This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

310554Z Jan 06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 000348 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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, JANUARY 30, 2006 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Erdogan: HAMAS, Israel Must Recognize Each Other - Milliyet 
1/29 
US to Cut 400 Million USD of Aid to Palestine - Vatan 1/29 
US: HAMAS Must Denounce Terror - Vatan 1/28 
EU Warns Ankara About Iran - Sabah 
Iran Warns: If Attacked, We'll Strike Israel - Vatan 1/29 
Newsweek: US Military Negotiates with Resisters in Iraq - 
Sabah 
Georgia Asks for Turkey's Support to Join NATO in 2008 - 
Milliyet 
Bill Gates Promises More Investment in Turkey - Vatan 
ABC Reporter, a Cameraman Heavily Wounded in Iraq - Hurriyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Gul: Turkey's Cyprus Proposal a Huge Opportunity for Peace - 
Yeni Safak 
Annan to Launch New Cyprus Initiative in May - Zaman 1/28 
Erdogan: Turkey May Mediate Between HAMAS, Israel - Yeni 
Safak 1/28 
HAMAS Leader: US Not Our Enemy - Yeni Safak 
HAMAS Will Establish Palestine Army - Yeni Safak 1/29 
Merkel: Germany, EU May Cut Financial Aid to Palestine - 
Zaman 
Merkel: Iran a Threat against Democratic World - Cumhuriyet 
Americans Want Military Action if Iran Continues Nuclear 
Program - Zaman 1/29 
Pope Benedict XVI to Visit Turkey in November - Yeni Safak 
1/29 
Athens Mayor Bakoyani to Become Greece's FM - Radikal  1/29 
US Troops Detain Insurgents' Wives in Iraq - Cumhuriyet 1/29 
4 Killed in Insurgent Attacks Against Churches in Baghdad, 
Kirkuk - Cumhuriyet 
Saddam, Angered at New Judge, Leaves Courtroom - Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Erdogan Offers Turkey's Mediation between Israel and 
Palestine:  Weekend papers quote Prime Minister Tayyip 
Erdogan as saying, in Davos, that Turkey is ready to act as 
a mediator between Israel and the new Palestinian 
administration led by HAMAS.  Erdogan's remarks have 
'stunned' the international community, say papers.  Turkish 
officials in Ankara told the press that Erdogan's proposal 
was well intentioned, but not realistic, and that it will 
not receive a positive response from the international 
community. 
 
Alpogan Wraps Up Meetings in US:  On Friday, Turkish 
National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Yigit 
Alpogan told the press in Washington, that he had explained 
to Americans Turkey's views on issues such as Ankara's 
Cyprus proposal, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Armenian genocide, and 
the PKK.  Alpogan said there was no sense in holding a 
referendum in Kirkuk next year, since Kurdish efforts to 
change the demography of the oil-rich Iraqi city continue. 
He said a referendum held solely for Kirkuk would have 
adverse effects on Iraq as a whole, and called on the US to 
'pay attention' to the issue. 
 
Turkey favors a diplomatic process regarding Iran's nuclear 
program, Alpogan said, warning that severe pressure from the 
international community may boost the nationalistic feelings 
of Iranians.  Alpogan also emphasized that Turkey may act as 
a 'facilitator' between Syria and the western world, warning 
Damascus whenever necessary.  Alpogan noted that the United 
States has an 'image problem' in Turkey explaining that, 
'President Bush says that the US opposes all forms of 
terrorism. Yet the U.S. continues to merely watch the 
presence of PKK terrorists in northern Iraq.  A step taken 
against the PKK would change for the good Turkish public 
opinion of the US.'  Alpogan added that Turkish-American 
relations passed through a tough period at the end of 2004, 
but that ties have been improving since June 2005. 
 
EU Expects Stronger Turkish Reaction against Iran:  The 
European Union (EU) has been pressing Ankara to adopt a hard- 
line policy against Tehran, complaining that there was no 
change in Turkish statements regarding Iran, despite rising 
tensions among Iran and the international community, Monday 
papers report.  Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) sources said 
that Turkey has to preserve the balance, adding that for the 
time being, Ankara is determined to avoid moves aimed at 
increasing the pressure on Iran.  However, Turkey supports 
EU views regarding Iran, and is determined to act parallel 
with the EU in the crisis. 
 
Talabani Interviews Turkish Daily:  Iraq President Jalal 
Talabani said, in an exclusive interview with the English- 
language daily "The New Anatolian" on Monday, that the Kurds 
were discussing giving the Turkmen autonomy in northern 
regions where they form the majority in the new constitution 
that is being drafted for the Kurdistan region.  Talabani 
repeated that there will be no Kurdish independence, 
especially without the approval of Turkey.  'The Arab 
Shiites have Iran, the Arab Sunnis have the Arab states and 
especially Saudi Arabia.  We only have Turkey,' Talabani 
said. 
 
According to Talabani, the worst terrorists in Iraq belong 
to the Zarqawi group and al-Qaida. 'They regard ordinary 
Muslims as their enemies if they are not fundamentalists. 
They do not regard the Shiites as real Muslims.  They regard 
moderate Sunnis as people who have given up the Islamic 
faith, committing the greatest sin,' he said.  The Iraqi 
president said there are also extremist Sunni Arabs who have 
been driven to violence because they were angered by US 
troops, the Shiite Arabs, the Kurds or even by the 
government.  'A national unity government can solve this 
problem.  The more Sunni Arabs are involved in the political 
process, the more Sunni extremism will die down.'  Talabani 
expects the Sunni insurgency to end in 'about six months.' 
He noted the Americans are talking with the Sunni Arabs to 
bring them back into the political process.  Talabani added 
that the dialogue between the US and the Sunnis has created 
concerns among the Shiite Arabs that Washington will help 
the Sunnis.  'Shiites Arabs are scared that the Sunni Arabs 
will make a comeback,' he said.  Such a comeback is 
impossible, Talabani said, adding that the Shiite majority 
will continue to play a major role in Iraq.  Talabani also 
noted that the Kurds have emerged as a part of the solution 
in Iraq, and not as the problem: 'We have become the uniting 
factor in Iraq.'  Talabani rejects the notion that the 
Shiites in Iraq are really controlled by Iran.  'The Arab 
Shiites say Najaf is the Vatican of the Shiite world while 
the Iranians are trying to promote Qum as the Vatican. 
Iraqi Arabs do not recognize the religious superiority of 
the grand ayatollah in Iran,' he emphasized.  Talabani noted 
that no one, including the radical Shiite leader Muqtada al- 
Sadr, wants the Americans to go.  The Iraqi president said 
the pullout of American troops will only create a civil war 
between the Sunnis and the Shiites. 
 
Erdogan Attends Davos Meetings:  Addressing the World 
Economic Forum meetings in Davos, Switzerland, Prime 
Minister Erdogan said that Turkey expects five billion USD 
of annual global investment inflow between 2006 and 2007, 
weekend papers report.  Erdogan stressed that Turkey has 
achieved a growth rate of about 20 percent in the past three 
years, becoming the 17th largest economy in the world. 
'Three years ago, Turkey was a country full of corruption, 
particularly in the financial sector.  Today, the financial 
sector in Turkey is among the most profitable, although 
bankrupt banks, taken over by the state, cost Turkey 
approximately 50 billion USD.  For the time being, state and 
private banks are making high profits,' Erdogan said.  The 
AK Party rule in the past three years has transitioned 
Turkey from closed to open society, and from closed to open 
economy, according to Erdogan.  The PM expects Turkey to 
draw 5 billion USD of global capital between 2006 and 2007. 
'Turkey is the last bridge that connects Europe to the East, 
and the East to Europe.  Turkey, a country of opportunities, 
aims to be number one in regional trade,' Erdogan 
emphasized. 
 
Belgian Gendarme Examines Turks Linked to Illegal 
Activities:  Monday "Aksam" claims that the gendarme in 
Belgium, without notifying the government, had secretly 
compiled information about 90,330 Turks linked to organized 
crime and narcotics smuggling.  Belgian lawmakers filed an 
investigation into the secret gendarme operation.  The 
scandal has been hushed up by a committee headed by judge 
Freddy Troch.  Troch is the chief justice of the Belgian 
court in Bruges that will hear the case of Turkish terrorist 
Fehriye Erdal, says "Aksam."  Erdal is wanted in Turkey for 
the assassination of famous Turkish businessman Ozdemir 
Sabanci. 
 
Bird Flu Detected in Turkish Cyprus:  A statement issued by 
the European Commission announced that the deadly H5N1 bird 
flu strain was found in poultry samples sent from Turkish 
Cyprus to a laboratory in Britain, Monday papers report. 
The commission declared that the EU will send experts to the 
region to investigate the situation.  Papers speculate that 
the Greek Cypriots may close the Turkish Cypriot border to 
contain the disease.  Meanwhile, Turkish Agriculture 
Minister Mehdi Eker said over the weekend that the EU had 
removed restrictions on the importation of milk and poultry 
from Turkey. 
 
