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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.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005035

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, AUGUST 26, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

Friday, August 26, 2005
HEADLINES


MASS APPEAL
DAS Bryza: "PKK is US, Iraqi, Turkish Problem - Hurriyet
Sakik Calls on Ocalan to Give Up Armed Struggle - Hurriyet
US Formula Against the PKK - Sabah
A New Front Against Ocalan - Milliyet
US Praises Turkey for Democracy Drive - Milliyet
Greek Cypriots Launch Initiative for Counter-Delaration -
Aksam
Conflict Among Shiites in Iraq - Aksam
Support from US to Erdogan - Turkiye

OPINION MAKERS
Shiite Clashes Spreads-Radikal
US: "Turkey's Steps on Democratization are Impressive -
Radikal
Bush Determined to Continue War in Iraq - Cumhuriyet
DAS Bryza: "No Magic Wand to Eliminate PKK"-Cumhuriyet
Foreign Ministry Warns Revival of Article 8 Would Harm EU
Drive - Zaman
US Examines Turkish Model for Training of Imams - Zaman
MIT Investigates TV, Radios Planning Kurdish Broadcasting -
Zaman
US Requests Imams from Turkish Religious Affairs - Yeni
Safak

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BRIEFING

DAS Matt Bryza Visits Ankara: All papers report on US
Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Bryza's second visit to
Turkey within the past month. During the first day of his
two-day visit, Bryza met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul,
Religious Affairs officials, and officials at the Foreign
Ministry. Following his meeting with Foreign Ministry
Deputy Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan, Bryza told reporters
that he had had fruitful meetings with Turkish officials.
"Hurriyet" reports that Bryza expressed full support to
Turkey ont the PKK and Cyprus issues. Bryza underlined that
the US is determined to coordinate with Turkey in every
field to eliminate the PKK. He said the PKK is a common
problem for Turkey, the US, and Iraq. `It is in the US
interest to eliminate the PKK,' Bruza stressed, adding that
`we cannot stop PKK or other terrorism in Iraq by pushing a
button.' "Sabah" highlighted Bryza's claim that the US is
working on a new effort aimed at the arrest of PKK leaders
in Europe, the shutting down of PKK-affiliated media outlets
such as "Roj-TV," and the interdiction of financial flows to
the PKK. Bryza stressed that the PKK issue cannot be
resolved solely through military means. "Sabah" also
highlighted Bryza's positive comments on the state of the US-
Turkish bilateral relationship. Bryza acknowledged that
there had been a period of tension in the relationship
earlier this year, but added the Turkish-US relations had
`hit bottom' and had now started to rebound. Islamist-
oriented "Zaman" reported that when asked about his visit to
the Religious Affairs Directorate, Bryza noted that `among
Muslim countries, Turkey is the most successful secular
democracy. The Religious Affairs office employs imams, and
ensures that the country's secularism is preserved. This
office provides secular control over mosques and imams in
Turkey. Religious Affairs may be able to help us work with
our allies in Turkey and in Europe to help immigrants from
Turkey, Morocco, and Algeria, who have became disconnected
from their own traditions. These traditions provide a
natural shield against extremism.' "Radikal" columnist Murat
Yetkin drew attention to two messages issued by Bryza. When
asked about the possible revival of Cyprus talks, Bryza said
that the uncompromising attitudes of the Greek Cypriot
leader Papadopulos could lead to recognition of Northern
Cyprus as a separate political entity by a third country at
some point. Bryza added that demands for the recognition of
Greek Cyprus by Turkey as a precondition for the start of
EU entry talks are ill-advised.

US Charge McEldowney Visits State Minister Tuzmen: US
Embassy Charge d'affaires Nancy McEldowney said after a
meeting with State Minister for Trade Kursad Tuzmen that
`the US is determined to cooperate with Turkey in the fight
against terrorism.' When she was asked about the concrete
results of that cooperation, McEldowney said that `Turkey is
impatient in solution of PKK problem. I understand the
reason for this impatience. The US is ready to exert every
effort for a solution to this complicated problem.'
McEldowney recalled that the US has always supported Turkey
in the fight against terrorism. Minister Tuzmen in turn
said that the US is `doing a lot of singing' about fighting
against the PKK, but now Turkey `wanted to see some
dancing.'

US Praises Turkey's Democracy Drive: In a written response
to a question taken at the State Department press briefing
earlier this week, US State Department spokesman Sean
McCormack said that the US has long supported Turkey's
democratization efforts as it continues on its path toward
the European Union. MacCormack noted that Turkey has made
impressive strides on democratization and human rights
issues, as reflected by the European Union decision to grant
Turkey a date for accession talks.

