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 005061
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
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2005
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
--------------------------------------------- --
HEADLINES
MASS APPEAL
EU Warns RTUK on Kurdish Broadcasting - Hurriyet (8/27)
Bardakoglu: We Could Send Imams to US - Milliyet (8/27)
Myers: If US Leaves Iraq, Turkey Could Become Unstable -
Milliyet (8/28)
Matt Bryza: US, Turkey will Resolve PKK Issue Together -
Aksam (8/27)
Iraqi Constitution Signed without Sunni Approval - Sabah
Khalilzad: New Iraqi Constitution Advances Democracy -
Hurriyet
Conditional Greek Support For Turkey's EU Accession -
Milliyet
US Professor: Not Enough Evidence on Armenian Genocide -
Milliyet
Suicide Bombing in Israel - Aksam
`TRNC' Plane Flies Directly to Baku - Turkiye
Signing On To Civil War In Iraq -- Sabah
OPINION MAKERS
Turkish Hacker Arrested in Adana - Radikal (8/28)
Critical Week in EU Process - Cumhuriyet
Fait Accompli on Iraqi Constitution - Radikal
Protesters Call for Incirlik Air Base to be Closed - Radikal
Iraqi Constitution Approved Despite Sunni Opposition - Zaman
BRIEFING
Religious Affairs Comments about DAS Bryza Visit: "Aksam"
reported over the weekend on visiting US Deputy Assistant
Secretary Matt Bryza's meeting with the deputy head of the
SIPDIS
Religious Affairs Directorate, Mehmet Gormez. The main
subject discussed at the meeting was the possibility that
the US and the EU could be involved with the training of
Muslim clerics. Bryza noted that many Muslim clerics hold
anti-Western views, and asked Gormez whether training by the
US or EU would be feasible. Gormez reacted coolly to the
idea, saying that it would be like `our theology faculties
giving training in Christianity for priests.' He added that
`we would not find it right for people from other countries
or other religions providing training in Islam.' Bryza
explained that the US appreciates the way the Diyanet trains
religious personnel in Turkey and serves Muslims abroad.
Bryza characterized Diyanet officials as `peace emissaries,'
and said the US is interested in learning how such training
is done and under what conditions the Diyanet sends its
personnel abroad. Ormez denied that the discussion with
Bryza was connected with thet US-backed Broader Middle East
and North Africa Initiative (BMENAI). "Yeni Safak" quotes
Gormez as saying that the Diyanet `doesn't work for the
United States, and doesn't support international projects by
other countries in the field of religion.' `The US official
asked us how we trained our imams, and we explained it to
him. There was no discussion about the BMENAI, Iraq,
terrorism, or anything like that,' he added.
Kurdish Broadcasting: "Hurriyet" reported over the weeeknd
that the EU General Secretariat has sent a letter to
Turkey's Supreme Broadcasting Board (RTUK) urging the body
to grant permission to local and regional broadcasters who
have applied to start broadcasts in the Kurdish language.
The letter reportedly urged RTUK to accelerate the process
so that permission is given before October 3, when the EU is
scheduled to begin accession talks with Turkey.
One Dead in Southeast Riot: One protester was killed and 20
others injured in clashes with police in the southeastern
city of Batman yesterday. The trouble began when a grroup
of citizens marched toward the Batman public hospital to
claim the bodies of 6 PKK militants who had been killed in
clashes with military forces in the surrounding mountains
late last week. Violence broke out when police attempted to
disperse the marchers. Five policemen were also injured in
the riot, which followed a protest by 2,000 citizens in the
nearby town of Besiri the previous day. The protesters in
Besiri called for an end to Turkish military operations
against the PKK.
First Direct Flight from `TRNC' to Baku: Papers report that
Turkish Cypriot Airlines flew from ercan Airport in northern
Cyprus directly to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku
yesterday, marking the first-ever direct flight from the
`Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' to a foreign country
other than Turkey.
Turkish Computer Hacker Caught in Adana: Turkish police
announced on Friday that a suspected computer hacker living
in the southern city of Adana was arrested in an operation
carried out in close cooperation with the FBI. According to
a police statement, the Turkish hacker, 23-year-old Atilla
Ekici, was allegedly involved in the writing and spreading
of the the "Zotop" virus, which caused enormous damage to
computer systems in major news outlets int eh United States.
The joint operation also included authorities in Morocco,
who arrested a Moroccan suspected of conspiring with Ekici
to spread the virus. Weekend papers report that Ekici has
denied the charges, saying that he `was compiling a data
base' but not involved in hacking computer systems or
spreading the virus.
