INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report,

Published: Thu 19 Aug 2004 02:58 PM
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 004700
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,
THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2004
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
--------------------------------------------- -----
HEADLINES
MASS APPEAL
Al-Sadr's Conditional Surrender - Hurriyet
New NSC Secretary General Vows to Support EU Bid - Hurriyet
NATO Exercises to Take Place in Konya, September 4-16 -
Sabah
Cyprus Summit in Ankara - Sabah
Turkey Offers Iraq Cooperation for Oil Production - Milliyet
Israeli Military Trains US Troops in Guerrilla Tactics -
Aksam
OPINION MAKERS
Al-Sadr Bargains to Withdraw from Najaf - Cumhuriyet
Israel Trains US Troops - Cumhuriyet
FM Gul Urges EU to Fulfill Its Promises on Cyprus - Zaman
In Search of Compromise on Cyprus - Radikal
The US Prepares to Destroy Najaf - Yeni Safak
NATO Air Meet Exercises to Take Place in Konya - Yeni Safak
BRIEFING
Al-Sadr Surrenders: Al-Sadr's fighters who were taking
shelter in Najaf's Imam Ali shrine decided to surrender
after the Iraqi Defense Minister's warning that they would
be `taught a lesson they will never forget.' Al-Sadr has
agreed to on condition of a full cease-fire in Najaf
including the total withdrawal of US troops from the city.
Cyprus: All papers report on the `summit' that took place
in Ankara yesterday on the Cyprus issue. Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul, `TRNC Prime Minister' Mehmet Ali
Talat and `Foreign Minister' Serdar Denktas discussed a
joint strategy to pursue with the EU and the UN in coming
months to ease the isolation of Turkish Cypriots. The EU
Commission proposed last month a series of measures to
address the issue by permitting direct trade and financial
aid. However, the EU Council, whose approval is required
for the proposals to become official, is reportedly at odds
with the Commission over the legal conditions surrounding
the package. Talat told reporters after his meeting with
Gul that `there is a conflict between the commission and the
council.' `This indicates that we are heading for a
critical period,' he continued. The Council is expected to
take up the issue in mid-September. "Cumhuriyet" reports
that FM Gul urged the EU to fulfill its promises to Turkish
Cypriots. The paper notes that Talat has written to UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan expressing his concerns on the
SIPDIS
issue and criticizing the EU for its failure to act.
General Karabay Defends Turks in Suleymaniye Incident:
General Koksal Karabay, who is retiring from the military
after being passed over for promotion, described the 11
Turkish special forces who were taken prisoner by US forces
in Suleymaniye in July 2003 as `heroes.' Karabay, whose
command at that time included oversight of the special
forces, declined to provide further details about the
incident, which created serious tension in the U.S.-Turkish
relationship. Karabay said there was no connection between
the Suleymaniye incident and his failure to be promoted
within the TGS.
NSC Secretary General Supports Turkey's EU Bid: "Hurriyet"
reports that the newly assigned NSC Secretary General, Yigit
Alpogan, will assume his duties in the second half of
September, following the wedding of his daughter on
September 4. During an interview with "Hurriyet," Alpogan
said that he will exert every effort to support Turkey's EU
bid.
Israel Trains US Troops: "Cumhuriyet" cites the Jerusalem
Post as a source for a report that Israel is using one of
its military bases to train US troops in techniques of
guerrilla warfare. The US Embassy in Tel Aviv denied the
report, claiming that there are no US troops in Israel at
the moment. The Embassy made no comment concerning training
that may have been given in the past.
EDITORIAL OPINION: Venezuela; US Global Defense Posture
"Lessons from Venezuela"
Umur Talu commented in the mass appeal "Sabah" (8/19):
"Venezuela brings us a litmus test for recapturing the
genuine meaning of some concepts that have been distorted --
democracy, freedom, justice, and the fight against
terrorism. Venezuela and Iraq share certain similarities.
Both have oil resources, a high level of poverty despite oil
revenues, and political leaders hated by the US. The major
difference is that Chavez, unlike Saddam, is an elected
leader. Nevertheless, the Bush administration tried
everything to topple Chavez. When its attempt at a coup
failed, the US did not give up, but tried to chip away at
Chavez's legitimacy. The referendum in Venezuela was a test
for Chavez's legitimacy - a test that Chavez passed. But
according to the US, he is still not a legitimate leader.
It is not hard to sympathize with feelings of hatred about
dictators and terrorists, but why is it that the US hates so
much an elected figure in a democratic country? As author
Greg Palast suggested, the Venezuela case stands as an
example of the US struggle against democracy."
"Pulling Back US forces"
Hadi Uluengin wrote in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (8/19):
"The US should not withdraw its forces from the European
continent. This argument has nothing to do with being pro-
American. If we could free ourselves of slogans and
clichs, we would realize that the world cannot tolerate
another power vacuum. It is as bad for the world when the
US acts unilaterally as when the US decides to retreat into
isolationism. ... It seems that, based on the Global Force
Posture Review, the US plans to return to its shell, as in
the period from the early 1900s until 1941. Living in a
shell will transform the US strategic vision, putting
greater emphasis on anti-missile programs, more restrictions
on visas and immigration, and a general neglect of European
issues. Such a radical strategic transformation will pave
the way for more ethnocentric policies. By sending American
forces from Europe back to the United States, US authorities
are reducing the biggest power in the neighborhood to the
role of a bystander."
EDELMAN
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