ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 005308

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, SEPTEMBER 12, 2005

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
McEldowney: No Difference Between bin-Ladin, Ocalan - Sabah
Al-Qaida Threatens Chemical Weapons in Tal Afar - Hurriyet
Grand Assault against Turkmen City of Tal Afar - Milliyet
9/11
Turkey to Send Humanitarian Aid to Tal Afar - Milliyet 9/11
Talabani: Turkey Supports a Federal Iraq - Milliyet 9/11
Pentagon Develops Preemptive Nuclear Option - Hurriyet
Erdogan Due in US Today - Sabah
Gul, Rice to Discuss the PKK in New York - Aksam
Support for Bush Falls Below 40 Percent - Sabah 9/11
US Commemorates 9/11 - Milliyet
Al-Jazeera to Change Image - Aksam 9/11
9/11 Elections in Japan - Hurriyet 9/11
UN Report: Poverty the Main Cause of Terror - Aksam


OPINION MAKERS
US Sides with Turkey against the PKK - Yeni Safak
US: No Difference Between al-Qaida and the PKK - Zaman
Erdogan's Fifth Visit to the US - Cumhuriyet
The Great Escape from Tal Afar - Cumhuriyet
1,000 Residents Await Death in Tal Afar - Yeni Safak
`Referendum Operations' Kicked Off against Tal Afar - Zaman
9/11
Iraqi Red Crescent Seeks Aid for Tal Afar Civilians -
Radikal
Talabani to VOA: We Do Not Support the PKK - Zaman 9/11
Talabani: Iraq Will not Recognize Israel - Radikal 9/11
9/11 Commemorated Around the World - Zaman
Al-Qaida Threatens to Attack US, Australia - Zaman
5 Troops Killed in Southeast Turkey - Radikal
US Troops Kill 30 Afghans - Yeni Safak 9/11
Israeli Troops Complete Gaza Pullout - Radikal


BRIEFING

US Embassy Commemorates Terror Victims on 9/11: On Sunday,
US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney laid a wreath
at a monument to martyrs in the Kecioren district of Ankara
in a ceremony to mark the fourth anniversary of the
terrorist attacks of September 11. McEldowney condemned the
PKK's network of terrorism, saying that there is `no
difference between bin-Ladin and Abdullah Ocalan.' `The
United States and Turkey will work to eliminate these
terrorists together,' McEldowney said. "Posta" reports that
US Consul General in Istanbul, Deborah Jones, laid wreaths
at each of the four sites of al-Qaida bombings in that city
in November 2003. In brief remarks to the press, Jones
stressed that terrorism constitutes a threat to free people
everywhere.

US Generals Meet Turkish Military: Saturday's "Sabah"
claims that during his meeting with the Commander of US
Forces in Europe, General James Jones, and US Central
Command Deputy Commander, Lieutenant General Lance Smith, in
Ankara last week, Turkish General Staff (TGS) Chief General
Hilmi Ozkok urged the US commanders to seek closer
cooperation with the Iraqi government in the fight against
the PKK. The US commanders were briefed on the rising
violence in southeast Turkey, the activities of the PKK in
northern Iraq, and financial support for the terror
organization coming from Europe. General Jones told the
press after the meeting that the US was carrying out a
`difficult struggle' in Iraq, and noted that the problem
with the PKK must be resolved by Turkey and the sovereign
government in Baghdad, `with the United States providing as
much support as we possibly can.' Most reports suggest that
the United States remains cool to the idea of a
comprehensive military operation against the PKK in northern
Iraq. `Jones declined to give a green light to military
operations against the PKK,' "Zaman" noted. All papers,
however, printed significant excerpts of General Jones'
statement to the press, in which he reassured the Turkish
people that `our common struggle against terrorism will be
successful.'

Bryza Angers Greeks: At a panel discussion with Greek
Americans in Washington, DAS Matt Bryza said that allowing
US officials to travel to northern Cyprus directly from
Turkey did not represent a change in US policy, Sunday's
"Milliyet" reports from Washington. Bryza said that the
Bush Administration has neither encouraged nor discouraged
members of Congress from entering northern Cyprus through
Ercan Airport, and he implied that the US regards such
travel as a `useful tactic.' Bryza also said the US is
working to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, who
supported the Annan Plan in last year's referendum.
Responding to questions from angry Greek Americans, Bryza
said that the US is pursuing a policy aimed at achieving a
lasting settlement on the island. `Deciding whether the
events of 1974 are best described as an occupation, an
intervention, or an invasion is not really our problem,' he
said, adding that `our policy is to do everything possible
to reach a joint settlement on Cyprus.'