Anti-American Protests in Adana, Mersin: "Radikal" reports
that protests organized by the anti-war `Iraq Coordination
Group' that had started in Istanbul on August 26 ended at
Incirlik yesterday. Around 800 protesters gathered in
Mersin and traveled to Adana, but were not allowed into
Incirlik. The crowd chanted anti-US solgans at the entrance
to Incirlik Airbase and called on all American bases,
including Incirlik, to be closed.
New Iraqi Constitution: Papers report that the Iraqi
Parliament has read and accepted the new draft constitution,
but without taking a parliamentary vote or securing approval
from the Arab Sunni delegates. "Hurriyet" quotes US
Ambassador Khalilzad as claiming that the constitution will
guarantee Iraq's unity on the way to federalism. Khalilzad
said the new constitution will advance democracy, and he
decribed the document as `more advanced than anything else
in the Muslim world.' "Turkiye" reports that 15 Sunni
negotiators announced their opposition to the new
consitution. "Cumhuriyet" reports that one Sunni official
claimed that the constitution was prepared by the United
States. "Sabah" characterized he new constitution as a
`recipe for civil war.'
General Myers Comments: "Milliyet" reported over the
weekend that that following his visits to Iraq and
Afghanistan, US Chief of Staff General Myers told reporters
that if the US withdraws from Iraq now, the terrorist leader
Zarkavi will declare a victory for al-Qaida, and that
instability will spread to neighboring countries, including
Turkey. General Myers claimed that al-Qaida would then
continue to spread terror throught the region in its efforts
to reestablish the caliphate.
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq
"The US Should not Pull Out"
Gungor Mengi commented in the mass appeal "Vatan" (8/29):
"Stability in Iraq seems unlikely with or without the
approval of the new constitution. The ongoing terrorism in
Iraq has the potential to lead the country to a civil war.
On the other hand, the US is facing growing pressure from
its own public to pull out. A US withdrawal from Iraq would
be a dangerous development that would negatively affect
Turkey as well. US Chief of General Staff General Myers
emphasized the high risks of a withdrawal over the weekend,
and he is absolutely right. A pullout of the American
military would provide a victory to Al-Qaida, which would
cause a series of problems including economic instability
and a broadening wave of terrorism throughout the region. .
From the beginning, Turkey did its best to persuade the US
not to enter Iraq. But Turkey's current national interests
require that we encourage the US to stay in Iraq until the
establishment of a stable Iraqi administration. We should
also hope that the US reputation for being able to demolish
but not able to rebuild will not be repeated in Iraq."
"Confused Minds"
The leftist-nationalist "Cumhuriyet" carried this op-ed
(8/29): "General Myers made an interesting remark in
opposing the withdrawal of the US from Iraq. He said that
such a development would provide a victory to Al-Qaida and
its supporters. In this context, General Myers highlighted
the potential danger frrom having a series of radical Pan-
Islamic administrations in this region. . It seems that
minds are very confused in the US. The Bush administration
has failed in all of its projections regarding Iraq. The
mistakes are countless, and the role designed for Turkey
within the BMENA initiative is one of them. . The Bush
administration wants us to believe it is conducting a global
war against terrorism, but at the same time it provides
shelter for the terrorist organization against Turkey that
is stationed in northern Iraq. The US talks about the
potential risks of having religious-based systems in the
area, but at the same time it is projecting Turkey as a
`moderate Islamic state model.' It will not be easy for the
US to pull out of Iraq, but it seems it will also be very
difficult for US forces to stay. We also need to pay
particular attention to the Bush administration's view of
Turkey. It is an unhealthy view, which may bring problems
for the US as well."
"A Federal Iraq"
Kamuran Ozbir wrote in the nationalist "Ortadogu" (8/29):
"Is Iraq turning into a federal system? Federalism is a
democratic method, but nothing is clear as far as the future
of Iraq is concerned. . Even if the constitution is
approved by the people during the upcoming referendum, the
problems will remain. The constitution in its current form
has loopholes that will create many problems along the way.
The constitution will not help the Shiites and Kurds to act
together. Due to its theocratic structure shaped to favor
Shiite demands, the Iraqi constitution may lay the ground
for the Kurds to split off from Iraq even if it passes at
referendum. The continuing violence is another major
problem for the future of Iraq. The US may decide to pull
out due to the increase in terrorist acts. If so, Iraq may
end up as a field of conflict between Shiites and Sunnis.
The new constitution in Iraq is not the end of the story.
In fact, the genuine struggle in Iraq is beginning right
now."
MCELDOWNEY