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 002080

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, APRIL 11, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Turkish Intellectuals Call for `Common Sense' Against Rising
Nationalism - Milliyet
Talabani Opposes Saddam's Execution - Hurriyet
Second Anniversary of Saddam's Removal Face Largest Protest
Demo Against US - Sabah 4/10
Iraqi Shiites Urge US Troops to `Go Home' - Milliyet 4/10
Peter Galbraith: Kurds Seek Independence in Iraq - Sabah
4/10
Withdrawal Opponents Rise Tension in Jerusalem - Aksam
Germany Considers Banning Hizbullah - Aksam 4/10

OPINION MAKERS
Thousands of Al-Sadr Loyalists Call for Ending US Occupation
- Radikal 4/10
Greek Cypriots Want UN Guarantees for New Cyprus Talks -
Zaman
Tense Day in Jerusalem, Police Arrest Fundamentalist Jews -
Radikal
Radical Jews Stir Tension in Middle East - Zaman
Former MOSSAD Chief Warns of Possible `Coup' Against Sharon
- Yeni Safak
Al-Baradei: Al-Qaida Seeks Nuclear Weapons - Yeni Safak
US Closes Embassy in Yemen - Cumhuriyet 4/10

BRIEFING

President Sezer's Upcoming Visit to Syria: Problems with
Iran and Syria will be discussed during the upcoming visit
of Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) U/S Ali Tuygan
to Washington this week, writes weekend "Cumhuriyet." The
US is concerned about the April 13-14 visit to Syria by
President Sezer, particularly at a time of increasing
pressure on Damascus with regard to Lebanon, the paper
comments. US officials welcomed a recent speech by
President Sezer at a War Academy conference in Ankara in
which the Turkish President urged Syria to meet expectations
of the international community. The US wants Sezer to issue
warnings in front of the public while in Syria, but Turks
prefer to convey the message behind closed doors, says
"Cumhuriyet." Sunday's "Yeni Safak" expects Sezer to urge
Syrian leaders to withdraw troops and intelligence units
from Lebanon by the end of April and cut ties with radical
groups. The paper says that Ankara is concerned that
political instability may lead to civil strife in Lebanon.

Turkey Deports Syrian Army Defector: Sunday's "Radikal"
reports on its front page that Muhammed Ibrahim, a Kurdish
Syrian who defected from the Syrian army last August 23 year
after the incidents in the mainly Kurdish Syrian border town
of Qamishli, has been sent by Turkey to Syria on March 25.
Ibrahim had applied for political asylum in Turkey on March
23. He was taken to court the next day on charges of being
a member of the outlawed PKK, but was released the same day.
Ankara ignored efforts by the UNHCR and Amnesty
International (AI), and sent Ibrahim back to Syria on March
25. NGOs believe the extradition of Ibrahim was rushed
before the upcoming visit to Syria by President Sezer. NGO
officials find it `unacceptable' that Ibrahim was extradited
to Syria, a country with a poor human rights record, says
"Radikal." AI in Turkey said Ibrahim faces the risks of
mistreatment, torture, unfair trial and execution in Syria.
"Radikal" claims that Turkish police handed Ibrahim over to
Syria without notifying the Presidency.

FM Gul on Tuygan Visit to US, Incirlik Airbase: Responding
to press en route to Algeria on Saturday, FM Abdullah Gul
said reviewing of US requests for using Incirlik Airbase for
logistical operations in Iraq and Afghanistan continues, and
the issue will not be taken to the parliament for approval.
There are changes to the US government in the second Bush
term, Gul noted, and added that Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA) U/S Ali Tuygan went to the United States at the
invitation of Washington for meetings with the new US
Administration. Gul stressed that there is a will to deepen
expectations and relations between the United States and
Turkey. Monday's "Yeni Safak" quotes Gul as saying the US
request regarding Incirlik Airbase is nothing
`unacceptable.' `The US wants support for its operations in
Iraq and Afghanistan to be facilitated further', Gul said,
`and we will soon decide on it.' Gul added that Turkey
would not grant the US a `blank check' on the use of
Incirlik and that all information regarding U.S. flights in
and out of the airbase will be given to Turks beforehand.

Gul on Ties With Israel, Iraq, and Rising Nationalism in
Turkey: In an exclusive with the Islamist-oriented "Yeni
Safak," FM Gul urged everybody to contribute to peace
efforts in the Middle East to put an end to bloodshed in the
region. PM Erdogan's upcoming visit to Israel is important
from that viewpoint, Gul stressed. He said Palestinians
should be allowed to establish a state, adding that Sharon
has some `intentions' to that end, and that such endeavors
should be supported. On Iraq, Gul finds Talabani, the newly
elected President of Iraq, `enthusiastic' about rebuilding
Iraq and developing ties with Turkey. Gul said that
`sectarian' conflict still poses a major threat in Iraq.
Gul characterized the rising nationalist sentiment in Turkey
as `chauvinist reflexes' rather than a `wave of
nationalism': `There are some arbitrary actions caused by
lack of self-confidence. Everything will be settled soon.'

