Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA1485
2006-03-21 12:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
how-toVZCZCXRO6558 OO RUEHDA DE RUEHAK #1485/01 0801259 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 211259Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4115 RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7027 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0085 RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0530 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5170 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 4875 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1494 RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU RHMFIUU/CDRUSAE IZMIR TU RHMFIUU/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU RHMFIUU/39OSS INCIRLIK AB TU RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001485
SIPDIS
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, MARCH 21, 2006
- In Today's Papers
-
- TGS Rejects Investigation of General Buyukanit
- All Papers: On Monday, the Turkish General Staff (TGS)
issued a statement rejecting permission for an investigation
of Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit for his
comments regarding the a non-commissioned jandarma officer
implicated in the Semdinli bombing and his activities as a
commander in southeast Turkey in the 1990s. The statement
alleged that the accusations made by the Van prosecutor
against Buyukanit were 'politically motivated' and designed
to weaken the military in the struggle against terrorism.
The TGS statement argued that the prosecutor, Ferhat
Sarikaya, had `abused his authority,' and highlighted that
the indictment drafted by Sarikaya was based on an anonymous
letter. The TGS also expressed concern about the fact that
some lawmakers from the ruling AKP had openly backed the
prosecutor. The TGS has filed a legal complaint against
Sarikaya, and called on the Ministry of Justice to file
charges against him. Most commentators in Turkish dailies
express concern that the tough TGS statement went too far in
calling for charges against the prosecutor, and some feared
the statement might cast a shadow over the Semdinli
investigation and illegal activities by military personnel
in the southeast.
-
- Gul Has Ear Surgery, Cancels US Trip
- All Papers: Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had ear
surgery yesterday due to an upper respiratory tract
infection, forcing a cancellation of his scheduled visit to
the United States to participate in the annual conference of
the American-Turkish Council (ATC) March 25. Doctors
recommended that Gul avoid all air travel for at least a
month. The only cabinet minister to represent Turkey at the
ATC will be State Minister Kursad Tuzmen. AKP lawmaker
Egemen Bagis, Turkish Union of Chambers (TOBB) chairman
Rifat Hisarciklioglu, head of the Privatization
Administration Metin Kilci, TGS Planning Department head
General Hilmi Akin Zorlu, and senior MFA officials will also
participate in the ATC. The highest-level official to
represent the US at the conference will be Deputy Secretary
of Commerce David Samson. MFA officials told the press that
one or two Turkish cabinet ministers generally attend the
ATC meetings each year, and confirmed that this practice
would continue this year as well.
-
- Gonul Leaves for US
- Star: Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul left for the United
States Tuesday to visit Boeing facilities in Seattle, where
warplanes for the 'Peace Eagle' project are produced, and to
address the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles on 'the
changing security environment in Eurasia and Turkey's
strategic importance.' On March 26, Gonul will move on to
Chile to attend the 14th International Aviation and Space
Fair as the guest of Defense Minister Vivianne Blanlot Soza,
before returning home March 30.
-
- Sakka Appears Before Judge in Istanbul
- Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Zaman,
Yeni Safak: Syrian-born al-Qaida terror suspect Louai Sakka
appeared before a court in Istanbul on Monday to face
charges of involvement in suicide bombings against targets
in Istanbul that killed 63 in November 2003. Sakka
introduced himself as Ekrem Uzel, 'a Turkish national
fighting against US troops in Iraq.' Sakka was removed from
the courtroom when he refused to stand up before the
presiding judge. Sakka's lawyer, Osman Karahan, was also
removed from the courtroom because of a pending indictment
against him for aiding the al-Qaida organization. Before
ANKARA 00001485 002 OF 003
being ushered from the courtroom, Karahan called for a
`scientific test' to determine whether the defendant is
actually the same person who was arrested last year under
the name Louai Sakka.
-
- Arinc Defends March 1 Parliamentary Rejection of US
Troops to Iraq
- Zaman: Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc defended on
Monday the Turkish Parliament's March 1, 2003 rejection of
the proposal to transfer US troops to Iraq through Turkey.
'We conveyed our recommendations to the Americans before and
after March 1, but they were not taken seriously. Recent
reports say that 100,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq
so far. This shows that the country has turned into a kind
of hell. The situation today demonstrates that our concerns
before March 1 were right,' Arinc said, adding that he hoped
Iraq would become a democratic country.
