ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 005182

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, SEPTEMBER 6, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Erdogan: Turkey Ready to Cut Off Talks with EU - Sabah
FT: EU Should Honor Its Promise to Turkey - Aksam
King Abdullah's Iraq Concern - Milliyet
72 Insurgents Killed in Tal Afar - Hurriyet
Operation against Turkmen City of Tal Afar: 72 Killed -
Sabah
PKK riots in Van, Mersin Provinces - Milliyet
Schroeder Wins TV Duel with Merkel - Hurriyet
Turkish Vessel Collides with US Submarine - Hurriyet
Katrina May Bring the End for Bush - Aksam 9/5
New Orleans Becomes a `Ghost City' - Hurriyet 9/5
Bangladesh Offers US 1 Million USD for Katrina Victims -
Vatan
Jane Fonda Campaigns for Iraq Pullout - Aksam

OPINION MAKERS
US Troops Besiege Tal Afar, Turkmen Uneasy - Zaman
King Abdullah: Iraq Fire Will Burn Turkey, Jordan Too -
Zaman
Germany Bans `PKK Daily' "Ozgur Gundem" - Cumhuriyet
Black Americans Accuse Bush of `Racism' - Cumhuriyet 9/5
US Asks EU, NATO for Help - Yeni Safak 9/5
US Judiciary Getting Conservative - Radikal
EU Leaders Land in China - Yeni Safak
First Shakespeare Play in Kabul in 25 Years - Yeni Safak


BRIEFING

PKK Demonstrations in Support of Ocalan: Supporters of the
separatist PKK held violent protests in Istanbul, Bursa,
Mersin and Van provinces in support of jailed PKK leader
Abdullah Ocalan, throwing `Molotov cocktails' at vehicles
and shops and prompting riot police to respond with tear
gas, papers reported over the weekend. Eighty-eight
demonstrators were detained in Istanbul after burning a
commuter bus and fighting with the police. The police saved
some demonstrators from lynching attempts by local people.
PKK supporters clashed with police in the mainly Kurdish
city of Diyarbakyr and attacked the local branch of
nationalist party MHP as well as bank offices.
Demonstrators threw stones at the police and attacked a
local police station. The PKK protests are a provocation
designed to sabotage the democratic atmosphere in Turkey and
are orchestrated by Ocalan and the PKK leadership in
northern Iraq, papers speculate. Press commentaries point
to the rising violence on the eve of October 3, the date for
opening EU entry talks with Turkey. Justice Minister and
Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said after a six-hour
cabinet meeting that Turkish people had been `coolheaded' in
the face of the provocations. Main opposition CHP leader
Deniz Baykal and many other political parties called on the
nation to remain calm.

Dissident Kurds Gather against the PKK: On Sunday, Kurdish
intellectuals who oppose the PKK terror organization held a
meeting in Ankara to support the breakthrough made by Prime
Minister Erdogan with regard to the Kurdish issue, Monday
papers report. The dissident Kurds stressed that the PKK
was not the representative of all Kurds in Turkey, calling
on the militants to lay down arms. The group also issued a
call for a review of Turkey's unitary structure. The
meeting was organized by HAK-PAR, the pro-Kurdish party
chaired by former lawmaker Abdulmelik Firat.

Germany Bans PKK-Affiliated Daily: Germany's interior
ministry shut down the PKK-affiliated "Ozgur Politika"
newspaper on the grounds that it disseminated orders of the
separatist PKK leadership. Police searched the houses of
columnists and writers at "Ozgur Politika," say papers.

Sezer Declines Inviting Talabani: President Sezer has been
refusing for four months to extend an invitation to Iraqi
President Talabani to visit Ankara as Turkey is trying to
pressure him and Barzani to change their policy on the
northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk which they claim as Kurdish,
weekend papers report. Diplomatic sources told the press
that Ankara had been uneasy with the Talabani policies in
Kirkuk, lashing out at the Iraqi president for ignoring the
sensitivities of Turkey. Ankara is uneasy that the draft
Iraqi constitution contained no guarantees to preserve the
special status of Kirkuk and is also worried that Kurds will
continue efforts to change the demography of the oil-rich
northern Iraqi city before a scheduled census in 2007, say
papers.

