INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report,

Published: Thu 8 Jul 2004 09:14 AM
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003791
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 7, 2004
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER
THREE THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
HEADLINES
MASS APPEALS
US drops two-ton bombs on Fallujah to kill Zarkawi - Aksam
EU aid package leaves Greek Cypriots out - Hurriyet
Iran kills 8 PKK militants - Hurriyet
People magazine: John Edwards the `sexiest' politician -
Sabah
`Sexy' partner for Kerry - Hurriyet
Former rival becomes partner for Kerry - Milliyet
Baradei's historic visit to Israel - Aksam
OPINION MAKERS
PM Allawi cooperates with US in bombing Fallujah -
Cumhuriyet
Bremer: Iraqi democracy will be `sloppy and messy' -
Cumhuriyet
Nato delegation in Iraq for training - Zaman
Arabs angry at Barzani's federation claim - Yeni Safak
Iran fights the PKK - Cumhuriyet
PM Erdogan: No intention to withdraw troops from Cyprus -
Zaman
Blacks, Latinos prefer Kerry - Cumhuriyet
Kerry's partner is Edwards - Radikal
Israeli troops kill US professor and son - Radikal
Taliban attack US base in Kandahar - Yeni Safak
BRIEFING
Syrian, Israeli officials due to visit Ankara: Ankara will
host Syrian PM El-Otari and Israeli Deputy PM Olmert in July
as part of Turkish efforts to support the framework of the
Broad Middle East project, "Radikal" reports. Ankara will
discuss with the Syrian PM issues ranging from Iraq to the
PKK/Kongra-Gel. Ankara will also inform El-Otari about
Turkish plans for training Iraqi security forces. Turkish
and Israeli officials, meanwhile, are working to clarify
arrangements for the Olmert visit. Diplomatic sources
expect the sides to discuss Ankara's mission as a mediator
between Israel and Syria, "Radikal" claims.
Iraq's neighbors support Turkmen: The Iraqi Turkmen Front
(ITF) opened a representation office in Damascus last week,
and will open offices in Tehran and Cairo next month,
"Cumhuriyet" reports. Syria, Iran and Egypt share Turkey's
concerns over Iraq, and have decided to increase support for
the Turkmen, the paper claims. Ankara is also enhancing its
dialogue with Iraqi Shiite groups opposed to the Kurds'
separatist inclinations. In February, Turkey's special Iraq
envoy, Ambassador Osman Koruturk, was received by Shiite
leader al-Sistani, who usually declines to meet with
foreigners.
EU to help Cyprus: The EU Commission will announce on
Wednesday a financial aid package for northern Cyprus. The
259 million euro assistance package will be transferred to
the Turkish Cypriots between 2004-2006 through an EU office
to be opened in the north. The EU will carry out the
assistance program without the involvement of Greek Cypriot
authorities in the south. Meanwhile, `TRNC PM' Talat's CTP,
the leading coalition partner in the Turkish Cypriot
parliament, has put forward a motion calling for early
general elections to be held on September 26. Resignations
from the coalition have caused the government to lose its
majority in the 50-seat parliament.
EDITORIAL OPINION:
a) NATO
b) Darfur Crisis
"NATO has Reshaped Its Vision"
Fatih Karaosmanoglu observed in the liberal-intellectual
Radikal (7/7): "The NATO summit in Istanbul served as a
platform for the Alliance to shape its new vision. This new
vision has three fundamental parts: Change in the NATO
threat concept; expansion of areas of engagement; and the
possibility of allowing new members into NATO. ... Turkey
should read the new transformation process in its proper
context in order to come up with its own plan for the
future. The plan should cover the specifics of the new role
for Turkey within the Greater Middle East Initiative as a
democratic partner. So far Turkey contributed to this
process by making strong arguments on the need for internal
dynamics to be the engine for democratic change. This
initiative is a dynamic project, however, and Turkey should
carefully analyze any plans put forward by other players
that might fall outside of Turkey's policy parameters. ...
Now that the summit is over, Turkey must revise its policy
of engagement in the political, educational, and security
areas, particularly with regard to Iraq, Afghanistan and
Palestine. This process is in fact a virtuous circle: the
more a country engages on international issues, the more it
becomes a part of the decision-making mechanism."
"The World is Watching a Massacre"
Zafer Atay noted in the economic-political Dunya (7/7): "The
name of Darfur in Sudan was completely unknown until the day
Secretary Powell and UNSG Annan went there. In this
SIPDIS
forgotten part of the world's geography, the population is
predominantly African Muslim. Other ethnic groups are also
present, but the government is in the hands of the Arabs.
Now the central government is engaged in a policy of ethnic
cleansing. The horrible events are no different than the
Serbian brutality against Bosnian Muslims in Bosnia-
Herzegovina. There is systematic rape in Darfur that aims
to reduce the African Muslim population significantly. ...
After Secretary Powell's visit to the area, the world has
started to pay attention to these horrible events. The UN
Security Council is now going to take up the issue. Thanks
to Powell. What about the others? Where is the Islamic
Conference, the EU the UK? Good night to all of them."
DEUTSCH
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