Pope May Visit Turkey in November:  Sunday papers report a 
Vatican source as saying over the weekend that Pope Benedict 
XVI will probably visit Turkey on November 30 to coincide 
with St. Andrew's Day, though no date has been fixed yet. 
Sunday "Hurriyet" says that Ankara has declined to confirm 
the report.  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I had invited 
Benedict XVI to attend St. Andrew's Day last November. 
However, the invitation was not matched by Ankara, which 
asked the Pope to come in 2006 instead. 
 
AKP MPs Cold to Turkey's Strategic Partnership with US:  An 
opinion survey conducted among the ruling AKP lawmakers, 
provincial leaders, and mayors says that 71 percent support 
EU membership and 61 percent support birth control.  Ninety- 
seven percent of the respondents voiced opposition to gay 
marriages, 85 percent to extramarital relations, and 80 
percent to abortion.  Most of the AKP members are cold to 
the idea of a strategic partnership between the US and 
Turkey, according to the survey. 
 
Bill Gates Pledges to Continue Investment in Turkey: 
Microsoft's Bill Gates, the world computer software giant 
and the world's richest man, pledged to continue investments 
in Turkey.  Gates was received by Prime Minister Tayyip 
Erdogan on Sunday evening in Istanbul.  Erdogan said that 
his government supports the establishment of a 'silicon 
valley' in Turkey.  'We want global companies to choose 
Turkey as their technology base,' Erdogan said.  Gates 
praised Turkey's stance on information technology, saying 
that Turkey was expanding use of the Internet while some 
countries are restricting it.  'We will continue to invest 
in Turkey.  Turkey has a very bright future,' Gates said. 
Gates will attend a meeting with Turkish university students 
in Istanbul on Monday. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Palestine/Hamas 
 
"Understanding Palestine by Looking at Hamas" 
Cengiz Candar commented in the tabloid "Bugun" (1/30): 
"There is concern about whether the peace process will stop, 
following the election victory of Hamas.  The question is, 
was there a genuinely working peace process?  If there was, 
how could we explain the Israeli security wall?  If there 
was, how could we possibly explain the last days of Arafat 
in Ramallah surrounded by Israel?  In sum, what comes around 
goes around for Israel.  Palestine has now started a new 
chapter with newly emerging facts.  Success may take some 
time and may not actually happen in the end.   Yet the 
problem is not only Hamas, it is also Israeli policies, 
which led to the existence of Hamas and created the 
conditions for election victory.  Following the Israeli 
elections, which are scheduled for March 28, we will have an 
Israel without Sharon and a Palestine with Hamas.  Speaking 
in realistic terms, Hamas cannot put down arms without first 
seeing the election results in Israel.  Hamas will try to 
wait and see tangible clues about the elimination of Israeli 
occupation before abandoning its trump card." 
 
"The Hamas Era in Palestine" 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in the conservative "Turkiye" 
(1/30):  "The main reason for Al Fath's defeat is its 
involvement in severe corruption.  Al Fath abused billions 
in Arab aid as well as Arafat's heritage.  However both the 
US and Israel recognize Hamas as an Iranian-linked terrorist 
organization, not a political party.  Even if Hamas agrees 
to a coalition with Al Fath, it is still unlikely that 
Israel will recognize the government. Cutting off the 
Iranian link seems impossible for Hamas.  The only 
possibility for Hamas is to give up on terror.  This is 
exactly what Turkey hopes to see happen.  Considering the 
current atmosphere, it is also very likely that violence 
will reoccur in Palestine.  The Shiite movement has gained 
significant ground in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. 
And the movement will try to spread to a broader region. 
All of this means, the tension will get even higher in the 
Middle East." 
 
"The Lesson and Opportunity with Hamas Victory" 
Washington-based Yasemin Congar wrote in the mainstream 
"Milliyet" (1/30): "Can we take the victory of Hamas, which 
is a violent and radical Islamist organization, as a chance 
for peace?  It may sound way too optimistic, but there are 
some in Washington who believe that the election victory of 
Hamas can be a chance for peace.  First of all, following 
the legitimate election process, there is no other way than 
to accept Hamas' rule.  Both international and regional 
players should concentrate on forcing Hamas to make a choice 
between democracy and terrorism.  The international 
community should persuade the Palestinian people that the 
way toward becoming a state is through the democratic choice 
of Hamas.  The international community should be able to 
form policies in this regard and should also prevent Iran 
and Syria's negative influence on Palestine.  Can this be 
successful in the end?  Is it really possible to see Hamas 
change?  The optimistic ones in Washington believe that it 
is worth trying." 
 
WILSON