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 05 ANKARA 000809

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 11, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Khatami threatens US - Aksam
Khatami warns that the US will turn Iran into `hell' if
attacked - Sabah
Women stayed at home in first Saudi elections - Aksam
Nuclear `confessions' from North Korea - Milliyet
North Korea admits to developing nuclear weapons - Sabah
Bush expected to oppose Armenian `genocide' bill - Hurriyet
Saudis hold elections without women - Milliyet
Rice: We Opened a New Page, Hope Turkey Does the Same --
Vatan

OPINION MAKERS
Iran challenges US - Radikal
Iraq to close borders February 17-22 on Shiites' holy week -
Radikal
North Korea increases nuclear tension again - Zaman
North Korea withdraws from nuclear disarmament meetings -
Cumhuriyet
NATO decides to expand ISAF in Afghanistan - Radikal
US to give $400 million to allies in Iraq, Afghanistan -
Radikal
Women investigators use `sexual' tactics against Guantanamo
inmates - Cumhuriyet

BRIEFING

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice interviewed by `Vatan'

SIPDIS
Vatan's Brussels correspondent Duygu Leloglu reports from
Luxembourg (2/11): "In a meeting with eight European
journalists in Luxembourg, Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice gave some important messages. The Secretary's answers
to "Vatan" correspondent Duygu Leloglu, as published and
translated from Turkish, are as follows:

Q. How do you evaluate the impact of your visit to Turkey
on bilateral relations?
R. The reason for my visit was to highlight the importance
of Turkish-US relations. Turkish officials also reiterated
the importance of the relationship. The US has longstanding
strategic relations with Turkey, which became stronger after
Turkey's NATO membership. Of course, we had disagreements
over the Iraq issue. But,I believe that, despite those
disagreements, the US has now opened a new page in bilateral
relations. I hope Turkey will do the same.
Q. Are you planning any initiative for Turkey's concerns
regarding Iraq?
R. The US understands Turkey's concerns over Iraq's
future. We are engaged in protecting Iraq's territorial
integrity. We are committed to an Iraq that has no danger of
terrorism in its territory and where all minority groups
will be represented.
Q. There are allegations that Turkey would intervene in
Kirkuk in ethnic clashes were to take place. Do you think
that there is strong possibility of Turkish intervention in
Kirkuk?
R. The integrity of Iraq means that Iraq is a whole and
cannot be divided. We want an Iraq in which all Iraqis are
respected. It is a requirement that the Iraqis live in
peace with its neighbors and without any threat of terrorism
in their own land. I believe that Iraqis understand this
very well. After suffering under the Saddam regime for so
long, I believe that the Iraqi people are well aware of
their responsibilities.
Q. What do you think should be done to prevent ethnic
clashes in Kirkuk?
R. Not only the Shiites' and Sunnis', but also the
Turkmens' and Kurds' rights should be respected. A
democratic constitution and democratic institutions will be
able to provide such respect. Iraqis lived under a
tyrannical dictator for a long time. Saddam tried to
eliminate the differences in the country. Now, all of these
differences should be taken into account, and Kirkuk should
be city of all Iraqis.
Q. Are you planning to take any further steps on the PKK
issue?
R. We evaluated the PKK issue with Turkish officials
during my visit. The PKK is on the US list of terrorist
organizations. In order to avoid Turkey facing danger from
the PKK, we highlighted the need for Turkey-US-Iraq
cooperation and the need to revive the trilateral mechanism.
We will work on this issue when I get back to Washington.
Q. Are you going to award the countries which sent troops
to Iraq, and what kind of award will it be?
R. The American people will never forget the countries
that joined the international coalition forces against the
Saddam regime. Especially, the support given by the UK,
Poland, Australia, Romania and Bulgaria is worthy of praise.
They have lost lives in Iraq too. We will never forget
that. But, now we are turning the page and starting a new
era, to support a democratic Iraq. Of course, we will
continue our financial support to our partners in our
international force.
Q. When does the US plan to start direct trade with and
direct flights to the TRNC?
R. We were disappointed that the Annan Plan was rejected.
We have to work to remove the isolation of the Turkish
Cypriots. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has had
meetings with the leaders there. Recently we decided to
give financial support to the Turkish Cypriots. We will see
what else we can do to help. Nevertheless, it should be
remembered that we have multilateral obligations. But, we
don't want the Turkish Cypriots to be isolated just because
Cyprus entered the EU.
Q. If the Iranian Administration gives guarantees on its
nuclear program, will the Bush Administration improve its
relations with Iran?
R. First of all, Iran should fulfill its international
obligations regarding its nuclear program. Years ago, the
US was the first country to warn the world on this issue.
It would be wrong to speculate how the US would act if Iran
undertook its obligations. Let us see if Iran will be
convincing enough on this issue. Nuclear weapons pose a
great danger for world security. Therefore, the issue
should be dealt with urgently. If Iran doesn't fulfill its
international obligations, a next step will be taken. This
next step is to carry the issue to the United Nations
Security Council.

