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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.

220536Z Apr 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 002273

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
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2005


THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

MASS APPEAL
`Moderate' Commander Ozkok Issues `Tough' Messages - Vatan
Ozkok: Fundamentalism Has Not Ended in Turkey - Hurriyet
Ozkok: Turkey Neither an Islamic State Nor a Muslim Country
- Vatan
Incirlik to Be Opened As Logistics Hub - Hurriyet
FM Gul: US Requests on Incirlik Are to Be Met - Milliyet
Ratzinger a `Transitional' Pope - Aksam
Oskanyan: Ankara Must Establish Diplomatic Ties With Yerevan
- Vatan
Kerry, Clinton Sign Letter to Bush on Armenian `Genocide' -
Hurriyet
Erdogan to Karzai: We Belong to the Same Civilization -
Hurriyet
Assassination Attempt Against Iraqi PM Allawi - Aksam
Insurgents Kill Turkish Truck Driver in Baghdad - Sabah

OPINION MAKERS
General Ozkok: No Crisis With US - Radikal
Ozkok Demands Official Apology from Greece - Yeni Safak
US Will Be Granted Permission for Incirlik - Zaman
Kocharian: We Remember the Past With Grief, Not Hatred -
Cumhuriyet
Armenians Pressure Bush to Recognize `Genocide' - Cumhuriyet
Turks, Armenians to Rally At White House April 24 - Zaman
Armenians Besiege Bush - Yeni Safak
New Pope Scares EU - Yeni Safak
Orthodox Christians, Jews, Muslims Uneasy With New Pope -
Radikal
New Pope Aims to Unif Christians - Cumhuriyet
Rice Visit to Moscow Shows Strained Ties - Radikal
Rice: Russia a Strategic Partner in Fighting Terrorism -
Cumhuriyet

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BRIEFING

Incirlik Decree to be Signed by Turkish Cabinet: The
Turkish governmental decree allowing the use of Incirlik
Airbase for humanitarian purposes by countries participating
in operations in Iraq is being extended for a year, papers
report. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said the decree will
meet the United States' request to use Incirlik as a
logistical cargo hub. Gul emphasized that the new decree
amounts to the extension of the document that has been in
force for the last two years, and which is due to expire
June 23. `The decree is provides for improving the
organization of logistical assistance now provided to Iraq
and Afghanistan. It has no other dimension,' Gul said. He
added that the Turkish General Staff (TGS) will continue
`technical work' on the details. Gul said that destination
and cargo carried by each plane will be verified by the
Turkish side. He stressed that `blanket permission' for
planes using the airbase is `out of the question.' Under
the new decree, the maintenance and repair of planes will be
done at Incirlik. Once the decree is signed by members of
the Council of Ministers, it will be submitted to the
presidency for approval.

General Ozkok on US/Turkey, Iraq, EU, Armenia: The Chief of
General Staff (TGS), General Hilmi Ozkok, said on Wednesday
in an annual speech to the Military Academy in Ankara that
the outlawed PKK is gaining influence in northern Iraq and
increasing attacks on Turkey because of the US failure to
take action against the terrorists. `The PKK has been
placed on the list of terrorist organizations by the United
States and European Union, but that does not carry any
meaning in practice,' Ozkok said. He also warned that Iraqi
Kurdish attempts to take control of the oil-rich city of
Kirkuk could throw the entire region into unrest. `Turmoil
in Kirkuk, a problem area ready to explode, will affect the
entire region,' Ozkok said. The TGS Chief denied that there
is tension in Turkish-US relations: `In this vast
geography, Turkey needs the US and the US needs Turkey.
Turkey and the US have common expectations regarding many
regional problems. Both countries are working for the
establishment of lasting peace, stability and security in
the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Central
Asia,' Ozkok noted. He said that there are two important
pillars of Turkish foreign policy: Turkey-US relations and
Turkey-EU ties. Ozkok criticized some members of the
European Union (EU) for displaying anti-Turkish sentiments:
`Some circles in the EU do not understand the importance of
Turkey. The EU's economic success in the future depends on
Turkey,' he stressed. Ozkok said Turkey is waiting for an
official apology from Greece over the desecration of a
Turkish flag at the military academy in Athens. He warned
that if no apology is forthcoming, a confidence-building
program between the armies of the two neighbors will be
reconsidered. Ozkok also criticized rising Greek military
expenditures. On the Cyprus question, Ozkok accused the EU
of failing to keep its promises to ease the international
isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. Ozkok also called on
Armenia to drop charges that Turks committed genocide
against Armenians during World War I. `Turkey wants to
normalize ties with Armenia, but for this to happen, Armenia
must abide by international law and fulfill the requirements
of good neighborly relations,' Ozkok stressed. He added
that the 1923 Lausanne Treaty put an end to `baseless'
genocide claims, both politically and legally. Ozkok
rejected the notion that Turkey can be introduced as a model
for moderate Islam. `Having failed to change the structure
of the Turkish state, fundamentalists are now attempting to
deceive us by giving the impression that they have
reconciled with the state and the nation,' he emphasized,
adding that fundamentalists have stepped up efforts to
infiltrate into key positions in the state structure.

