ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003802

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, JULY 8, 2004


THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER
THREE THEMES:

HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
EU to inject Euro 259 million into the `TRNC' - Milliyet
`Made in TRNC' products to EU markets - Sabah
EU takes a concrete step for `TRNC' - Aksam
Raid on Turkish mafia in New York - Hurriyet
Israel concerned about rise in domestic violence - Aksam
El-Al to restart flights to Turkey - Milliyet

OPINION MAKERS
EU's historic `opening' to the `TRNC' - Radikal
Toward Emergency rule in Iraq - Zaman
FBI crackdown on Turkish gang in New York - Cumhuriyet
PM Erdogan meets Turkish minority in Sofia - Radikal
Radical Jews threaten to kill Sharon - Cumhuriyet
Israel complains to el-Baradei about Iran - Zaman
Americans take 1.7 tons of uranium to US - Cumhuriyet
US millionaires race for presidency - Referans


BRIEFING

EU assists `TRNC': The EU Commission on Wednesday passed a
four-part assistance package for the `TRNC' in an effort to
ease the isolation of northern Cyprus. The package clears
the path for the export of goods from `TRNC' ports to
European countries, and authorizes the Turkish Cypriot
Chamber of Commerce to issue export certificates for
agricultural products. The package also includes financial
aid in the amount of 259 million Euro for the improvement of
infrastructure, and lays out procedures for passage across
the Green Line that separates the Greek Cypriot south from
the Turkish Cypriot north. `TRNC PM' Mehmet Ali Talat
welcomed the moves, saying that the package is `similar to
having a Customs Union agreement with the EU.' Turkish PM
Erdogan said the EU had undertaken measures that were long
expected by Turkey.

Iraq: MFA Spokesman Namik Tan warned against attempts to
change the demographic structure of Kirkuk and said that
Kurds, Turkmen and Arabs should live there together in peace
and security. Tan stressed that various Iraqi groups,
Iraq's neighbors, and the international community all have
sensitivities with regard to the future of Kirkuk, a city of
critical significance for regional stability and peace. Tan
also noted that Ankara and the Iraqi Administration have
been working to set a date for a visit by Iraqi PM Allawi to
Turkey. Diplomatic sources said preparation for training of
Iraqi army units by Turkey are continuing in line with the
resolution adopted at the June NATO summit in Istanbul.

Turkey/Iran: The MFA Spokesman also noted that the Turkey-
Iran joint security committee will be convened next week in
Ankara to discuss security issues and measures taken by Iran
against PKK/Kongra-Gel activities in the region. PM Erdogan
suspended a scheduled visit to Tehran last year due to the
ineffectiveness of Iran in fighting the PKK. "Sabah"
reports that Erdogan will visit Iran July 28-29. Meanwhile,
the Iranian Interior Minister announced that 2 Iranian
soldiers and 10 PKK militants had been killed in clashes in
the Iranian province of West Azerbaijan. The clashes
reportedly took place 9 days ago. Iranian officials also
announced that they had arrested 22 persons for `anti-
Turkish activities' and handed over all of the suspects to
Turkey.
FBI launches `Operation Ankara': Police officers in New
York raided a string of Turkish-owned gas stations and
grocery stores that are alleged to have employed illegal
workers been involved in money laundering. 200 federal,
state, and local security personnel searched dozens of shops
and gas stations run by Turks in New York. Seven Turks were
arrested and 57 were detained in the crackdown. Police
claim that money laundering activities carried out by the
suspects amounted to more than 26 million dollars.

Former DEP lawmakers to establish new party: Former DEP
lawmaker Leyla Zana and other recently released DEP deputies
say they are working to establish a new party that would
contribute to the `restructuring' of Turkey. The Ex-MPs
said the party to be founded this fall would work to ensure
`domestic peace.' Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and
Selim Sadak have been banned from politics for their alleged
ties with the outlawed PKK. The political ban could be
removed, however, if Zana and her colleagues are acquitted
by the Court of Cassation (Yargitay). The first hearing in
the appeals process will take place today.


EDITORIAL OPINION:

a) US Elections
b) Iraq-Israel-BMENAI

"Toward the US Elections"
Soli Ozel observed in the mass appeal Sabah (7/8): "With the
announcement of Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards,
the US has officially entered the election season. The
presidential elections will be the sole topic in US politics
for the next four months. Experts agree that foreign policy
will be the leitmotif during the elections. ... Michael
Moore's new movie is definitely an agenda item in the
election process. With the help of `Fahrenheit 9/11,' the
American public finally started to learn some facts after
being fed by the US media with one-sided information in the
post-9/11 atmosphere. ... Jackie Stevens, a US political
scientist, notes the lack of effective opposition from the
Democrats, and argues that the election rivals this time are
not Bush and Kerry, but rather Bush and `Fahrenheit 9/11.'
... Public opinion polls indicate that around 10 percent of
voters are undecided, and they will play the determinative
role in the outcome of the election. It remains to be seen
whether Edwards give the Kerry campaign the boost it needs."

"Anti-Semitic lies, anti-Kurdish feelings and the GME"
Cengiz Candar wrote in the sensational DB Tercuman (7/8):
"From the very beginning, I believed that Turkey's strategic
relationship with Israel, particularly the military aspect,
was a mistake. The strategic military relationship with
Israel puts Turkey in a position of supporting Israeli
policy for the Middle East. Such an image is incompatible
with Turkey's historic identity and its strength. ... This
approach, however, should not be interpreted as anti-
Semitism. The Seymour Hersh story in `The New Yorker,' for
instance, contains categorical lies about Israeli
intentions, including the claim that Israel aims to divide
both Iraq and Turkey. ... Anti-Semitism has accelerated
recently, as we started reading claims that the GME was in
fact a `Greater Israeli Project,' and that the Kurds in Iraq
would be used against Turkey. ... This complete nonsense
does nothing but create enmity between Turkey and the Kurds
deepen anti-Kurdish feelings. Therefore, even routine and
natural contact with Iraqi Kurdish leaders is presented in a
suspicious context. ... Fortunately, common sense still
prevails, at least according to the results of a recent
opinion poll in Turkey. People were asked whether they
think there is a need for a democratic reform process in the
Islamic world. Just 16.5 percent responded `no,' while
72.1 percent said `yes.' When asked whether Turkey should
take an active role in the GME project, 19.8 percent said
`no,' and 59.2 said `yes.' ... Turkey deserves credit for
not paying attention to conspiracy theories, racism, and
moronic lies, and the public deserves credit for holding
such sensible opinions."

DEUTSCH