-
- Turkish columnists continue to comment on Iraq on the
third anniversary of the US-led occupation. Ismail Kapan of
the conservative-nationalist Turkiye warns that when the
occupying forces finally withdraw, the problems they leave
behind them will affect Turkey: "In order to insulate
itself from these problems, Turkey needs to establish its
own political and economic stability as soon as possible.
But unfortunately, Turkey has not learned any lessons from
the occupation. The most clear evidence of this is that the
Turkish people have been diverted from the real issues by
artificial agendas. When we look at the things that Turkey
is forced to deal with, we can see that the country has been
sidetracked from pursuing its goals."
-
- In his column in the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak,
Ibrahim Karagul claims that more occupations by the US will
follow after Iraq. "It is a shame that in this chaotic
atmosphere, we have been unable to see the real aims of this
war. We can not see that Damascus, Isfahan or Cairo could
face the same consequences tomorrow. Even though we ignore
these facts and have accepted defeat, the generation that
comes after us will understand everything. No doubt they
will see the facts of today and bring us hope for tomorrow."
-
- Bahadir Selim Dilek wrote in the leftist-nationalist
Cumhuriyet that despite President Bush's positive evaluation
of the situation in Iraq, the picture deteriorated on the
third anniversary of the occupation: "None of the military,
economic, political or social calculations made by
Washington about Iraq have been proven right. The US has
been unable to break the insurgency. It has failed to
supply the basic needs of the Iraqi people, strained its
relations with the Shiites, failed to properly balance
Kurdish demands and pulled the country toward the breaking
point."
-
- Bush Extends Nevruz Greetings
- Aksam: President Bush sent a message to Turkey, the
Central Asian Turkish republics, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan,
Pakistan, and India to mark the celebration of Nevruz. Bush
said the US is 'blessed by the traditions and contributions
of Americans of many different backgrounds.' 'Our diversity
has made us stronger and better, and Laura and I send warm
regards to all Americans celebrating Nevruz,' President Bush
said.
-
- Turkish-Armenian Ambassadors Debate Genocide on Italian
TV
- Milliyet: Turkey's Ambassador in Rome, Ugur Ziyal,
debated the Armenian 'massacre' question with Armenian
Ambassador Rouben Sugaryan on Italian state television.
ANKARA 00001485 003 OF 003
Sugaryan did not respond to Ziyal's question whether Yerevan
recognized Turkey's borders, but repeatedly stressed that
Armenia wants good ties with Turkey, and that the Armenians
are ready to cooperate with Turkey to open the border.
Sugaryan also rejected Ziyal's proposal that a joint
commission of historians from both countries be established.
-
- Pentagon Advisor Warns against Threats on Secularism in
Turkey
- Cumhuriyet reports that Alex Alexiev, a `Pentagon
advisor' and vice-president of Center for Security Policy,
has warned that secularism in Turkey is under serious threat
from the ruling AK Party. In a statement to the Bulgarian
press, Alexiev claimed that secular Turkish education, the
judiciary, and the military are under assault by the
'Erdogan regime.' 'If Turkey is defeated by Islamism, US
national security will face a serious problem,' Alexiev
said.
-
- Kretschmer Urges Continued Reforms, Civilian Control of
Military in Turkey
- Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak: EU
Commission Representative to Turkey Hansjorg Kretschmer told
a seminar in Adana on Monday that Turkish public support for
EU membership had slipped to 55 percent in recent months
from around 70 percent in December 2004. Kretschmer
stressed that the decline was worrying, adding that Turks
did not have sufficient information about the EU. 'Turkey
has made great progress in the political and economic
areas,' Kretschmer said, 'but it must continue reforms on
freedoms, women's rights, and the judiciary.' Kretschmer
also warned that more needed to be done to increase civilian
control over the military, and that the budget of the
Turkish armed forces should be transparent.
-
- TV Highlights
- NTV (8 a.m)
-
- Domestic News
- - Nevruz celebrations in Adana, Istanbul and Sanliurfa
are peaceful. The largest celebration is expected to take
place today in Diyarbakir. Some chant pro-Ocalan slogans
during the festivities.
-
- International News
- - Former Iraqi interim PM Allawi told NBC that several
neighborhoods in Baghad are controlled by militias, and that
'ethnic cleansing' is being carried out across Iraq.
-
- - Senior diplomats from the five permanent members of
the UN Security Council and Germany meet in New York in an
effort to break the deadlock on Iran's nuclear program.
-
- - Financial crisis deepens in Palestine. Armed men
raided public buildings, including the Finance Ministry and
the Foreign Ministry, demanding payment of wages.
