ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002230

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
TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

MASS APPEAL
US, EU Happy With Talat's Election Victory in `TRNC' - Aksam
Greek Cypriots Happy That Denktas Era Over - Milliyet
Iraqi Shiite Alliance Demands Saddam's Execution - Sabah
Israel Postpones Gaza Withdrawal to August - Sabah
The Third Millennium's First Papal Election - Hurriyet

OPINION MAKERS
US Administration Congratulates Talat On Election Victory -
Radikal
Nicosia Cautious Over Talat Victory in `TRNC' Polls -
Radikal
No `Normalization' in Iraq - Yeni Safak
Talabani: Shiite Militia, Peshmerge Can Break Resistance in
Iraq - Zaman
Khatemi Challenges US - Yeni Safak
Russia-Georgia Talks on Bases Collapse - Zaman
India, Pakistan Agree: Peace Process is `Irreversible' -
Cumhuriyet


BRIEFING

Bulgaria, Romania Could Be `Alternates' to Incirlik Airbase:
The US has started considering its restructured airbases in
Romania and Bulgaria as alternates to Incirlik in the face
of a delayed response by Turkey regarding the use of
Incirlik as a logistical cargo hub, "Yeni Safak" reports.
The US has not renewed its request, and US officials told
MFA Undersecretary Ali Tuygan last week in Washington that
it had `other options' for the proposed hub. `Incirlik has
never been of crucial strategic significance for us,' a high-
level US official told "Yeni Safak," adding that Washington
did not link the Armenian `genocide' bill or any other event
to its request on Incirlik. Tuygan did not give a clear
answer on the US request, the paper reports.

US Uses `Napalm Bomb' in Iraq: The UK-based Iraq Analysis
Group claimed in a report that the US military used MK-77,
`an advanced napalm bomb,' during operations against Iraqi
soldiers in Iraq, and against resistance fighters in
Fallujah, "Cumhuriyet" and "Yeni Safak" report. The reports
claimed that the US military first denied, but later
admitted, using napalm-like weapons, according to
"Cumhuriyet."

NSC Discusses Domestic Migration, Rising Nationalism,
Cyprus: Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned the National
Security Council (NSC) that rising nationalism in Turkey
must be brought under control, papers report. In its
monthly meeting on Monday, the NSC discussed the causes
behind domestic population movements, and advised on ways to
prevent continued migration to Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara,
Adana, Mersin, Antalya, and Diyarbakir provinces, which have
already reached a `critical point.' In a report submitted
to the NSC, Secretary General Yigit Alpogan called on
Turkish health and family institutions to step up family
planning efforts in east and southeast Turkey. The NSC
meeting also assessed the outcome of the presidential
election in the `TRNC,' and policies to be adopted on the
Cyprus problem. Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler briefed
the NSC on the world energy situation, and warned of
Turkey's `overdependence' on Russia for its natural gas
supply.
EU Concerned About Rising Nationalism in Turkey:
Ambassadors of European Union (EU) countries expressed
concern regarding the rise of nationalist sentiment in
Turkey at a monthly meeting in Ankara on Monday, "Sabah"
reports. `We are stunned by the remarks of Prime Minister
Erdogan blaming the EU for attempting to divide Turkey,' a
senior EU source said. `Erdogan has given us some clues
about the inertia we see in the Turkish reform process,' the
same source said. `If Erdogan really believes that the EU
wants to divide Turkey, then why is EU membership still the
number oneagenda item for the Government?' he asked.
Another European diplomat demanded an explanation from
Erdogan, stressing that Turkey's EU entry would require a
sharing of sovereignty. He called on the Turkish prime
minister to `adjust' his views to this reality.

Gul, Molyviatis to Meet in Greece: Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul is to meet with his Greek counterpart Petros
Molyviatis at the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
meetings in Greece on April 23. Gul is expected to raise
the recent desecration of the Turkish flag at a Greek
military academy, where Turkish War Academy students were
staying as part of an exchange program. Diplomatic sources
told "Cumhuriyet" that Athens has expressed regret over the
flag `provocation,' and pledged to punish the perpetrators.
However, military sources said that Greece has not sent an
official apology. The Turkish government prefers not to
escalate tensions with Athens, the report claims.