Turkish Leaders on New Pope Ratzinger: Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that he hopes the new pope
will soften his strong opposition to Turkey's drive to join
the European Union. `Ratzinger voiced such views against
Turkey's EU membership as his personal opinion in the past,
but his rhetoric may change because of the responsibilities
of his post,' Erdogan said. He played down the pope's
influence on Turkey's EU aspirations, noting that the
Vatican is not a member of the European bloc. Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul said it would be wrong to characterize
the newly chosen pope as anti-Turkish. `The Pope clearly
believes that Turkey, with its religion and beliefs, will
play a prominent role in the EU. There can be times when
statements may be misunderstood,' told Gul.

Armenian Attempts to Push US Recognition of `Genocide':
Senators John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Lieberman are
among the US lawmakers who have signed a letter to President
Bush urging him to use the expression `Armenian genocide' in
his April 24 statement on the anniversary of the mass
killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks during World War
I, Turkish papers report. The reports say that Armenians
and Turks living in the US will hold separate rallies at the
White House on April 24.

Oskanyan Calls for Diplomatic Relations Between Ankara-
Yerevan: Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan told
"Vatan" that Turkey should open its border gate with Armenia
near the eastern Turkish city of Kars. Oskanyan noted that
he cannot visit the birthplace of his mother in Turkey
because of the closed border. He also urged Ankara to
establish diplomatic ties with Yerevan, warning that
otherwise the European Union would not admit Turkey as a
member. Meanwhile, President Robert Kocharyan addressed an
international conference in Yerevan, saying that the
recognition of the Armenian `genocide' is important for
Armenian-Turkish relations, because it will give answers to
many of the questions existing between the two countries and
provide an opportunity to look to the future. `The Armenian
issue today continues to remain a hostage to geopolitical
interests,' Kocharyan said. Some Armenian Turks and Turkish
academics attended the conference, "Vatan" reports.

Erdogan Visits Afghanistan: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, on a state visit to Afghanistan, met in Kabul on
Wednesday with President Karzai, former Afghan King Mohammad
Zakir Shah, and the ISAF command. Erdogan said at a banquet
given in his honor that the continued support of the
international community is necessary to rebuild Afghanistan.
`Turks and Afghans are children of the same civilization,'
Erdogan said, noting that Turks will never forget the
support of the Afghan people during Turkey's struggle for
independence. He also pointed to ISAF's success in dealing
with terrorist activities in the country. President Karzai
thanked Erdogan for training for Turkey's efforts to train
Afghan officers in Turkey, and for Turkey's contribution to
the ISAF command.

Gul Attends Unofficial NATO Meeting in Lithuania: Foreign
Minister Gul traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania late Wednesday
to attend an unofficial meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
US Secretary of State Rice will also attend the talks, which
will focus on NATO's role in the Balkans, Iraq, and
Afghanistan.

Report Warns of Terrorist Threat to Turkey: The US
Insurance company Aon identified the Bosphorus area of
Istanbul as a risky location with regard to terrorist
attacks coming from the sea, "Sabah" reports. The report
lists a number of Marxist, separatist, and fundamentalist
groups as potential terror threats for Turkey.

Turkish Truck Driver Killed in Iraq: An unidentified
Turkish driver was killed yesterday 300 km north of Baghdad
in a roadside bomb attack, Turkish papers report. Reports
estimate that over 100 Turkish drivers have now been killed
in Iraq since the start of the US `occupation.'