Meanwhile, HAMAS has submitted its cabinet list to President
Abbas.
-
- - French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin vows not
to back down on the controversial new employment bill as
union leaders threaten to call a general strike.
-
-
- Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
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, MARCH 21, 2006
- In Today's Papers
-
- TGS Rejects Investigation of General Buyukanit
- All Papers: On Monday, the Turkish General Staff (TGS)
issued a statement rejecting permission for an investigation
of Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit for his
comments regarding the a non-commissioned jandarma officer
implicated in the Semdinli bombing and his activities as a
commander in southeast Turkey in the 1990s. The statement
alleged that the accusations made by the Van prosecutor
against Buyukanit were 'politically motivated' and designed
to weaken the military in the struggle against terrorism.
The TGS statement argued that the prosecutor, Ferhat
Sarikaya, had `abused his authority,' and highlighted that
the indictment drafted by Sarikaya was based on an anonymous
letter. The TGS also expressed concern about the fact that
some lawmakers from the ruling AKP had openly backed the
prosecutor. The TGS has filed a legal complaint against
Sarikaya, and called on the Ministry of Justice to file
charges against him. Most commentators in Turkish dailies
express concern that the tough TGS statement went too far in
calling for charges against the prosecutor, and some feared
the statement might cast a shadow over the Semdinli
investigation and illegal activities by military personnel
in the southeast.
-
- Gul Has Ear Surgery, Cancels US Trip
- All Papers: Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had ear
surgery yesterday due to an upper respiratory tract
infection, forcing a cancellation of his scheduled visit to
the United States to participate in the annual conference of
the American-Turkish Council (ATC) March 25. Doctors
recommended that Gul avoid all air travel for at least a
month. The only cabinet minister to represent Turkey at the
ATC will be State Minister Kursad Tuzmen. AKP lawmaker
Egemen Bagis, Turkish Union of Chambers (TOBB) chairman
Rifat Hisarciklioglu, head of the Privatization
Administration Metin Kilci, TGS Planning Department head
General Hilmi Akin Zorlu, and senior MFA officials will also
participate in the ATC. The highest-level official to
represent the US at the conference will be Deputy Secretary
of Commerce David Samson. MFA officials told the press that
one or two Turkish cabinet ministers generally attend the
ATC meetings each year, and confirmed that this practice
would continue this year as well.
-
- Gonul Leaves for US
- Star: Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul left for the United
States Tuesday to visit Boeing facilities in Seattle, where
warplanes for the 'Peace Eagle' project are produced, and to
address the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles on 'the
changing security environment in Eurasia and Turkey's
strategic importance.' On March 26, Gonul will move on to
Chile to attend the 14th International Aviation and Space
Fair as the guest of Defense Minister Vivianne Blanlot Soza,
before returning home March 30.
-
- Sakka Appears Before Judge in Istanbul
- Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Zaman,
Yeni Safak: Syrian-born al-Qaida terror suspect Louai Sakka
appeared before a court in Istanbul on Monday to face
charges of involvement in suicide bombings against targets
in Istanbul that killed 63 in November 2003. Sakka
introduced himself as Ekrem Uzel, 'a Turkish national
fighting against US troops in Iraq.' Sakka was removed from
the courtroom when he refused to stand up before the
presiding judge. Sakka's lawyer, Osman Karahan, was also
removed from the courtroom because of a pending indictment
against him for aiding the al-Qaida organization. Before
ANKARA 00001485 002 OF 003
being ushered from the courtroom, Karahan called for a
`scientific test' to determine whether the defendant is
actually the same person who was arrested last year under
the name Louai Sakka.
-
- Arinc Defends March 1 Parliamentary Rejection of US
Troops to Iraq
- Zaman: Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc defended on
Monday the Turkish Parliament's March 1, 2003 rejection of
the proposal to transfer US troops to Iraq through Turkey.
'We conveyed our recommendations to the Americans before and
after March 1, but they were not taken seriously. Recent
reports say that 100,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq
so far. This shows that the country has turned into a kind
of hell. The situation today demonstrates that our concerns
before March 1 were right,' Arinc said, adding that he hoped
Iraq would become a democratic country.
-
- Turkish columnists continue to comment on Iraq on the
third anniversary of the US-led occupation. Ismail Kapan of
the conservative-nationalist Turkiye warns that when the
occupying forces finally withdraw, the problems they leave
behind them will affect Turkey: "In order to insulate
itself from these problems, Turkey needs to establish its
own political and economic stability as soon as possible.
