ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003828

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, JULY 9, 2004

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

HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
TGS issues warning on Kurdish ex-MPs, PKK - Aksam
Gen. Basbug: US has done nothing about the PKK - Milliyet
Gen. Basbug: PKK is in Iraq, so we are - Hurriyet
TGS: Kirkuk's demography must not be changed - Hurriyet
Talabani: PKK is helpless - Aksam
Rich Americans race for the presidency - Milliyet
The Hague to rule on legitimacy of Israel's security fence -
Sabah

OPINION MAKERS
TGS: US must do its part on the PKK - Zaman
Iraqi uranium taken to US without UN authorization -
Cumhuriyet
US steals two tons of uranium in Iraq - Yeni Safak
June the bloodiest month in Iraq - Cumhuriyet
Two Turkish truck drivers killed in Iraq - Radikal
TGS: We'll stay in Iraq until the PKK is eliminated -
Radikal
Tom Ridge: Al-Qaeda preparing large-scale attack - Yeni
Safak
`TRNC': EU assistance package will force Greeks to
compromise - Cumhuriyet
Guantanamo captives to face military court - Radikal
US military sets up commission for Guantanamo detainees -
Zaman
China wipes out Uighur Turks - Yeni Safak


BRIEFING

TGS Deputy Chief on northern Iraq, Kurds: Deputy Chief of
Staff General Ilker Basbug told a monthly press briefing on
Thursday that Turkish troops would not leave northern Iraq
until the PKK presence is removed. Basbug strongly
criticized former DEP lawmakers, including Leyla Zana, for
`daring' to suggest an extension to the cease-fire that had
been recently annulled by the PKK. Basbug lashed out at the
government for allowing the Kurdish ex-MPs stage
demonstrations in southeast Turkey. Basbug warned against
attempts to change the demographic structure of Kirkuk. He
suggested that such problems could be overcome by granting a
special status to Kirkuk. He also noted that all US
military training flights in Turkey are fully coordinated
with the Turkish military. Basbug confirmed that the US has
not put forward any military requests outside of the
existing bilateral defense agreement (DECA),but has
requested to modify current training methods to include
night-time flying, in-air refueling, and low-altitude
training.

Cyprus: Ankara called on the EU to do more to ease
sanctions against the `TRNC,' particularly in the areas of
transport and tourism. Ankara expects similar steps from
the US and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC),
"Cumhuriyet" reports. The US is preparing for direct trade
relations with the `TRNC,' but the initiative may be delayed
due to the upcoming US presidential elections and opposition
from the Greek lobby in Washington. Ankara is also working
to open the way for direct flights to northern Cyprus from
third countries. Meanwhile, the World Bank (WB) and the UN
have prepared a financial and technical assistance package
for the `TRNC' in an effort to support the economic reform
process in northern Cyprus, "Aksam" reports. The US is
expected to contribute to the WB-UN assistance package.

Israeli Deputy PM Olmert due in Ankara: Israel's Deputy PM
Ehud Olmert will visit Ankara next week to discuss with PM
Erdogan Turkey's policy regarding Israel and Erdogan's
critical comments about Israel's policy in the occupied
territories. Turkish papers cite the Israeli daily
"Haaretz" as claiming that Olmert will urge Erdogan to
muffle his criticisms of Israeli policies, openly support
Israel's Gaza disengagement plan, and send FM Gul on an
official visit to Israel in the near future.

Talabani on the PKK, Kirkuk: The northern Iraqi Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani told CNN-Turk
on Thursday that the order for the PKK to end its unilateral
cease-fire had come from PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. The
PKK/Kongra-Gel in northern Iraq is divided into three
groups, Talabani said, adding that the organization had lost
its effectiveness. Talabani described the PKK in Iraq as `a
fish out of water.' `The Kurds do not want any more war,'
Talabani stressed. He said that Kirkuk should be given a
special status with a governorship that would rotate
annually among the Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen. Talabani added
that KDP leader Barzani would also support a special status
for Kirkuk.

EDITORIAL OPINION: US Elections; Iraq-Turkey-Kurds

"Is Kerry Any Different Than Bush?"
Sedat Laciner, a university professor, wrote in the Islamist-
intellectual Zaman (7/9): "It is now a general wish in the
world, particularly in the Arab and Muslim world, to see
Bush lose the presidential election in November. The world
would prefer the new president to be a Clinton-like figure.
Some even argue that there is already a political figure who
could meet those expectations, namely John Kerry. The Kerry
campaign has been doing very well so far, especially because
Kerry has received support from the Clintons. Yet all of
these expectations might turn into a disappointment, because
there are some indications about Kerry that might make us
long for Bush. The election campaign for John Kerry is
based on Bush's foreign policy failures, particularly the
Iraq war. However, Kerry's policies don't seem to be any
different from Bush. His criticism regarding the war on
terrorism is not about its content and goals, but about
style and methods. Kerry has not yet pronounced himself on
the possible withdrawal of US forces from Iraq and
Afghanistan. Moreover, he promises the American voters to
use military force and make incursions into other places if
and when the need arises. ... John Kerry's vision regarding
Israel is also interesting. He believes that the reason for
the existence of the United States and the reasons for the
existence of Israel are interrelated. Kerry's defintion of
Israel as `the real democray in the Middle East' reflects
his view of Turkey as well as other countries in the Middle
East. ... Kerry is also very close to the Armenian lobby,
which might cause problems for Ankara. Unlike Bush, Kerry
defines the events of 1915 as a genocide. ... Given such
indications, it is possible to conclude that the post-Bush
era will not be a bed of roses either for Turkey or for the
Middle East. It is possible that Kerry will make us miss
the days of George Bush."

"The Future of the Kurdish Movement"
Oral Calislar wrote in the social democrat-opinion maker
Cumhuriyet (7/9): "There are certain issues which will be
clarified in the course of time. For instance, how long
will the PKK remain present in northern Iraq? What is the
US plan against the PKK? In any case, it is possible that
the US will take action against the PKK at any time, and as
soon as that happens things will start to change. Turkey's
Kurdish issue, on the other hand, is going to be shaped
through Turkey's democratization process. It is unlikely
that the PKK can play a role in this process. Instead, we
can expect a legal political struggle. It seems Turkey is
prepared to accept a federal Iraq. A political amnesty in
Turkey would help to settle Turkey's part of the Kurdish
issue. ... The truth is that the Kurds in Turkey must now
choose between a political struggle and armed action.
Continuing both efforts at the same time is no longer an
option. There is no longer popular support for the armed
struggle."

DEUTSCH