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 04 ANKARA 001802

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, MARCH 29, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
FM Gul: Anti-US Syndrome in Turkey is Exaggerated - Hurriyet
Bush Administration Declares Itself Champion of Human Rights
- Milliyet
Future with Armenians May Prove to Be `Hopeful': Poll -
Milliyet
Turkish Detainee's Mother Urges for Release of Son from
Guantanamo - Sabah
Knesset Approves Withdrawal Plan from Gaza, West Bank -
Sabah
Cost of Looting in Bishkek $100 Million - Milliyet
Nightmare Hits Indian Ocean Again with 8.7 Earthquake -
Hurriyet

OPINION MAKERS
US Waiting for Nine Months for a Response on Incirlik
Airbase - Cumhuriyet
Kurdish Leaders Want a Significant Share from Iraqi Oil -
Zaman
Kurds, Shiites Agree to Tie Kirkuk to Baghdad - Yeni Safak
Iraqi Interior Minister: Zarkawi Surrounded - Zaman
Wolfowitz: World Bank Goals Will Spread Freedom, Democracy -
Yeni Safak
Armenia Attempts to Sell Missiles to Al-Qaeda - Yeni Safak
Syria Withdraws 2,000 More Troops From Lebanon - Cumhuriyet
Egyptian Opposition Says `Enough' to Mubarak - Radikal

BRIEFING

FM Gul on Turkey/US, Incirlik, Anti-Semitism: Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul told "Hurriyet" that there is no
enmity toward the United States in Turkey, adding that
reactions against the US have been much stronger in some
other European countries. Ongoing exaggerations in the
country have created a psychological atmosphere, Gul said,
and noted: `The two countries have mutual expectations, but
we can settle them through dialogue.' On Incirlik, Gul said
the Turkish government would announce necessary decisions on
US requests for using the airbase for logistical support
operations. No parliamentary decision is needed for such an
approval, Gul stressed. Responding to a question, Gul said
Turks should not be drawn into the `storm' of nationalism
and noted that the high sales of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf"
are an artificial development caused by chauvinists. `There
is no anti-Semitism in Turkey,' Gul stressed, adding that
Turkey is a place where churches and synagogues are built
near mosques.

PM Erdogan Plans `Double' Visit to US: Turkish Prime
Minster Tayyip Erdogan will clarify the details of his June
5-7 visit to the United States after hearing from the White
House a date about a possible meeting with President Bush,
says "Yeni Safak." Erdogan will again visit US in September
to lobby on Cyprus at the UN General Assembly meetings.
Erdogan may meet with President Bush again during this
second visit, according to the paper. The paper expects the
AKP government to send an official response to Washington in
April regarding the use of Incirlik Airbase for logistical
purposes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has drafted a
decree on the issue, in which the use of Incirlik for
logistical operations is restricted to Iraq and Afghanistan,
writes "Yeni Safak."
US Declares Itself Champion of Human Rights: The Bush
Administration has given itself high marks for the US
contribution to the improvement of human rights and
democracy in the world, says "Milliyet," referring to the US
State Department report on `Supporting Human Rights and
Democracy: The US Record 2004-2005.' The paper says the
report outlined U.S. activities with regard to human rights
and democracy around the world, but did not mention those
who have died under torture by American forces in Iraq,
Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan. The report claims the US
has been effective in the expansion of religious freedom,
prevention of torture, greater women's participation in
political life and human trafficking in Turkey, says
"Milliyet." The US has pressed the Turkish government at
the highest level for the reopening of the Halki Seminary,
acknowledgement of the `Ecumenical' nature of the
Patriarchate and ensuring the right of non-Turkish citizens
to serve as clergy, "Milliyet" cites the US report.

Turkish Government Plays Down Soaring Sales of "Mein Kampf":
Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said
Monday that there is no racism in Turkey, in response to a
question on the soaring sales of Adolf Hitler's book "Mein
Kampf." `We have never had such an attitude in our culture
and history, and we do not have it now,' Cicek said at a
press conference. `We cannot allow prejudice against people
for belonging to a certain race,' Cicek said: `Racism is a
perversion of the mind.' "Mein Kampf" has featured among
the bestsellers in the past two months with some 200,000
copies of paperback translations sold.

US Still Waiting for a Turkish Decision on Incirlik: Left-
leaning/opinion maker "Cumhuriyet" says that US has been
waiting for nine months for a response from Ankara with
regard to the use of Incirlik as a logistical cargo hub for
operations in the region. On Monday, Government Spokesman
Cemil Cicek signaled that the Turkish government will give a
green light to the US demand, saying the issue may be
discussed at the cabinet meeting next week, says
"Cumhuriyet."

Lawyer Says Turkish Detainee Should Be Released From
Guantanamo: The lawyer for Murat Kurnaz, the Turkish-German
being held at Guantanamo Bay for alleged links to Al-Qaeda,
said his client will be released if Turkish government
intervenes, Turkish papers report. The US government has
determined that Kurnaz is not linked to Al-Qaeda or the
Taliban and that he did not pose a terrorist threat to the
United States, said lawyer Bahar Azmi to VOA Turkish Service
on Monday. Azmi noted that thus far no detainee has been
released from Guantanamo without intercession by detainee's
government with the US government.