But unfortunately, Turkey has not learned any lessons from
the occupation. The most clear evidence of this is that the
Turkish people have been diverted from the real issues by
artificial agendas. When we look at the things that Turkey
is forced to deal with, we can see that the country has been
sidetracked from pursuing its goals."
-
- In his column in the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak,
Ibrahim Karagul claims that more occupations by the US will
follow after Iraq. "It is a shame that in this chaotic
atmosphere, we have been unable to see the real aims of this
war. We can not see that Damascus, Isfahan or Cairo could
face the same consequences tomorrow. Even though we ignore
these facts and have accepted defeat, the generation that
comes after us will understand everything. No doubt they
will see the facts of today and bring us hope for tomorrow."
-
- Bahadir Selim Dilek wrote in the leftist-nationalist
Cumhuriyet that despite President Bush's positive evaluation
of the situation in Iraq, the picture deteriorated on the
third anniversary of the occupation: "None of the military,
economic, political or social calculations made by
Washington about Iraq have been proven right. The US has
been unable to break the insurgency. It has failed to
supply the basic needs of the Iraqi people, strained its
relations with the Shiites, failed to properly balance
Kurdish demands and pulled the country toward the breaking
point."
-
- Bush Extends Nevruz Greetings
- Aksam: President Bush sent a message to Turkey, the
Central Asian Turkish republics, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan,
Pakistan, and India to mark the celebration of Nevruz. Bush
said the US is 'blessed by the traditions and contributions
of Americans of many different backgrounds.' 'Our diversity
has made us stronger and better, and Laura and I send warm
regards to all Americans celebrating Nevruz,' President Bush
said.
-
- Turkish-Armenian Ambassadors Debate Genocide on Italian
TV
- Milliyet: Turkey's Ambassador in Rome, Ugur Ziyal,
debated the Armenian 'massacre' question with Armenian
Ambassador Rouben Sugaryan on Italian state television.
ANKARA 00001485 003 OF 003
Sugaryan did not respond to Ziyal's question whether Yerevan
recognized Turkey's borders, but repeatedly stressed that
Armenia wants good ties with Turkey, and that the Armenians
are ready to cooperate with Turkey to open the border.
Sugaryan also rejected Ziyal's proposal that a joint
commission of historians from both countries be established.
-
- Pentagon Advisor Warns against Threats on Secularism in
Turkey
- Cumhuriyet reports that Alex Alexiev, a `Pentagon
advisor' and vice-president of Center for Security Policy,
has warned that secularism in Turkey is under serious threat
from the ruling AK Party. In a statement to the Bulgarian
press, Alexiev claimed that secular Turkish education, the
judiciary, and the military are under assault by the
'Erdogan regime.' 'If Turkey is defeated by Islamism, US
national security will face a serious problem,' Alexiev
said.
-
- Kretschmer Urges Continued Reforms, Civilian Control of
Military in Turkey
- Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak: EU
Commission Representative to Turkey Hansjorg Kretschmer told
a seminar in Adana on Monday that Turkish public support for
EU membership had slipped to 55 percent in recent months
from around 70 percent in December 2004. Kretschmer
stressed that the decline was worrying, adding that Turks
did not have sufficient information about the EU. 'Turkey
has made great progress in the political and economic
areas,' Kretschmer said, 'but it must continue reforms on
freedoms, women's rights, and the judiciary.' Kretschmer
also warned that more needed to be done to increase civilian
control over the military, and that the budget of the
Turkish armed forces should be transparent.
-
- TV Highlights
- NTV (8 a.m)
-
- Domestic News
- - Nevruz celebrations in Adana, Istanbul and Sanliurfa
are peaceful. The largest celebration is expected to take
place today in Diyarbakir. Some chant pro-Ocalan slogans
during the festivities.
-
- International News
- - Former Iraqi interim PM Allawi told NBC that several
neighborhoods in Baghad are controlled by militias, and that
'ethnic cleansing' is being carried out across Iraq.
-
- - Senior diplomats from the five permanent members of
the UN Security Council and Germany meet in New York in an
effort to break the deadlock on Iran's nuclear program.
-
- - Financial crisis deepens in Palestine. Armed men
raided public buildings, including the Finance Ministry and
the Foreign Ministry, demanding payment of wages.
Meanwhile, HAMAS has submitted its cabinet list to President
Abbas.
-
- - French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin vows not
to back down on the controversial new employment bill as
union leaders threaten to call a general strike.
-
-
- Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON