ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000683

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, FEBRUARY 4, 2005


THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

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

HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Rice, Lavrov to outline Bush-Putin summit in Ankara -
Hurriyet
Talabani officially announces candidacy for top Iraq posts -
Sabah
Talabani warns against Turkish intervention in Iraq -
Milliyet
Greek Cypriot youth want two separate states in Cyprus -
Hurriyet
`Sheriff' Bush points to Iran, Syria - Sabah
Iran refuses to stop nuclear program - Sabah
Israel to pull out of 5 Palestinian towns - Aksam
Basayev prepares for Beslan-type attack - Aksam

OPINION MAKERS
Barzani: Turkey cannot declare Kirkuk its `red line' - Zaman
Talabani eyes Iraq presidency - Zaman
Kurds want Iraq presidency, independence to follow -
Cumhuriyet
Barzani: A Kurdish state is inevitable - Radikal
Shiite coalition leads in 6 provinces in Iraq - Yeni Safak
Bush calls on Iranians to revolt against their government -
Zaman
Bush labels Iran number 1 terror supporter - Radikal
Hamanei: US will not be able to topple us - Yeni Safak
Bush threatens Tehran, Damascus again - Cumhuriyet
Palestine, Israel may agree to cease fire at Egypt summit -
Cumhuriyet


BRIEFING

Secretary Rice Due In Ankara: US Secretary of State

SIPDIS
Condoleezza Rice is to arrive in Ankara over the weekend in
an effort to allay Turkish fears that an independent Kurdish
state is taking shape in Iraq, Turkish papers report. Her
tight schedule includes 11 cities in 7 days, and has obliged
Rice to meet with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in
Ankara. The two secretaries will discuss Iraq, Iran's
nuclear program, Syria, south Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Turkish side will present Secretary Rice with two
reports by Turkish military intelligence regarding
developments in Iraq, "Aksam" writes. The reports include
Turkey's objections to the elections in Kirkuk, and a
description of the activities of PKK/Kongra Gel militants in
northern Iraq. "Aksam" claims that FM Gul will hand the
reports to Secretary Rice, and warn that Turkey will carry
out its own measures in the spring if the US does not take
`satisfactory' measures against the PKK soon. Rice is
scheduled to meet with Gul, Erdogan and President Sezer on
Saturday and Sunday.

Northern Iraqi Kurdish Leaders Warn Against Turkish
Intervention: According to information obtained by Ankara,
some 110,000 Kurds flocked into Kirkuk to take part in the
elections last week, "Hurriyet" reports. The Iraqi Turkmen
Front (ITF) reportedly will take documents to the Iraqi high
election board as part of its official complaint. Barzani
and Talabani criticized recent remarks by Turkey's PM
Erdogan, which the northern Iraqi Kurdish leaders regard as
interference in Iraq's internal affairs. `If Turks claim
rights over Kirkuk, Arabs and Kurds here can do the same for
Turkish provinces like Antakya and Diyarbakir,' Talabani
reportedly said. Barzani told CNN-Turk that a possible
Turkish intervention in the region would bring
`catastrophic' consequences.

Ankara Will Not Object To Kurds In Top Iraqi Posts: Turkey
believes that if Kurdish politicians have senior roles in
the new Iraqi administration, it will diminish their efforts
to push for an independent Kurdish state, "Milliyet"
reports. Ankara will not object to the election results in
Iraq, but will issue a statement to draw world attention to
the changes made to the demography of Kirkuk. The statement
will urge that Kirkuk's autonomous status be preserved in
the new Iraqi constitution. Ankara expects Washington to
push, to the extent possible, for a national coalition in
Iraq, according to the paper. Meanwhile, PUK leader
Talabani has announced his candidacy for the post of
president or prime minister in Iraq.

