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 04 ANKARA 004882

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
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Zana Calls on PKK for Cease-Fire - Milliyet
PKK to Declare Third Cease-Fire - Aksam
Amb. Avivi: Israel Opposes a Kurdish State in Iraq -
Hurriyet
Israeli Troops Enter Settlers' Last Stronghold in Gaza -
Sabah
75 Percent of Settlers Evacuated from Gaza - Milliyet
Saudi al-Qaida Chief Killed in Medina - Sabah
First Russia-China Joint Military Exercise - Sabah
Cindy: Bush is a Terrorist - Aksam
Peace in Aceh - Vatan

OPINION MAKERS
Ankara Asks Brussels to Arrest PKK's Aydar - Yeni Safak
Iraqi Turkmen Demand Kirkuk-Based Federation - Cumhuriyet
Rice: Gaza Pullout a `Dramatic Moment' - Yeni Safak
Israeli Police Drag Settlers from Synagogues - Cumhuriyet
Settlers Put Up Tough Fight Against Police in Synagogues -
Radikal
Rice Urges Israel to Take Forward Steps in West Bank - Zaman
Gaza Pullout May Bring Lasting Stay in West Bank - Yeni
Safak
Attack Against US Convoy Kills 4 Troops in Iraq - Yeni Safak
US Watches Russia-China Joint Exercises - Cumhuriyet
China-Russia Show of Force in Pacific - Zaman
Cindy a Nightmare for Bush - Cumhuriyet

BRIEFING

PKK May Announce Cease-Fire Friday: Dailies expect Kongra-
Gel leader Zubeyir Aydar to announce a PKK cease-fire from
September 1 - October 3, the date Turkey is scheduled to
begin EU accession talks. Aydar is expected to hold a press
conference in Brussels on Friday, where he will call on
Turkey to accept imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan as an
interlocutor in efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue. Aydar
will also ask for a general amnesty and an end to Ocalan's
isolation. "Cumhuriyet" finds it unlikely that the PKK will
lay down its arms or pull its fighters out of Turkey.
"Aksam" believes the PKK decision on a cease-fire has been
dictated by growing uneasiness among Turkey's Kurds over
bloody attacks and the alleged killings of PKK dissidents
killings. The paper also motes the toughening position of
the EU against terrorism. "Vatan" claims that it was Ocalan
who ordered DEHAP to disband in order to join the
`Democratic Society Movement (DTH) led by Leyla Zana and
other former Kurdish parliamentarians. Meanwhile, Ankara as
reportedly asked Belgian authorities to prevent Zubeyir
Aydar, who is also a former DEP lawmaker, from holding a
press conference in Brussels, and to arrest the Kongra-Gel
leader if he shows up there. Unidentified sources told
"Hurriyet" that Aydar had been granted political asylum in
Switzerland in 1994, and that he did not need a visa to go
to Belgium. The sources add that Aydar may already be in
Belgium.

On Friday, the Belgian Interior Ministry forced the
cancelation of the Kongra-Gel press conference in Brussels,
and warned that Aydar would be arrested and extradited to
Switzerland if he were to be found, the semi-official
Anatolian News Agency reported. Aydar told the pro-PKK,
Copenhagen-based "Roj TV" on Friday that the `People's
Defense Forces' (HPG) will halt operations beyond self-
defense for one month to `test' the Turkish government.
Aydar welcomed Erdogan's statement that the `Kurdish
problem' will be solved through democracy. `He is welcome
to try to solve it. We are giving him an opportunity to do
so. But thus far they have not done anything on this issue.
All we see are statements,' Aydar emphasized.

Zana and Colleagues Urge PKK to Call Cease-Fire: The
Democratic Society Movement (DTH) founded by former DEP
lawmakers including Leyla Zana called on the PKK to lay down
its arms indefinitely and unconditionally. `We regard the
Prime Minister's statements as political overtures that are
courageous, determined and consistent, and ones that can be
translated into action,' the DTH said in a statement on
Thursday. The statement urged the PKK to decide on a
`suspension of operations' as soon as possible. Meanwhile
Sirri Sakik, a former colleague of Zana, claimed that the
DTH is no different from Kurdish parties established in the
past. `Turkey needs a strong left-wing social democratic
party, but the DTH has failed to meet this need. It has
limited itself to ethnic issues,' Sakyk stressed.

Prosecutor Launches Legal Action Against DEHAP: An Ankara
prosecutor has initiated a legal investigation against the
pro-Kurdish party DEHAP for a statement in which the party
said that it had exerted efforts to make the Turkish state
accept imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan as an
interlocutor. The prosecutor is considering whether the
release of the statement constituted a violation of the ban
on terrorist propaganda. Meanwhile, a case that could lead
to the closure of DEHAP on charges of separatist activities
is pending at the Constitutional Court.