EDITORIAL OPINION: Pope Benedict XVI; General Ozkok's
Remarks

"The Danger of Vatican Fundamentalism"
Mehmet Barlas commented in the mass appeal "Sabah" (4/21):
"There is an interesting time before us. Turkey has been
discussing possible ways to overcome bigotry in the Islamic
world. In the meantime, Catholics have chosen a
fundamentalist pope. Ratzinger is known to be strongly anti-
secular. He worries about Turkey's membership in the EU,
arguing that the Christian identity of the EU will be
negatively affected. The new pope is so bigoted that he
even considers equality between men and women as a concept
that threatens the family order. . It will be interesting to
see how the new pope will be treated in predominantly
Catholic countries. Maybe the Catholic world thinks he will
not survive very long."
"Habemus Papa" (We have a pope)
Semih Idiz commented in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (4/21):
"The new pope started a controversy right after his name was
officially announced. Ratzinger's views, expressed before
he was elected as the new pope, were enough to make him a
controversial figure. The New York Times used to call him
`the meddling priest.' He has made not only anti-Turkish
remarks, but also expressed opinions that were seriously
upsetting for Jews and other Christian denominations. He
said that being Catholic is the only way to reach heaven and
God, and he never backed off of these remarks. . How could
it be that such a controversial figure as Ratzinger could be
elected pope? According to some Vatican experts, his age
means that his term cannot last very long. In other words,
Benedict XVI will be a kind of transitional figure. We will
have to wait and see."

"Ratzinger"
Ali Cimen wrote in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman" (4/21):
"The election of the new pope is an historic event for
Germans, since a German Cardinal has been elected for the
first time in 950 years. Ratzinger chose Benedict for his
name, a preference that gives some clues about the policy he
intends to follow. Benedict means forgiveness. The last
pope known as Benedict focused on creating a consensus
between the modern and the traditional, and on building
bridges between Orthodox Christians and the Vatican. The
new Benedict has some real tests before him, including how
to increase church attendance in Europe and how to deal with
the Church's ties to Islam. . John Paul used to focus on
East-West relations, and made contributions to the demise of
communism. Ratzinger's challenge will be the deepening
economic divide between North and South. The Vatican now
has a new pope who can speak loudly when necessary and seems
prepared to take radical action."

"From Likeable Despot to Unlikeable Despot"
Halit Kakinc argued in the tabloid "Star" (4/21): "The
former pope was a despotic figure, but at least he was a
likeable one. The new pope is obviously both despotic and
unlikeable. Ratzinger is a cardinal with a strong belief in
`no-concessions' conservatism, including opposition to
divorce, abortion, gay relationships, interfaith consensus,
and Turkey's EU membership. . The essence of the issue
centers around an ongoing debate in the Vatican - whether to
be a global church or a regional church. The election of
Ratzinger indicates that the Vatican's reach will be global.
It is clear that Turkey, in its EU accession process, will
have to deal with a more conservative Christian opposition."

"Hilmi Ozkok's Speech"
Ali Bayramoglu wrote in the Islamist "Yeni Safak" (4/21):
"Although General Ozkok's speech yesterday may have been
characterized as a speech to a military audience, the fact
that the press and TV cameras were allowed in shows that it
would not be wrong to describe it as an address to the
Turkish public. How should it be evaluated? Anyone
listening to or reading the text of the speech had the
opportunity to learn, in detail, the views and policies of
the Turkish state on foreign policy, the region, relations
with neighboring countries, and internal matters. In other
words, the military leadership has done what the political
leadership should be doing. It has filled the vacuum left
by the political leadership. The Chief of General Staff,
especially on the matter of foreign affairs, spoke in a way
that represented Turkey and filled the void left by the
political authorities. On the EU, for example, he said:
`what is right and what we are seeking is to enter the
European Union with our heads held high. It is not only for
the EU to say `yes' or `no' to us. I want it to be known
that Turkey also will have the right to say `yes' or `no.''
Besides this, Hilmi Ozkok's speech was different from the
harsh, defiant, tension-producing military speeches to which
we have have grown accustomed. He spoke rationally, at a
very high analytical level, keeping away from inflammatory
language while limiting himself to raising questions on the
most difficult issues. In this way, the views he expressed
can be said to represent the views of the Turkish state
rather than just the military. The speech also demonstrated
that the inverted balances in civilian-military relationship
in Turkey are continuing. No matter how rational and
reasonable General Ozkok may have been, it is not a natural
situation in a democratic country for a Chief of General
Staff to enter the field of the political leadership. In
this sense, Hilmi Ozkok made a speech that went beyond
security issues. He reduced a whole range of issues -- from
the EU to the United States, from the Southeast to cultural
policy - to the level of security policy. In his comments
on the internal situation, General Ozkok replaced the
language of the state with the language of the military. He
pointed out the dangers of Islamist influence in civilian
structures, and discussed corruption, cultural
deterioration, unemployment, and government efforts to
infiltrate the bureaucracy in a way that showed that the
Turkish Armed Forces are closely following the AKP
government."

EDELMAN

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