US Gives Turkey `Second-Class' Treatment: The US is
treating Turkey as a `second-class country' because Turkey
has declined to meet US expectations in Iraq, Saturday's
"Cumhuriyet" asserts. The report notes that Washington has
not yet appointed an ambassador to Turkey, that US CENTCOM
Commander General Abizaid failed to visit Ankara last week
as expected, and that the US State Department sent DAS Matt
Bryza to Ankara for talks with the Turkish Foreign Minister.
Diplomatic sources speculated that by acting in this way,
the US may be expressing its displeasure with Turkey's
reluctance to train Iraqi troops in the absence of a NATO
decision. The sources added that the US may also be
reacting negatively toward Ankara because the Turks have not
approved a state visit by Iraqi President Talabani,
"Cumhuriyet" reports.

Erdogan to Travel to US: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will
fly to New York to participate in the UN summit on Monday,
papers report. Erdogan will attend a lunch in his honor by
the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR),will do a one-on-one
with Charlie Rose on PBS, and meet with representatives of
the American Jewish Committee (AJC),the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL),and B'nai Brith. Erdogan will later join a UN
reception, which will also be attended by President and Mrs.
Bush. On September 14, Erdogan will meet with Israeli Prime
Minister Sharon and Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero before
calling on UN Secretary General Annan to discuss the
`Alliance of Civilizations' project. Erdogan will also
address the UN General Assembly, and join a panel discussion
on `how civilizations communicate with one another' as part
of a new global initiative being launched by former US
President Bill Clinton.

Gul in New York: Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul traveled to
New York on Sunday to attend the UN summit and hold talks
with political leaders, Monday papers report. At a press
conference before his departure, Gul said he would discuss
the PKK issue with Secretary Rice during a bilateral meeting
later int eh week.. Gul will attend the UN World Summit and
the 60th general assembly meetings of the UN before
returning home on September 24.

US Blocks Access to Tal Afar: Monday's "Yeni Safak" claims
that US bombing of Tal Afar has destroyed many buildings and
left many people dead. Mehmet Tahir, an Iraqi Turkmen Front
(ITF) official, claimed that the US is not allowing the ITF
to enter Tal Afar in order to help evacuate women, elders,
and children. Weekend reports say that the Turkish Red
Crescent (Kizilay) will send humanitarian aid to Tal Afar,
along with Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) technical
delegations, in an effort to help with health and
infrastructure problems. Today's "Vatan" claims that US
forces carrrying out the operations in Tal Afar are showing
their sensitivity to Turkey's concerns about the Turkmen
population there. The story asserts that Kurdish peshmerge
are not being used in the operations, and that US forces
have enlisted the support of 1,000 Turkmen policemen in Tal
Afar.

Baydemir Presents EU with a Report on Southeast Turkey:
Saturday's "Milliyet" claims that members of the European
Parliament asked Osman Baydemir, the mayor of Diyarbakir,
about the possibility of a `federal' settlement to the
Kurdish issue and steps that could be taken in support of
imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. Diplomatic sources
point to the fact that Baydemir was invited by the EU to
Brussels and Strasbourg on the eve of October 3, the date
set for opening EU accession talks with Turkey, in an effort
to discuss all controversial issues before Turkey enters
into membership negotiations with the European bloc. In a
report he drafted, Baydemir accused the Turkish state of
meddling in economic life in the southeast, adding that the
Kurds were prevented from using their culture and language,
and that they had been estranged from politics. The report
said that provisions that ignore cultural and political
differences should be scrapped from the constitution, and
that the Kurdish language should be added to school
curriculum. EU officials told Baydemir that violence will
bring no results, and expressed concern about rising tension
and street protests. Baydemir rejected press reports that
he had called on both the PKK and the Turkish military to
lay down their arms. The Turkish Interior Ministry has sent
an inspector to Diyarbakyr to examine the report, "Milliyet"
claims.