Iraqi Turkmen Demand Autonomy: Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF)
Turkey representative Ahmed Muratli told the private all-
news channel NTV that if the Kurds and Shiites are given
federal rights and regions in Iraq, the Iraqi Turkmen will
demand the same. `We want the region that extends from Tal
Afar to Mandali, including Kirkuk as the capital, to be
given to us as the `Turkmeneli' (Turkoman country)
federation,' Muradli said. He also asked that the
administration of Kirkuk be given to the Turkmen.
Meanwhile, in a meeting with Turkmen leaders from Tal Afar
yesterday in Ankara, Turkish officials pledged to build a
hospital, new motorways, and a satellite television channel
in the Turkmen populated northern Iraqi city.

Ambassador Avivi on Kurds/Iraq, Turkey/EU: The Israeli
Ambassador in Ankara, Pinhas Avivi, told "Hurriyet" that the
establishment of a Kurdish state in Iraq would bring about a
Shiite state as well. `This is against Israeli interests,'
Avivi said, stressing that Israel will cooperate with Turkey
in northern Iraq. Avivi called on Turkey to join
international efforts to provide economic support for Gaza,
which, the Israeli Ambassador believes, will help to end
terror activities. Avivi also said that Israel supports
Turkey's EU membership drive. `I tell the Europeans who
wonder what will become of Europe after the membership of 70
million Turks that that they should instead think about what
will become of the world if Turkey is left out of the EU,'
Avivi emphasized.

Dogus-GE Consumer Finance Partnership Likely: Turkish
business conglomerate Dogus Holding has agreed to enter into
exclusive negotiations with General Electric Consumer
Finance concerning the sale of 50 percent of the group's
shares in Garanti Bank, papers report. Dogus wants to sell
half of its 55.1 stake in Garanti Bank to GE Consumer
Finance for an estimated 1.4 billion USD. Garanti's
partnership talks with Italy's Banca Intesa over Garanti
Bank have fallen apart twice since 2001.

EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq; Israel/Gaza Pullout

"While the Middle East is Being Reshaped"
Haluk Ulman observed in the economic-political "Dunya"
(8/19): "The political, economic, and ideological battles
that are taking place during the Iraqi constitutional
process will not be settled easily during the next week. It
is also likely that under pressure from the Bush
administration, the sides in Iraq will have to claim that
they have reached an agreement. Because of the remaining
differences, the agreement is destined to remain on paper.
Huge problems are likely to reemerge when the time comes to
implement the constitution. This will begin the process of
Iraq's disintegration. As the result of this process, a
Kurdish state will be established in Iraq's north and an
Islamic republic in the south. These two new states will
share the oil revenues of Iraq. The Sunnis do not support
the country's disintegration, but are powerless to oppose
it. The Sunnis will most likely end up in the Iraqi desert,
where they will continue their terrorist activities. The
goal for an independent state among Kurds and the desire to
establish a religious state among the Shiites will start a
new process of reconstruction in the Middle East. These two
new states will change the balances of power in the region.
Let's hope that these developments will remain only in our
imagination as a kind of nightmare. We owe this nightmare
to Bush and his team, as a result of their initiatives in
the name of peace and democracy in the Middle East."

"Why Do We Oppose an Independent Kurdish State?"
Cengiz Candar commented in the conservative-sensational
"Dunden Bugune Tercuman" (8/19): "If there were not a
single Kurd living in Turkey, would there still be such a
reaction against the establishment of a Kurdish state in
Iraq? We certainly did not object to the establishment of
two Arab States -- Syria and Iraq -- in the territory which
was ours for 400 years leading up to World War I. If there
had been millions of Arabs (instead of Kurds) living within
our borders at the founding of the Turkish Republic, would
we have opposed the establishement of Iraq and Syria as
independent Arab states? Certainly we would have.
Therefore, we must recognize that the problem is really
about Turkey's Kurdish issue, not about a possible
independent Kurdish state. There is no need for further
speculation -- Turkey does have a Kurdish problem. For the
sake of Turkey's territorial and national integrity, we have
to solve that problem."

Who Will Clear the Debris?
Ferai Tinc wrote in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (8/19):
"Until now, the Israeli government had never withdrawn from
land it occupied during the 1967 war without first signing a
peace agreement. The current withdrawal does not include
such an agreement. Negotiations on security issues between
the Israelis and Palestinians have been continuing for some
time. Israel wants the Palestinian administration to become
stronger against violent Palestinian elements. By
encouraging the Palestinians to strengthen their security
institutions, Israel is preparing the ground for a Palestine
state. Sharon is not betraying Israel through his Gaza
withdrawal plan. On the contrary, he is paving the way for
a new peace process. He has also ensured the support of the
Israeli people for this plan. Outside of the occupied Gaza
Strip, sixty percent of the Israeli people support Sharon's
decision. As part of the Israeli pullout, the
infrastructure will be left untouched, but Israeli homes,
schools, and other buildings will be demolished. The
reason is to prevent Hamas or the Islamic Jihad terror
organizations from claiming territory and victory. Every
detail has been discussed and agreed prior to the
withdrawal, except for one issue. Who is going to clear up
the debris? In fact, this is a very important question.
Clearing the debris has always been an important element in
the peace process. Of course, the most important thing of
all is to clear the debris which remains in people's souls."

MCELDOWNEY

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