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.

061417Z Jul 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003877

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
WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

MASS APPEAL
Erdogan to Brief Sun Valley Conference on Islam, Democracy -
Sabah
Survey: Turks Dislike Bush, Not Americans - Milliyet
G-8 Battle Begins - Sabah
Bahrain's Ambassador Wounded in Attack in Baghdad - Sabah
Pentagon to Change War Strategies - Hurriyet
`Olympic War' Over 2012 Games - Hurriyet

OPINION MAKERS
EU's Kretschmer: Turkey Now a Key Energy Bridge - Yeni Safak
Kurds Pressure Jafari on Kirkuk - Cumhuriyet
Resistance Target Diplomatic Missions in Baghdad - Yeni
Safak
Shanghai Group Urges US Pullout From Central Asia -
Cumhuriyet
Bomb Attack Against Srebrenica Commemoration Foiled - Zaman
EU Agrees to Deport Illegal Immigrants - Zaman
`Stressful' Summit of the Rich in Scotland - Radikal
G-8's Africa Show - Cumhuriyet
Basayev Threatens to Attack Olympic Games if Moscow is
Picked - Radikal
Women's Rights Activist, Daughter Killed in Pakistan -
Cumhuriyet

BRIEFING

Survey on the United States in Turkey: A survey conducted
by the NGO Ari Movement shows that only 16 percent of Turks
have negative views of the United States, Americans,
President Bush, and the American way of life. According to
the survey, conducted among 1,244 Turks in 15 provinces
across Turkey, 44 percent of respondents oppose the US and
President Bush, but not the American lifestyle. 27 percent
voiced positive feelings about the US, Americans, and their
way of life. 71 percent said they mistrust President Bush.
32 percent expect a deterioration in ties between Turkey and
the US, while 36 percent are concerned that there could be a
war between the two countries.

Erdogan in the US: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will
participate in the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho starting
on Wednesday. Erdogan will use the opportunity to tell
world business giants about Turkey's EU harmonization
efforts and reformprogram. He will also describe Turkey's
progress on strengthening the free market economy. Erdogan
adviser Cuneyt Zapsu reportedly said that the Turkish prime
minister would issue a message on behalf of the Islamic
world by defending the idea that Islam and democracy are
compatible. Before leaving yesterday for the US, Erdogan
declared that `the close alliance between Turkey and the
United States, which is based on shared values, will
continue.' He added that `Turkey will continue efforts to
strengthen the relationship, especially in the fields of
politics, defense, the economy, and trade.'

Erdogan to Meet Putin In Sochi: "Sabah" columnist Muharrem
Sarikaya reports today that Russian President Vladimir Putin
has invited PM Erdogan to meet with him in the Black Sea
resort city of Sochi later this month. Sarikaya speculates
that the meeting may take place July 17-18, when the Prime
Minister will be on his way to Mongolia.

Turkish MFA, Intelligence Warn Against German Protestant
Church: "Sabah" reports that a joint delegation of the
German Protestant Church and the Brussels-based Commission
of Churches were been prevented from meeting with local
officials in southeast Turkey during a June visit. The
delegation had come to Turkey to carry out research on the
problems of immigrants and minority groups in the region.
The Turkish embassy in Berlin reportedly advised the group
against visiting the southeast, and urged them to hold all
of their meetings in Ankara. The group shrugged off the
advice, and traveled to Diyarbakir, Mardin, and Van while
some members of the delegation stayed in Ankara for meetings
with officials. "Sabah" reports that there are claims that,
on the eve of the group's travel to Turkey, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry (MFA) and the Turkish Intelligence Service
(MIT) sent to the parliament and to local officials in the
southeast a letter warning that the Evangelical Church had
been campaigning in Germany for the removal of restrictions
on the PKK, and for official recognition of Armenian
`genocide' claims. A German embassy official told "Sabah"
that `serious problems' would arise if these claims are
confirmed.

Interior Ministry Supports Return of Displaced Villagers:
The English-language daily "Turkish Daily News" (TDN)
reports that Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu is trying to
boost the return of villagers who were displaced in fighting
between security forces and PKK militants. In a circular
sent to governors, Aksu said that 125,539 out of an
estimated 360,000 displaced people have returned home under
a government-sponsored project launched in 2004. Aksu
referred to lawsuits filed against Turkey at the European
Court of Human Rights (ECHR) by some displaced villagers,
and ordered governors to assist those who want to return by
providing resources to create sustainable living conditions.
The interior ministry plans to encourage the active
involvement of Turkish NGOs to support the return project.

