatives in Palestine; for the sake of
Israel's security, Syria should be invaded with support of
Turkey and Jordan; Saddam's regime in Iraq should be
toppled; Syria's stability should be disturbed so that Syria
wouldn't pose a threat for Israel. This report explains the
reason for Feith and his team becoming so anti-Turkey
recently. Turkey did not give the expected support to the
US during the Iraq war. Turkey's policies toward Syria and
Iran do not match the US policies. Its military relations
with Israel are greatly weakened. Feith and his team
believe that the source of these changes is the AKP's
Islamic policies and the Turkish military's being left out
of decision making. In short, their notorious 1996 report
belies a single-minded understanding. AKP should explain
its policies to its American friends one more time.
Otherwise the process will be very painful for AKP, as well.
As a matter of fact, it is not that difficult to bring US-
Turkey relations back to a `strategic partnership' level.
All that is needed is a further step from the US: A joint
operation against the PKK could be the right key to unlock
the door."

EDELMAN

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