Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report

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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, DECEMBER 12, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

MASS APPEAL
CIA Chief in Ankara - Sabah
CIA Chief to Talk About Terrorism - Milliyet
Top Secret US Propaganda War - Milliyet
FM Gul: CIA did not Interrogate Anyone in Turkey - Milliyet
CIA Director Arrives in Ankara with 22 Agents - Hurriyet
What is the Reason for FBI and CIA Visits to Turkey? - Vatan
Terrorist Attack Suspicion in London Blast - Hurriyet
FM Gul denies all Allegations over CIA Planes - Turkiye
Rice Praises US Middle East Policy - Turkiye
Surprising Guest from the USA - Posta
Israel Plans to Attack Iran - Sabah
Sharon Orders to Attack Iran - Vatan
Europe Watches two Law Suits in Turkey - Aksam
PKK Bargaining with the CIA - Hurriyet (12/11)
Land Forces Commander Buyukanit Leaves for the US - Hurriyet
(12/11)
Mueller Visit Topic is PKK - Hurriyet (12/10)
Some Turkish Companies are on the FBI's Black List - Sabah
(12/10)

OPINION MAKERS
Two Messages from US to EU - Zaman
In Goss' Briefcase: Iraq, the Kurds and the PKK - Yeni Safak
There are Many FBI Agents in Turkey - Cumhuriyet
Talabani: "No Single Party can Win the Elections" - Zaman
CIA Director Arrives in Turkey - Radikal
Orhan Pamuk Trial is on Friday - Radikal
PM Erdogan: Religion is Our Cement, not an Upper Identity
for Turkish Citizens" - Radikal
Iran Invites US to Bid for the Nuclear Energy Power Plant -
Yeni Safak
FBI Chief Visits National Intelligence Organization (MIT) -
Radikal (12/10)
PKK Summit with the FBI Director - Zaman (12/10)
US-Turkey Cooperation for PKK will Continue - Yeni Safak
(12/10)

BRIEFING

CIA Director Goss Comes to Turkey: All papers and TV
channels cover the visits of CIA Director Goss and FBI
Director Mueller extensively with Sunday's "Hurriyet" giving
front page placement to the story. Saturday's "Zaman"
reported that Director Mueller said that his visit was a
step in boosting the partnership and cooperation between the
US and Turkey. He added that cooperation between the two
countries would help speed progress in the fight against
terror organizations like Al-Qaeda and PKK. Sunday's
"Hurriyet" says that the visits of the two intelligence
directors following directly after new US Ambassador Ross
Wilson's arrival and comments on PKK caused speculation in
Ankara official circles in that Washington might launch a
serious initiative against the PKK after the Iraqi
elections. Although the schedule of Goss was kept big
secret, it was reported that he would meet with Prime

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Minister Erdogan, TGS (military) and MIT (intelligence)
officials. "Sabah" reports that Al-Qaeda and PKK will be on
the top of Goss' agenda and that Director Goss would ask
Turkish officials to inform the CIA if there was any

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captured Al-Qaeda militants. Turkey would also be asked to
freeze the assets of Turkish companies extending financial
support to terror organizations like Al- Qaeda. "Sabah"
adds that in return, the Turkish side would ask for the US
to take concrete steps against the PKK. "Milliyet" says
that the visits of the FBI and CIA directors had been
arranged at the request of the new US Ambassador Ross
Wilson. "Cumhuriyet" reports that there are 165 FBI agents
working in Turkey.

Foreign Minister Gul on Spy Planes in Turkey: "Milliyet"
reports on Foreign Minister Gul's comments on CIA's torture
planes. Gul rejected the allegations that a CIA plane
landed in Turkey to interrogate the prisoners, saying that a
proper request was made to land for refueling and servicing
and that request was granted. "Posta" says that Gul
admitted that a CIA plane landed at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen
airport, however no interrogation took place.

US Gives Two Messages to the EU: "Zaman" gives front page
coverage to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew
Bryza's remarks. Bryza reportedly gave two important
messages to the EU in Brussels, saying that `the EU should
step up its struggle against PKK and should bring the PKK
militants captured in Europe to justice'. Bryza added that
Turkey's EU accession should not be linked with the Cyprus
issue.

Israel Plans to Attack Iran; Iran Energy: "Sabah" says
that following Iran President Ahmedinejad's comments that
Israel should be moved to Europe, tension between Iran and
Israel escalated. "Sabah" reports that Britiain's `Sunday
Times' cited Israeli military sources as saying that Prime
Minister Sharon has ordered his military forces to attack
Iran in March 2006. "Posta" says Israel denied such
allegations. Regarding US-Iran relations, "Yeni Safak"
reported on Iran's invitation to US to bid for its nuclear
energy power plant construction.

Europe Watches Two Law Suits in Turkey: "Aksam" reports
that the EU is closely following two critical law suits due
to open this week in Turkey. University rector Yucel
Askin's trial will begin Tuesday, December 13 and author
Orhan Pamuk trial begins on Friday, December 16. "Aksam"
quotes the "Financial Times:" "On Friday not only Orhan
Pamuk but also Turkey will face justice."

EDITORIAL OPINION: CIA Director in Turkey/US-Turkey
Relations

"Important Developments Regarding US-Turkey Relations"
Semih Idiz observed in the mainstream "Milliyet" (12/12):
"No expertise is required to see that something important is
going on as the visit of the FBI Director is followed by
that of the CIA Director. All of this indicates a
comprehensive dialogue with Turkey. The agenda for these
meetings is not hard to guess: Iraq on the eve of elections,
the PKK in northern Iraq, recent troubling remarks by the
Iranian president and Syria. On the other hand, the CIA
torture planes will not be a main topic of discussion. The
immediate appointment for credentialing given to the new US
Ambassador Ross Wilson is also a sign of good coordination
between Turkey and the US. These developments require
Wilson to be present in Ankara. The developments are
obviously Iraq-related. A behind-the-scenes diplomatic
success was recently achieved when Turkey managed to bring
Americans and Iraqi Sunnis together. On the PKK issue, it
is still unclear what kind of cooperation is in place.
According to American sources, some developments are due.

ANKARA 00007278 003 OF 003

If that is the case we should expect to see some indications
soon. Otherwise, as the Washington Institute's recent
report concluded, the PKK issue will continue to poison
Turkish-American ties. It seems the US has reached a better
understanding on this matter and has started listening to
Turkey's views on Iraq more often."

"What is the reason for the FBI and CIA Visits?"
Rusen Cakir argued in the mass appeal "Vatan" (12/12):
"First FBI Director Mueller came to Ankara, and now CIA
Director Porter Goss is visiting Turkey. The FBI and CIA
visits should not be seen only in terms of the `PKK
dimension.' There certainly will be some promises regarding
the PKK issue but there will be some demands as well.
Traditionally speaking, neither the FBI nor the CIA gives
anything without taking something in return. Therefore
Turkey should be careful of the demands. In the past, the
CIA captured PKK leader Ocalan and handed him over to
Turkey. Today the power of the CIA is strong enough to root
out the PKK in Iraq if it really wants to. But it still
seems like a remote possibility. On this issue the
prevailing view is that catching a few PKK chieftains will
not help achieve a solution. Along with the Goss visit, the
recent changes in Turkey's Iraq policy and the internal
debate over Turkish and Kurdish identity indicate that
Turkey has changed a lot. Given the situation, we might
expect to see a couple of anti-PKK operations designed to
win over the public but we might also see certain radical
steps toward the settlement of the Kurdish issue as well.

WILSON

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