Council of Ministers Approve Bill on Cargill Dispute:
Turkey's Council of Ministers approved a decree declaring
that the factory of the US agricultural giant Cargill is
located in a `special industrial zone.' The decree
reportedly protects the company against legal challenges
based on the claim that Cargill built on agricultural land
near Turkey's industrial northwestern city of Bursa. The
decree stipulates that Cargill be given production licenses
for its Bursa plant. Papers speculate that the problem was
resolved through the efforts of Prime Minister Erdogan in
response to a request made by President Bush during the two
leaders' meeting in Washington last month.

Europe Provides Financial Support for DEHAP Municipalities:
The Turkish military gave a briefing to Prime Minister
Erdogan and Defense Minister Gonul last Friday concerning
financial support provided to the outlawed PKK by European
countries, "Yeni Safak" reports. Chairing the AK Party
board meeting on Saturday, Erdogan drew attention to funds
provided by Scandinavian countries and Germany for
municipalities in the southeast run by pro-Kurdish DEHAP.
`Large amounts of money have been given to DEHAP
municipalities to be transferred to certain projects and
individuals in the region,' Erdogan said, adding that Turkey
should counter such attempts by supporting the region
economically.

Draft Bill Would Lift Age Restrictions For Koran Courses:
Several papers report today that the Religious Affairs
Directorate (Diyanet) has forwarded to the Prime Minister's
office a draft bill that would eliminate age restrictions
for children to study in Koran courses. Currently, children
must have reached 12 years of age before undertaking formal
study of the Koran.

Erdogan Decides to Extend Logoglu's Term in Washington:
During his visit to the United States last month, Prime
Minister Erdogan decided to extend for one year the term in
office of Turkey's Ambassador to Washington, Faruk Logoglu,
despite opposition from Foreign Minister Gul. The FM had
wanted to send MFA Deputy Undersecretary Nabi Sensoy to
replace Logoglu at the important post. Turkey's special
Iraq envoy, Osman Koruturk, will be assigned as ambassador
to Paris, while MFA Middle East deputy director Safak
Gokturk will be sent as ambassador to Iran. The government
decree on ambassadorial assignments must be submitted to
President Sezer for approval.

EDITORIAL OPINION: The G-8 Summit

"Who's Interest?"
Umur Talu wrote in the mass appeal "Sabah" (7/6): "For me,
American interests come first. This statement came from the
man who some of his supporters argue cares about global
issues such as humanity, freedom, democracy, and the rule of
law. In fact, President Bush has made a very sincere
remark. He is supposed to put his country's interests
first, as well as the interests of his country's most
influential groups. In other words, those who are powerful
define the interests of the country, and the government
watches out for them. . Bearing this statement in mind, let
us look at some world issues. Global warming is an issue
that calls for immediate measures, and George Bush is the
president of the country that is the biggest contributor of
poisons in the atmosphere. Yet Bush clearly says, in the
midst of American nuclear tests, enormous planes, huge cars,
and increasing exhaust gases, that he does not care about
global warming as long as the poisonous gases help to expand
American welfare and consumption. Bush is simply saying
that 300 million American are far superior to the rest of
the 6 billion people in the world. That is his argument."

"A Revolution"
Hasan Cemal argued in the mainstream daily "Milliyet" (7/6):
"The Live-8 concerts were certainly done good intentions.
Such initiatives could play a role to create pressure on the
US and Europe for more aid for Africa. Yet the question is
still there: Will these initiatives be beneficial? Even if
aid to Africa is increased, and if all African debt is
forgiven, could a new process begin in Africa that would be
effective in helping to eliminate poverty? Many people have
doubts about this. . The leaders of the G-8, the world's
eight richest countries, are meeting in Scotland to discuss
such an agenda. If the current effort, under the leadership
of Tony Blair, is successful, aid for Africa will double
over the next ten years, and annual assistance will increase
by up to 25 billion dollars. Moreover, the debts of 14
African countries will be eliminated. If such results
emerge from the summit, this will be a positive development.
But some people will continue to have their suspicions.
They will worry that, as has happened in the past, the
assistance money for Africa will disappear into a bottomless
pit."

MCELDOWNEY

© Scoop Media