Turkish NGOs, Intellectuals Warn Against Rising Nationalism:
Turkish NGOs and 200 intellectuals, academics and
journalists issued a joint statement on Sunday calling for
common sense and moderation in the face of rising Turkish
and Kurdish nationalism. The declaration condemned the
attempted lynching of four young Turks who were mistaken for
being backers of the PKK in the port city of Trabzon in
northern Turkey early last week, and denounced the
subsequent detention of the victims rather than the
assailants. A provincial governor (kaymakam) who has
attempted to destroy books of renowned Turkish novelist
Orhan Pamuk still keeps his post, says the declaration. The
declaration warns that the state is supporting the
escalation of nationalism, Monday papers report.

Turkey-Syria Border to Be Cleared of Landmines: Sunday
"Zaman" says on its front page that the Ministry of Finance
has received proposals from various companies for sweeping
some 600,000 landmines laid along Turkey's border with
Syria. According to the report, the area will be used for
farming and establishing free trade zones after the mines
are cleared.

Arinc Remarks on Disputes Between Turkey-Greece: FM
Abdullah Gul said en route to Algeria over the weekend that
Parliamentary Speaker Bulent Arinc's remarks on the
territorial waters dispute between Turkey and Greece should
be regarded as an attempt to solve problems in the Aegean.
Gul said Turkey and Greece have a will for resolution of
problems in peaceful ways. `We should show our capacities
for a solution,' Gul said, adding that steps forward are
being taken to that end. Arinc last Friday proposed the
lifting of a 1995 `casus belli' against Greece if Athens
exercised its right under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law
of the Sea to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical
miles. Papers report Arinc as saying over the weekend and
today that good will gestures between Turkey and Greece are
needed, and that political conditions had to be reviewed to
make a breakthrough in diplomacy. The opposition CHP
strongly criticized Arinc, and said that problems cannot be
resolved by making concessions. Greek Parliament Speaker
Anna Psarouda-Benaki welcomed the remarks of Arinc, reports
"Sabah" over the weekend. Arinc said before leaving for an
official visit to Luxembourg on Sunday that foreign policy
should not be stagnant, and that new gestures may be needed
when conditions change.

EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq/Talabani

"The Other Possibility in Iraq"
Erdal Guven observed in the liberal-intellectual Radikal
(4/10): "Iraq has the potential to become a stable
democratic nation, but there is also another possibility,
which is civil war and division of the country, and this
possibility should not be underestimated. It does not come
as surprise to read warnings regarding the latter scenario
from two prominent Iraq experts, Peter Galbraith from the US
and Amatzia Baram from Israel..An evaluation of the
potential dangers that Iraq faces brings to mind a question.
Which country, other than Iraq itself, will be very
negatively affected in the event of instability in Iraq?
The answer, certainly, is Turkey. The prospect of an Iraqi
Kurdish independence movement is a nightmare for Turkey.
Similarly, Ankara will be negatively impacted in the event
of Shiite fundamentalism in Iraq. Any movement toward
deepening instability and division will create political,
economic and strategic problems for Turkey. Therefore, it
is very much in Turkey's immediate interest to formulate a
comprehensive policy for Iraq. In order to do so, Turkey
must abandon its current skepticism regarding the new
process in Iraq and concentrate on promoting a federal,
democratic and well-developed Iraq. Iraq is in the process
of a renewal. And Turkey needs to renew its Iraq policy."

"New Iraq Policy"
Cuneyt Ulsever advised in the mass appeal Hurriyet (4/11):
"Iraq will face two possibilities under Talabani's new
leadership. One possibility is a united Iraq with a loosely
based federation. The other is the division of Iraq,
perhaps into two or three parts. The possibility of
division should be taken very seriously. . There are many
players in Iraq, not only those inside -- Shiite, Sunni and
Kurd -- but also outsiders, such as Iran and Syria. A
united Iraq is certainly in the interest of US policy
because it is an indispensable part of the Broader Middle
East Initiative. Since the Iraqi elections, it appears that
the European countries have also leaned toward supporting a
unified Iraq. Turkey's interest, it goes without saying,
lies in a unified Iraq with its territorial integrity
intact..However, Turkey, with its old-fashioned wait-and-see
type of policies, fails to deal with the current
international situation. Turkey fails to correctly
interpret the changing events. The region surrounding us is
changing, and Turkey definitely needs new wisdom."

EDELMAN

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