US-Iraq Operations against Tal Afar Insurgents: Iraqi and
US troops, backed by helicopters and attack aircraft, are
battling insurgents in the northern town of Tal Afar, where
at least 72 insurgents were killed, Turkish papers report
the US military as saying on Monday. The insurgents were
killed by helicopter fire after shooting at the security
forces from inside a mosque. Its residents continued
fleeing Tal Afar where tension is high between its Sunni
Arab and Turkmen communities. Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF)
representative Abdullah Ketene told the Turkish press that
the operation aimed at driving out the Turkmen, pointing to
Kurds' attempts to change the demographic structure of the
town.

Turkey Offers Help to Katrina Victims: The Turkish Red
Crescent (Kizilay) told the US Red Cross that it was ready
to help Hurricane Katrina victims, Tuesday "Sabah" reports.
Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said that Turkey shared the
grievances of `friend and ally' United States, adding that
Turkish offers for cooperation in the face of the disaster
had been conveyed to the US Administration. Turkey is
planning to move together with NATO and the European Union
in an effort to help heal the wounds of the victims of the
hurricane, says the report.

Ivanov Offers Military Cooperation with Turkey: The Russian
Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov told the Turkish media in a
statement that Turkey and Russia can cooperate in diverse
fields ranging from the defense industry to the struggle
against terrorism, and from regional issues to space
exploration, Tuesday papers report. The Ivanov statement
noted that in 1994, the two countries had signed a military
cooperation agreement -- the first such deal Russia signed
with a NATO member. Ivanov said that Turkey and Russia
should produce together armored military vehicles and search-
and- rescue vessels, should cooperate in military satellite
surveillance technology, and that Russian anti-aircraft
systems can be integrated into air defense systems produced
by Strelets and Aselsan, military industry companies in the
two countries. Ivanov also stressed that the
Russian/Israeli-made attack helicopters would prove to be
advantageous for the Turkish army. "Milliyet" speculates
that Ivanov urged Turkey to deepen cooperation with Russia
by opting in favor of the Russian/Israeli helicopters.

Gul Warns EU against Further Concessions: Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul told "The Economist" that Turkey will leave the
negotiating table with the EU `for good' if the bloc offers
anything short of full membership, weekend papers reported.
`No one should expect Turkey to make more concessions. We
have stuck to our side of the bargain, and the EU should
stick to its side,' Gul stressed. Saturday's papers also
reported Gul as telling the European foreign ministers that
a counter-declaration to be issued by the EU against
Ankara's reluctance to recognize Cyprus would be
`unacceptable' for Turkey.

King Abdullah Visits Ankara: During his one-day working
visit to Ankara on Monday, Jordan's King Abdullah shared
with President Sezer and Prime Minister Erdogan his concerns
with regard to the developments in Iraq on the eve of the
parliamentary vote on the new constitution. Abdullah said
after meeting Sezer that the Sunnis should participate in
the political developments in Iraq, voicing concern that
unrest in the country would spill over Jordan and other
regional countries. Sezer voiced support for Iraq's
territorial integrity and reiterated Ankara's sensitivities
about preserving the special status of Kirkuk. He also
offered to sign a free trade agreement between the two
countries and asked for Jordan's support for northern
Cyprus. Abdullah later discussed Iraq and Palestine with PM
Erdogan before flying to Egypt the same day, say papers.

EU to Ask Ankara to Normalize Ties with Nicosia:
"Cumhuriyet" says that a counter-declaration to be released
by the EU in response to Ankara's Cyprus declaration would
contain a provision calling for the normalization of Turkish
ties with the Greek Cypriots by 2006. The declaration will
call Turkey to allow Greek Cypriots vessels to Turkish
ports. Nicosia is also expected to press for opening a
diplomatic representation in Ankara, says "Cumhuriyet". The
paper warns that it will be Vienna, an opponent of Turkey's
membership, to decide whether Turkey has met EU requirements
during Austria's term presidency in the first half of 2006.
If Turkey declines to meet EU demands, accession talks will
not advance, the paper adds.