Talat New `President' of `TRNC': Mehmet Ali Talat, the
winner of the presidential election in the `TRNC,' will be
sworn into office on April 24. Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer congratulated Talat on
his election victory. Gul said that Turkey's priorities are
the safeguarding of Turkish Cypriots' interests and a
lasting peace on Cyprus. Gul added that Turkey, a guarantor
country, will continue to fulfill its duties mandated by
international agreements. State Department Deputy Spokesman
Adam Ereli said `the United States welcomes this
reaffirmation by the Turkish Cypriots of their commitment to
a comprehensive solution and reunification of the island.
We look forward to working with all interested parties to
this end.'

American Aid Worker Killed in Baghdad: Marla Ruzicka, an
American aid worker, was killed in Baghdad over the weekend
when her vehicle was caught in a crossfire between
insurgents and Iraqi security forces, "Aksam" reports.
Ruzicka was working to get financial compensation for
civilian casualties of the war. She had worked in
Afghanistan and Iraq to document the exact number of
civilians killed or injured by US forces, and had helped
victims receive compensation from the US government.

US Expands No-Fly List: "Cumhuriyet" cites "TIME" magazine
as reporting that the US has expanded the `no-fly' list,
which bans passengers who are potential terrorist threats
from entering the United States. The list now includes
31,000 names, up from 19,000 last September. The report
claims that the expanded list is being implemented `despite
frequent criticism of its reliability.'

UNICEF's `Girls to School' Campaign: The UN children's
agency UNICEF announced that 113,000 Turkish girls began
studying this year under the auspices of a UN program to
keep kids in schools, "Radikal" reports. UNICEF's goal next
year is to enroll 250,000 girls.


EDITORIAL OPINION: Turkish Foreign Policy, Cyprus
"Europe is Dividing Turkey"
Asli Aydintasbas observed in the mass appeal "Sabah" (4/19):
"Turkey has always been carried away with the paranoia that
`everyone is trying to divide us.' Yet the worst may be yet
to come: this argument is now being supported by other
versions of paranoia, including those about minorities,
missionaries, and foreigners buying property in Turkey.
Even Prime Minister Erdogan has started talking about EU
attempts to divide Turkey, and he made such remarks as the
Prime Minister of a country that is about to start a
negotiation process with the European Union. . This growing
anti-EU sentiment is a growing danger to Turkey's future.
As we have seen in the case of Turkish-American relations,
Turkish officials who make bold anti-American remarks to
satisfy the public later are forced to deal with growing
anti-Americanism. Going through a similar experience with
the EU is not going to help Turkey at all."

"Conservative, Reformist or Fascist?"
Cengiz Candar warned in the conservative-sensational "DB
Tercuman" (4/19): "By reading PM Erdogan's recent comments
about the EU intention to `divide Turkey,' we can only
conclude that the Prime Minister now places himself in the
same category as groups that are strongly opposed to the EU.
. Turkey is in need of a political party that focuses on
reform and globalization, as well as one that embraces the
poor instead of engaging in cheap nationalism. The AKP will
survive only if it manages to accomplish this. . However,
there are strong indications that the AKP is `misreading'
the social circumstances in Turkey. Turkish society is very
dynamic. It is conservative on the issue of moral values,
but reformist when it comes to social, economic, and
international policies. But the AKP's interpretation of
conservatism does not match reality. . The AKP is on the
wrong track, and needs to change its rhetoric immediately
for the sake of both the AKP and Turkey."

"Farewell to Denktas"
Haluk Ulman wrote in political-economic "Dunya" (4/19):
"Denktas used to be the name to blame for the lack of a
settlement to the Cyprus issue. It seems that those who
held this view have now come to their senses, especially
after the Greek Cypriots rejected the Annan Plan.
Nevertheless, `the obstacle" is no longer in active
politics. On the other hand, Denktas is such a `man of
struggle' that he will not keep silent even though he won't
be in the leadership. . Denktas leaves the Turkish Cypriots
in a position to live in freedom and safety. They are no
longer a `minority group,' as the entire world used to refer
to them. These are some major achievements by Denktas. He
made some mistakes in domestic politics, but his leadership
of the Turkish Cypriots will always be fondly remembered."

EDELMAN