Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA617
2006-02-10 15:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
how-toVZCZCXRO2915 OO RUEHDA DE RUEHAK #0617/01 0411516 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 101516Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3103 RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 6938 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 9789 RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0386 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5106 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 4814 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1435 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 02 ANKARA 000617
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
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2006
--------------
In Today's Papers
FM Gul Remarks on Iran
Hurriyet: In an exclusive interview, Hurriyet quoted
Foreign Minister Gul as saying "We will not give the US
permission to use Turkish territory to attack our neighbors.
Gul added that "the border with Iran was drawn in 1639, and
is older than the US itself," implying that Turkey-Iran
relations have a long and important history. Gul reiterated
Turkey's concerns regarding nuclear weapons and said that
countries should spend their resources to improve the
welfare and prosperity of their people.
Cyprus/British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw Remarks
All major papers: The Greek Cypriot Government launched an
official protest against Britain over remarks by Foreign
Secretary Jack Straw criticizing the government for creating
SIPDIS
obstacles to the efforts for a settlement in Cyprus. Straw
has blamed the Greek Cypriots for blocking the settlement
process.
Cartoon Crisis
All papers: Protests over the publication of Prophet
Mohammed cartoons continue. Turkish Foreign Minister Gul
and Austrian Foreign Minister Plassnik released a joint
statement highlighting the importance of respect for
religious beliefs. The statement also stresses that the
cartoon tensions had revealed the lack of dialogue between
the west and Islam.
The impact of the cartoon crisis continues to be a high
priority for editorial commentary. Prominent columnists
analyzed the cartoons and the violent protest within a
"conflict of civilization" context. Moderate columnist Sami
Kohen maintained hope for the future, in his column in
mainstream Milliyet: "Even to this day many European
countries continue to treat the cartoon issue as a sign of
freedom of expression while Muslim nations interpret it as
humiliating and repugnant. Interestingly, however, the
Western countries do not have a single voice on the issue.
Some European leaders have openly countered the argument
about defending the cartoons as freedom of expression. The
US denounced the incident right from the beginning. The
ongoing efforts, by EU and ICO as well as other
organizations and government leaders, to prevent the current
crisis from turning into a real conflict are boosting
hopes."
Foreign affairs columnist Erdal Guven believes that at this
point an apology from Danish government or press will not
lower the tension. Commenting in the liberal intellectual
Radikal, Guven wrote, "This was a clear act of
discrimination, humiliation and insult. And it happened at
a time when the Islamic world interpreted it as a
demonstration of intense anti-Muslim feelings in the West
after 9/11. The mistake has become irreparable. The
developments with the cartoon crisis have lowered the
possibility even more than before for establishing a
dialogue among civilizations."
US-Turkey Rice War
Yeni Safak, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Milliyet: The dispute
between Turkey and the US over the rice imports has entered
into the legal realm. The US filed a complaint to the WTO
against Turkey's regulations on rice imports following the
failure of bilateral talks to produce a settlement. The US
started the WTO procedure on February 6 and the formal
notification on this issue was sent to Ankara.
ANKARA 00000617 002 OF 002
In Today's Papers
TV Highlights
NTV (8 a.m.)
Focus on Turkey
- PKK bombing of an Internet caf in Istanbul kills one
and injures 15, seven of whom are police officers
- The schoolteacher involved in the court ruling that
teachers may not wear headscarves in public when going to
and from school is interviewed saying she will abide by the
decisions but hopes the case will be appealed to the
European Court of Human Rights
- The suspect in the killing of the priest in Trabzon is
formally charged.
US in the News
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pace is
slated to visit Turkey in March to at the invitation of his
Turkish counterpart to attend a conference on "Global
Terrorism and International Cooperation."
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
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2006
--------------
In Today's Papers
FM Gul Remarks on Iran
Hurriyet: In an exclusive interview, Hurriyet quoted
Foreign Minister Gul as saying "We will not give the US
permission to use Turkish territory to attack our neighbors.
Gul added that "the border with Iran was drawn in 1639, and
is older than the US itself," implying that Turkey-Iran
relations have a long and important history. Gul reiterated
Turkey's concerns regarding nuclear weapons and said that
countries should spend their resources to improve the
welfare and prosperity of their people.
Cyprus/British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw Remarks
All major papers: The Greek Cypriot Government launched an
official protest against Britain over remarks by Foreign
Secretary Jack Straw criticizing the government for creating
SIPDIS
obstacles to the efforts for a settlement in Cyprus. Straw
has blamed the Greek Cypriots for blocking the settlement
process.
Cartoon Crisis
All papers: Protests over the publication of Prophet
Mohammed cartoons continue. Turkish Foreign Minister Gul
and Austrian Foreign Minister Plassnik released a joint
statement highlighting the importance of respect for
religious beliefs. The statement also stresses that the
cartoon tensions had revealed the lack of dialogue between
the west and Islam.
The impact of the cartoon crisis continues to be a high
priority for editorial commentary. Prominent columnists
analyzed the cartoons and the violent protest within a
"conflict of civilization" context. Moderate columnist Sami
Kohen maintained hope for the future, in his column in
mainstream Milliyet: "Even to this day many European
countries continue to treat the cartoon issue as a sign of
freedom of expression while Muslim nations interpret it as
humiliating and repugnant. Interestingly, however, the
Western countries do not have a single voice on the issue.
Some European leaders have openly countered the argument
about defending the cartoons as freedom of expression. The
US denounced the incident right from the beginning. The
ongoing efforts, by EU and ICO as well as other
organizations and government leaders, to prevent the current
crisis from turning into a real conflict are boosting
hopes."
Foreign affairs columnist Erdal Guven believes that at this
point an apology from Danish government or press will not
lower the tension. Commenting in the liberal intellectual
Radikal, Guven wrote, "This was a clear act of
discrimination, humiliation and insult. And it happened at
a time when the Islamic world interpreted it as a
demonstration of intense anti-Muslim feelings in the West
after 9/11. The mistake has become irreparable. The
developments with the cartoon crisis have lowered the
possibility even more than before for establishing a
dialogue among civilizations."
US-Turkey Rice War
Yeni Safak, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Milliyet: The dispute
between Turkey and the US over the rice imports has entered
into the legal realm. The US filed a complaint to the WTO
against Turkey's regulations on rice imports following the
failure of bilateral talks to produce a settlement. The US
started the WTO procedure on February 6 and the formal
notification on this issue was sent to Ankara.
ANKARA 00000617 002 OF 002
In Today's Papers
TV Highlights
NTV (8 a.m.)
Focus on Turkey
- PKK bombing of an Internet caf in Istanbul kills one
and injures 15, seven of whom are police officers
- The schoolteacher involved in the court ruling that
teachers may not wear headscarves in public when going to
and from school is interviewed saying she will abide by the
decisions but hopes the case will be appealed to the
European Court of Human Rights
- The suspect in the killing of the priest in Trabzon is
formally charged.
US in the News
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pace is
slated to visit Turkey in March to at the invitation of his
Turkish counterpart to attend a conference on "Global
Terrorism and International Cooperation."
WILSON