Turkey's New Anti-Terror Bill: Monday's "Yeni Safak" says
in a commentary on its front page that the latest draft of
Turkey's new anti-terror bill contains `vague' definitions
under which everyone could be accused of supporting
terrorist activities. The bill will cause `chaos' in the
judicial system because it contradicts many democratic
amendments included in the new Turkish penal code, according
to the report.

Survey: Government the Most Reliable Institution in Turkey:
A survey by "Eurobarometer" shows that the government is the
most trusted institution in Turkey, with 76 percent popular
support, Saturday papers report. EU Commission
Representative Ambassador Hansjorg Kretschmer welcomed the
results of the survey, saying that an elected government
should be the institution most relied on in democratic
countries. "Cumhuriyet" downplayed the results, noting that
the Turkish military had not been included among the
institutions in the survey. The survey also showed that the
proportion of Turks who describe themselves as `rightist'
increased from 38 percent in 2004 to 42 percent in the most
recent poll.

Turkish Businessman Freed in Iraq: A Turkish businessman
kidnapped in Iraq was freed after his family paid a 200,000
USD ransom, Monday papers report. Jeweler Enver Unvar said
after returning home that he had been abducted by `armed
Iraqi mujahidin' in Baghdad 40 days ago. `My family paid
them 200,000 USD. If the ransom money had not been paid, I
would have been beheaded,' Unvar said. He added that his
friend, Feyaz Alisan, is still being held by the mujahidin.

PKK Re-launches Attacks: On Sunday, the PKK ended a
unilateral cease-fire with an attack against a jandarma
checkpoint in the eastern province of Bingol, during which
one soldier was killed and two others were wounded. One
military officer and four soldiers were killed in another
confrontation with PKK militants in the rural areas of the
southeastern province of Sirnak. The PKK had earlier
announced that it would halt attacks until September 20.
Meanwhile, police arrested 44 protesters at a demonstration
in support of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in the
southeastern city of Sanliurfa.

IRNA Launches Turkish Website: Iran's official news agency
IRNA has launched a website in Turkish in an effort to
inform the `brother and friendly' country Turkey about
events in Iran, papers report on Monday.


EDITORIAL OPINION: Anniversary of 9/11; Iraq/PKK

"The US Experience on Anti-Terror"
Washington-based reporter Ali Aslan wrote in the Islamist-
intellectual "Zaman" (9/12): "The 4th anniversary of 9/11
coincided with debates in Turkey about the need for a new
anti-terror law in order to deal with recent, growing
terrorist incidents. It is always the case that countries,
including the US, think about new measures and limiting
freedoms in the aftermath of shocking terrorist acts. The
US today has a new terrorism law and has started
implementation. However, the American example looks very
innocent when it is compared to the Turkish draft. . Despite
some mistakes along the way, the US is still the primary
example for the successful implementation of the supremacy
of law in the world. Therefore, even a minor limitation in
the rights and freedoms receives enormous public attention.
The US also bears a responsibility, as being a champion of
freedom, to the entire world. This is especially needed
when authoritarian approaches in the world try to take the
US as a reference for their pressure tactics on rights and
freedoms in the context of the fight against terror."

"Some Try to Divide Turkey"
Nejat Eslen, a retired general, argued in the liberal-
intellectual "Radikal": "The written statement of the
Turkish General Staff and the statement of the US EUCOM
General Jones did not overlap. Since the strategic problems
of Turkey and the US are different from each other, such
developments should be considered natural. General Jones'
statement makes sense if you read it together with the
statements of the US Adana Consulate officials in Diyarbakir
and Batman saying that they approve PM Erdogan's approach to
Kurdish issue. . It is hard to understand for those who
strongly believe in Turkey's unity that the PKK has become a
strategic tool in the hands of the US that can be used to
destabilize Iran and to isolate Turkey. Therefore, the US
will never take concrete action against the PKK. Maybe the
US wants everyone to know that during the Iraqi war the
Kurds gave huge support to the US and the US protected them.
Israel is happy with these developments as well. Therefore,
the US will never do anything to hurt Iraqi Kurds and
believes that the Iraqi Kurds will need a protector soon,
from their own region."
MCELDOWNEY