Turkey to Initial Protocol with EU this Week to Include
Cyprus: Ankara said on Monday it would initial the
agreement extending its customs union with the European
Union to new EU members, including Cyprus, through an
exchange of letters this week. Despite Nicosia's claims,
Ankara noted that the protocol covered only the free
movement of goods, and not services such as shipping,
signaling that Turkish airports and ports would remain
closed to the Greek Cypriots. Both FM Abdullah Gul and
government spokesman Cemil Cicek stressed that initialing
the protocol would not signify Turkish recognition of the
Greek Cypriot government. `Recognition can be possible only
after we have lasting peace on Cyprus,' Gul said. Gul added
that the protocol may not go into effect until July because
the Turkish and European parliaments would have to ratify
the agreement.

Research in Turkey, Armenia Indicates Hope: Turkish papers
continue reporting about the outcome of a public opinion
poll conducted jointly by Turkey's Economic and Social
Studies Foundation (TESEV) and Armenia's Sociological and
Marketing Research Center (HASA) in two countries. 50.9
percent of Turks and 62.7 percent of Armenians want the
border crossing between the two countries to be opened.
Both peoples want diplomatic ties to be established between
Ankara and Yerevan, Turks with 64.6 percent and Armenians
with 87.7 percent. 54 percent of Turks and 60.1 percent of
Armenians want economic ties improved without waiting for a
solution of historical and political problems. The
psychological climate is ready for dialogue between Turkey
and Armenia, but both sides believe in the need for
establishing diplomatic relations first, according to the
research.

Resignations from Ruling, Opposition Parties: On Monday,
one lawmaker resigned from the ruling AK Party while five
quit the main opposition CHP. AKP defector Mirac Akdogan
said the ruling party is quickly losing the legitimacy it
gained through the Turkish nation's votes. Resigned CHP
lawmakers said they will join the Social Democratic Peoples
Party (SHP), which will thus qualify for Treasury support
for general elections. Distribution of seats in the
parliament is as follows: AKP 360, CHP 163, DYP (True Path
Party) 6, ANAP 5, HYP (People's Ascension Party) 1, and
Independents 14. One seat is vacant.

Parliament to Discuss Changes to Penal Code: The Turkish
parliament will discuss today proposals for changes to the
new penal code. An AKP lawmaker said the government is open
to the possibility of changing controversial clauses in the
law regarding the media. Recent changes to the penal code
have drawn strong criticism from the domestic press and
international media organizations for bringing heavy
restrictions on freedom of speech and press.

PM Erdogan to Tunisia, Morocco: Accompanied by the
ministers of trade and agriculture and by businessmen, PM
Erdogan left for Tunisia and Morocco on Monday for a four-
day visit.

EDITORIAL OPINION: Kyrgyzstan; US-Turkey Relations

"Is This Spring Time For Kyrgyzstan?"
Turgut Tarhanli wrote in the liberal-intellectual "Radikal"
(3/29): "As Kyrgyzstan prepares for a new election process,
it should take into account a recent report by the OSCE.
The report was drafted after the February 27 elections, the
root of the current situation, and highlighted
irregularities and violations in the Kyrgyz electoral
system. . Currently, anti-Akayev figures are debating over
the future of the parliament. Naturally, fresh elections
are pronounced to be an immediate solution. However,
Kyrgyzstan will suffer even more instability unless the
electoral system is revised before it is implemented.
Kyrgyzstan happens to be a country to which every major
international player pays utmost attention. Given the
circumstances, it is now very important to watch how strong
the transitional administration will be and if it will be
able to embrace the whole country."

"Reform in Kyrgyzstan and Eurasia"
Hasan Celal Guzel observed in the conservative-sensational
"DB Tercuman" (3/29): "The main problem in Kyrgyzstan is
poverty and popular unrest. Kyrgyzstan is the poorest
country in this area and the unhappiest with its government
among all the Turkic Republics. Under these conditions, it
was not possible for the Akayev administration to continue
ruling any longer without the support of the US and the
dollars of George Soros. It seems that the activities of
the US, Russia and China played a major role in this revolt.
While, for the time being, it looks like the pro-US
opposition groups are leading the revolution, the picture is
not yet clear. There is one fact, which is that the reform
process in Eurasia is moving away from the Russian
Federation and toward American interests."

"Incirlik Airbase Again"
Haluk Ulman wrote in the economic-politic "Dunya" (3/29):
"Some might believe that opening up Incirlik airbase for
extensive use by the US military is a useful way to bring
new momentum to Turkish-American relations. However, the
Bush administration obviously plans to use this base for
more than humanitarian relief purposes. If Incirlik is made
available for use by American forces, it will support
current US policy toward the region, and that policy, as we
know, is all about use of force. This means that Incirlik
will be used for both logistical and strategic purposes.
Apparently the US has not yet found a better or safer
location than Incirlik for its possible actions against
Syria and Iran. . Under these circumstances, granting
permission for the use of Incirlik will bring us some
serious consequences. Being dragged into a war is not in
Turkey's interest. More important, the US will eventually
leave the region and Turkey will have to cope with growing
animosity on the part of neighboring countries. . Turkey is
the country that has to stay and the US is the one that will
leave. Turkey should be able to view the issues objectively
and avoid creating new bad feelings as far as its
relationship with the Islamic and Arab worlds is concerned."

EDELMAN

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