50th Anniversary of Attacks against Non-Muslims in Istanbul:
September 6 marks the 50th anniversary of attacks against
non-Muslim businesses, houses and places of worship in
Istanbul after a report that a bomb had been thrown at the
house where Turkey's founder Ataturk was born in
Thessalonika, Greece, "Milliyet" reports on Tuesday. Five
thousand three hundred seventeen non-Muslim owned shops and
houses were destroyed in attacks by Turks in September 6-7,
1955, in Istanbul. According to court records, 4,214
houses, 1,004 businesses, 73 churches, one synagogue, two
monasteries and 26 schools were plundered by an angry mob,
prompting declaration of Martial Law. The then-ruling party
DP (Democrat Party) blamed the communists for the uproar.
Following the attacks, the majority of non-Muslims left
Turkey.

EU Concerned of Lawsuit against Pamuk: Saturday "Sabah"
says that the legal action initiated by Turkey against
renowned novelist Orhan Pamuk had annoyed both the
supporters and adversaries of Turkey's EU entry. Observers
said that the lawsuit filed on the eve of October 3 was a
`misfortune' for Turkey, warning that it will block Turkey's
EU membership.

PKK Militants Captured in Istanbul: On Monday, police
captured three PKK militants preparing to stage bomb attacks
against civilians in the Sultanahmet district in Istanbul,
papers report. The terrorists had 108 kg of A-4 shrapnel
bombs in their hideout.

Another Turkish Truck Driver Killed in Iraq: A Turkish
truck driver, Huseyin Bulat (66),was killed in the Belet
city of Iraq over the weekend, Monday papers report. Bulat,
the father of eight children, was carrying pre-fabricated
housing material to US forces in Iraq.

US Submarine Collides with Turkish Vessel: A US nuclear-
powered submarine, USS Philadelphia, collided with a Turkish
cargo ship in the Persian Gulf on Monday, papers report.
Nobody was hurt and both vessels appeared to suffer only
superficial damage, the US navy reportedly said.


EDITORIAL OPINION: Hurricane Katrina

"Death of a Superman"
Ali Kirca commented in the mass appeal "Sabah" (9/6):
"Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the reality. Superman is a
Hollywood legend, and a superpower is a virtual reality. In
reality, none of these things exist. The reality about the
superpower has become clear after hurricane Katrina. First
the blacks realized the truth, and then the entire world.
The superpower image of the US been washed away like make-
up. Hurricane Katrina unfortunately claimed thousands of
lives, and we wish that had not happened. But it brought
some bitter lessons as well. Most of all, this event will
mark an end for the Bush administration and an end for a
Republican administration for the foreseeable future.
Katrina will likely to turn into a political cyclone for the
Republican Party in the next US elections."

"Troubles for the US"
Ilter Turkmen wrote in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (9/6):
"The US now seems to be confused and stumbling, not only in
Iraq, but also domestically due to the Katrina disaster. It
seems that popular trust in President Bush has experienced a
serious, irreparable blow. In fact, the list of President
Bush's mistakes is becoming quite long. Ignoring the
intelligence reports prior to, starting the Iraq war despite
reports of the possible consequences, the increase in Al-
Qaida terror, and the Bush administration's cutting of
social programs are just a few examples. The New Orleans
disaster showed that there is a third world hidden within
the United States. President Bush once again grasped the
dimensions of the disaster only belatedly. After the 9/11
terrorist attacks, we saw a united America. But today we
see a divided America. Given the current situation, there
is almost no way for the Bush administration to pursue a
successful and firm policy in Iraq and the Middle East."

"Bush, Go Back Home!
Mustafa Balbay commented in the leftist-nationalist
"Cumhuriyet": "Recent incidents in New Orleans remind us of
two phrases. One is, `a person's weakest moment comes when
he feels most powerful.' The second is, `if a country tries
to overcome everything through military power, it is a sign
that the country has started to disintegrate.' Both of
these phrases apply very much to George Bush. There is no
doubt that the US has the most powerful military force in
the world. Never mind individual countries, but even if
whole continents join together they cannot fight against
this superpower. But rockets do not eliminate hurricanes!
Everyone now believes that the reason it took so long for
the hurricane relief to reach New Orleans is that the
majority of the city's inhabitants are black people. Even
if this not true, the fact that people are even thinking
this way is rather serious. That means that people in the
US still haven't been able to eliminate racism from their
minds."

MCELDOWNEY