US Builds Arms Caches in Incirlik AB: The US has
constructed two arms depots in the Incirlik Airbase in
southern Turkey, reports "Milliyet." The ammunition
storehouse has a capacity to keep 6,000 weapons, and enough
supplies to equip a brigade, says the report. The depots
also store `tactical nuclear bombs' used against armored
vehicles and bunkers, claims the paper.

Greek Cypriot Opposition Leader in Ankara: Nicos
Anastasiades, chairman of the opposition Democratic Union
(DISI), met senior AK Party officials, including FM Abdullah
Gul in Ankara yesterday. `We will continue to work for a
solution on Cyprus. We agree to a bi-zonal, bi-communal
solution,' Anastasiades, the first Greek Cypriot politician
to visit Turkey since 1963, told reporters. Anastasiades
reportedly suggested to Gul that both sides pull troops out
of Cyprus. He also offered free movement of both peoples in
the island, say papers.

American Companies to Visit North Cyprus: US Ankara Embassy
Commercial Counselor Amer Kayani, accompanied by
representatives of 10 US companies, is to visit north Cyprus
February 17 for meetings with Turkish Cypriot chamber of
trade, reports "Zaman." Halim Neyzi, chairman of the
American Business Forum in Turkey which organized the day-
trip of the US companies to `TRNC,' said their delegation
would be met by the US Ambassador in Cyprus at the Ercan
Airport in the north of the divided island. `US Ambassador
to Ankara, Eric Edelman, said the US has apportioned $30
million for "TRNC." We will help Turkish Cypriots to use
this money for improving the infrastructure in the north,'
Neyzi said. He stressed that providing American goods and
services for northern Cypriots was of crucial significance.
US companies to visit the Turkish Cypriot sector are
Shaw/Stone&Webster, El Paso, FedEx, Cushman&Wakefield,
Comsat, Oracle, GNC, World Trade Center, Raymond James and
American Express.

Turkey Assigns An Ambassador to Jerusalem: Turkey, in a
show of support for Palestine, assigned Ambassador Ercan
Ozer to the post of consul-general in Jerusalem, papers
report. FM Abdullah Gul announced the decision in mid-2004
as a reaction by Ankara to the Israeli violence against
civilians in Palestine. Meanwhile, papers also report that
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, during his visit to Turkey
some weeks ago, asked Ankara to repair the Gaza Airport.
Ankara accepted, and Israel agreed to it, say reports.

EDITORIAL OPINION: Anti-Americanism; Saudi Elections; Iraq

"I Will Write Even if I Am the Only One"
Ertugrul Ozkok observed in the mass appeal "Hurriyet"
(1/11): "This column is addressed to those in Turkey who
have common sense. I am well aware that it will not mean
anything to the sworn enemies of the United States, and that
it will just create yet another opportunity for them to
write whatever comes into their heads. But even if I am
completely alone, I consider it my duty to write these
things. Let us first look at the things that have taken
place within just the last week. The leaders of Israel and
Palestine, for the first time in ages, sat down at the table
and shook each other's hands.
The entire world, with a hopeful optimism, supports this
handshake. There were also the King of Jordan and the
Egyptian Head of State at the side of that table. But it is
as if there were no Muslim Turkey that is rising in the
regard of the Arabs. The day before this meeting, the new
Secretary of State of the United States, which the entire