EU Urges Ankara To Include Nicosia In EU Protocol: The
European Union Commission reportedly urged Turkey to sign
the protocol expanding its Customs Union (CU) agreement with
the Union in a way to include the Greek Cypriot
administration by the end of February. Meanwhile, PM
Erdogan said to visiting French Parliament Speaker Jean-
Louis Debre that Turkey would sign the protocol before
October 3, 2005. Northern Cypriot `PM' Mehmet Ali Talat
pushed Ankara to sign the protocol without waiting until
early October: `Such a signing will enable the EU to push
Papadopoulos for a settlement in Cyprus. This act by Ankara
will not mean recognition, but rather a normalization of
ties with south Cyprus,' Talat said, according to
"Milliyet."

`Horrible' Remarks From US General: "Yeni Safak" carries
comments by US General James N. Mattis, who was speaking to
a forum in San Diego about strategies in the war in Iraq.
General Mattis is an infantry officer who commanded Marines
in both Afghanistan and Iraq. `Actually, it's fun to
fight,' he said. `It's fun to shoot some people,' Mattis
reportedly added. Some 200 listeners were perplexed to hear
such remarks from Mattis, "Yeni Safak" reports.


EDITORIAL OPINION: The State of the Union Address

"Bush Warns Iran and Syria"
Yasemin Congar wrote from Washington in the mass appeal
"Milliyet" (2/4): "President Bush made an open call for
democracy to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and urged the Iranian
and Syrian governments to stop supporting terrorism. Bush
wants to see Damascus end its support for terrorism and pave
the way toward freedoms. Bush also sent a very determined
message to Tehran, warning the Iranians on the terrorism
issue and about their nuclear arms activities. The State of
the Union focused on four messages. First, Bush listed
`target states' within the framework of the Broader Middle
East and the fight against terrorism. Second, he announced
that there would be no withdrawal from Iraq until Iraqi
security forces are fully in charge. Third, he signaled
more diplomatic and financial assistance for the
Palestinians. Finally, he called for more efforts on
democratization by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, countries that
until now have been treated as close friends of the US."

"The Sheriff Points at Iran and Syria"
The mass appeal daily "Sabah" carried this (2/4): "President
Bush dedicated the State of the Union to the issue of the
expansion of freedom and democracy. He declared Iran to be
the prime supporter of terrorism, while making a plea for
Egypt to accelerate the democratization process. The tone
of President Bush's speech was no different from recent
statements by other high level American officials. Like
them, President Bush once again took a harsh and accusatory
tone toward Iran and Syria. His speech will undoubtedly
fuel ongoing speculation about the possibility that Iran and
Syria will be the new American targets."
"Bush Threatened Again"
Leftist-nationalist "Cumhuriyet" carried the following
(2/4): "US President George W. Bush, for the sake of peace
in the broader Middle East, openly targeted Iran and Syria,
and said that the US will fight against countries that
insist on producing WMDs and who shelter terrorists. In his
annual State of the Union Address, President Bush
highlighted that advancing global freedom will make the US
more secure, and openly warned Iran and Syria on this issue.
Blasting Iran for its nuclear weapon programs and for
supporting terrorists, and accusing Syria for allowing its
territory and parts of Lebanon to be used by terrorists,
President Bush reiterated that the US will strongly oppose
these efforts. Bush stated that he will not announce a date
for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq."

"Bush Pledges Iranians to Rebel"
The Islamist-opinion maker "Yeni Safak" told its readers
(2/4): "President Bush urged Iranians to rebel against the
Tehran Government, warned Syria against sheltering
terrorists, and criticized Egypt and Saudi Arabia for
delaying democratic reforms in their countries. After
warning Iran and Syria about their activities, President
Bush told the Iranian people `as you stand for your own
liberty, America stands with you.' His administration's
commitment to advancing global freedom, particularly in the
Middle East, is now being tested in Iraq. `Our men and
women in uniform are fighting terrorists in Iraq, so we do
not have to face them here at home,' he said. Bush
continued: `the victory of freedom in Iraq will strengthen a
new ally in the war on terror, inspire democratic reformers
from Damascus to Tehran, bring more hope and progress to a
troubled region, and lift a terrible threat from the lives
of our children and grandchildren.'"

EDELMAN