Semdin Sakik Urges Ocalan to end PKK Violence: "Hurriyet"
gives extensive front page coverage to a letter by jailed
PKK militant Semdin Sakik to jailed PKK leader Osman Ocalan
calling on Ocalan to give up the PKK's armed struggle and
urge militants to lay down their arms. The paper recalled
that Sakik had been Ocalan's right-hand man when the two men
controlled PKK attacks back in the 1990s. In his letter,
Sakik wrote that `your only responsibility in solving the
Kurdish issue is to make the PKK militants lay down their
weapons.'

Kurdish Groups Form New Front Against PKK: "Milliyet"
reports that Kurdish groups not connected to PKK are making
new efforts to restart Kurdish political movements. One new
movement is led by HAK-PAR leader Abdulmelik Firat. Another
group is chaired by Kurdish activist Serafettin Elci, a
former government minister. Firat is planning to convene a
meeting of Kurdish activists and intellectuals in Ankara
September 4 to discuss the way forward. Elci says he is
accelerating work to establish a new political party. Both
groups want to become alternatives to Leyla Zana's
Democratic Society Movement (DTH), which is increasingly
being regarded as a satellite of the PKK terror
organization.

MIT Investigating TV Stations Seeking to Start Kurdish
Language Broadcasts: "Zaman" reports that Turkish
intelligence (MIT) has initiated investigations against TV
and radio channels that have applied to begin Kurdish
language broadcasts. Local TV and radio channels must
obtain permission from the Supreme Broadcasting Board (RTUK)
before launching the broadcasts. "Zaman" says that while
making its decision about the applications, RTUK will take
into account the MIT report.

General Electric to Enter Turkish Banking Sector: Papers
report that the US-based General Electric Consumer Finance
Corporation has reached agreement with the Dogus Holding
Group on the purchase of a 25.5 percent stake in Garanti
Bank. The deal would reportedly be worth about 1.8 billion
USD. It would represent the first siginificant US
investment in Turkey's banking sector.
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq; Gaza Disengagement

"Iraq's Constitution"
Erhan Basyurt wrote in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman"
(8/26): "The new Iraqi constitution was drafted by the
Shiites and the Kurds, while objections from the Sunnis were
ignored. At this point, fundamental changes to the text
seem unlikely. The constitutional draft includes advanced
standards on freedom and minority rights. It accepts Arabic
and Kurdish as the two official languages, and paves the way
for Kurdish language education in a federal region of
Kurdistan. . Other minorities, such as Turkmens and
Assyrians, are not ignored either. Their right to education
in their mother tongue will be allowed upon request. . It
is also important that the Iraqi constitution defines a good
structure with regard to the relationship between the state
and religion. The constitution accepts Islam as the state's
official religion, but rules out the passage of any law
which is against both Islam and democracy. In other words,
Iraq will not be a religious state, and a conflict between
the state and religion is prevented. . The main issue about
the new constitution is the extent to which it will really
be implemented, even if it is approved by the people of
Iraq. The constitution, in its current form, could bring
chaos to Iraq in the short term, because Iraq does not have
a deeply-rooted democratic experience. On the contrary,
Iraq presents a complex picture with its competing ethnic,
linguistic, and religious groupings. Given the impact of
tribal culture in daily life and the low level of education,
Iraq may not continue to sail toward freedom, but may find
itself in chaos and under pressure from divisive forces.
Deferring the status of Kirkuk until 2007 is another
potential problem for Iraq's future. . Under its new
constitution, Iraq is designed to be a model for the region.
Let's hope that it will not end up being dragged into a
chaos of freedom."

"Sharon's Plan"
Kamuran ozbir wrote in the nationalist "Ortadogu" (8/26):
"Israel has pulled out of the Gaza strip, but that does not
necessarily represent a defeat for the Sharon
administration. As expressed by Israeli authorities, the
withdrawal decision was not the result of terrorist attacks.
Israel had managed to control the level of attacks prior to
the withdrawal plan. Israel still has control over the
withdrawal plan, and is implementing it by gaining even more
power than before in Eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank. .
Even after the withdrawal, the big picture in the Middle
East still favors Israel. Israel continues to control the
West Bank, and has provided only a small relief for the
Palestinians by pulling out from a limited area."

MCELDOWNEY

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