SIPDIS
world seems to hate, and the Arabs to hate even more, was in
Israel. Moreover, she went to Ramallah and met with the new
Palestinian Head of State, who came to power via election.
Let us now look at the other scene. President Chirac and
the government of France, the country that prior to the Iraq
war had engaged in the most arm-wrestling with the United
States, received the US Secretary of State warmly as "Dear
Condi". Palestine was repairing its relations with the
United States. The Arab countries were supporting the
results of the elections in Iraq. Not a single word against
the American administration was coming out of these
countries. Neither accusations of "genocide" nor anything
of the sort. This is the way the Arabs are, but we are
taking pride in our "high standing", as it were: "The
society with the greatest hostility toward the United States
is the society of Turkey." And what is this? It's that 82
percent of the public reportedly see the United States as a
threat. Today, in influential corners and in influential
places, there is an anti-Americanism that the generations of
the '60s and '70s have not been able to shake off. The
leftists, the rightists, and the Idealists [extreme Turkish
nationalists] are unable to free themselves from this. And
if this feeling sometimes exerts pressure, it flows out at
the first opportunity with outlandish conspiracy theories.
And the US administration, for its part, sometimes takes
steps that stimulate such feelings. To date, Turkey has
succeeded in restricting such feelings to being the emotions
of opposition among the intellectual class. But now these
feelings are coming to be Turkey's official policy. I know
that to write the opposite of this would be a more
profitable, much less risky approach these days. And there
would not be the danger of immediately being stamped by
certain people with the slander of low concepts such as "an
American lackey", "a supporter of a [foreign] mandate", etc.
But sensible people who love their country have to be at
least as bold as the others, and to express their ideas.

Some people may have short memories. But I, as a citizen
of Turkey, have not forgotten that we captured Abdullah
Ocalan, the bloodiest terrorist of our history, through the
help of this country that we are now taking pride in
declaring to be our enemy. Because I have also not
forgotten that that person, now incarcerated on Imrali, has
on his hands the blood of 30 thousand of our people. I
cannot disregard the assistance that was provided by the
financial assistance of that country in overcoming
[Turkey's] 2001 economic crisis. I am not saying that the
American administration cannot be criticized, or that its
clumsy behavior or historic errors should not be exposed.
But it is one thing to say these things in a manner and
place that befit an ally, and something else entirely to
make a show out of them with the mindset of the obsolete
leftism of the '60s. The new goal of the Foreign Ministry
was a "multi-focused foreign policy". And a few effective
steps were indeed taken, especially at the beginning. But
some of the statements made most recently out of the
government and the AKP [ruling Justice and Development
Party] take this policy away from one that is multi-focused
to one that has but a single focus. And that single focus
is "a certain sector of the Arab world". I say "a certain
sector" because the Arab governments, despite the thinking
of their publics, proceed with extreme sensitivity in their
relations with the United States. Whereas we are a bit like
the proverbial bull in the china shop.

A foreign policy with a single focus is very easy. You
speak in favor of someone, and use the most hostile language
possible about someone else. In this way you become the
dearest friend of the one, and the enemy of the other. But
a multi-focused policy is difficult. For today, a
successful policy means being able to maintain the same
distance of respect in terms of the United States, and
Israel, and the Arab countries. But unfortunately, when the
former militants of the '60s and '70s have nostalgic
flashbacks to the feelings deep inside them, the result is a
policy like the one we have now."

"Elections and Change in the Middle East"
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (2/11): "The
Saudi Arabian local elections received international
attention because they signified symbolic progress. Even
though the elections were local and held on a limited basis,
the event itself showed that the royal rulers have decided
to share their authority partially for the first time in the
country's history. . The number of advocates of human rights
and freedom continues to grow in Saudi Arabia. The current
system is an obstacle to their speaking out. Their attempts
sometimes end in jail sentences and other punishment under
the religious rules. Yet the royal family could not help
but hear the popular voice for a change. . It is also a fact
that foreign influence, particularly America's pressure and
repeated calls for change, played a role in the new steps
taken by the Saudi family. Even in their current form, the
Saudi elections signify important progress in the Middle
East. None of the countries there are perfect or capable of
meeting democratic standards, although elections in
Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan are all the steps in the right
direction."

"When Kurds Go Wrong"
Erhan Basyurt commented in the Islamist "Zaman" (2/11):
"Iraqi Kurds seem to be pushing for an independent state.
The elections on January 30 not only turned into a de facto
vote for independence; referenda depicted Kirkuk as part of
Kurdistan. . In fact, the conditions are not ripe for an
independent Kurdish state, either with Kirkuk or without it.
First, the neighboring countries - Turkey, Iran, and Syria -
as well as the Iraqi Shiites are all against a separate
state. Second, an independent Kurdistan means not only the
division of Iraq but a change in the regional equilibrium as
well. Such a change will increase Iran's influence in the
region, and the US does not want that. . It remains a utopia
for Kurds to have Kirkuk or an independent Kurdistan.
Kurdish leaders should refrain from making unnecessary
mistakes, and they should not reduce their room for
political maneuver by placing Turkey in a hostile position."

EDELMAN

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