US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5072

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005072 
 
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, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
 
 
Gen. Buyukanit: We cannot Ignore the Problems in Iraq - 
Hurriyet 
Buyukanit: "The Military Should not be Used for Political 
Ends" - Milliyet 
President Sezer Did Not Stay for the Wedding - Sabah 
PM Erdogan's Son Married in Istanbul - Turkiye 
5 Witnesses for the Wedding - Milliyet 
Green Light for Heybeliada Theological School - Aksam (8/9) 
Patriarch Bartholomew Requests Reopening of Halki Seminary - 
Hurriyet (8/9) 
FM Gul: "AKP Will Win Local Elections" - Sabah 
Government Allows NASCO to benefit from Foreign Exchange 
Amnesty - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
General Buyukanit: Iraq is More Risky Today - Radikal 
The Year's Wedding Brought Three Ministers Together - Zaman 
EU Wedding - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
General Buyukanit's Farewell Party: All papers report on the 
farewell cocktail party given by Deputy Chief of General 
Buyukanit for Ankara journalists yesterday.  Buyukanit said 
that `Turkey can not remain indifferent to problems in 
neighboring Iraq.  Although Iraq is riskier today then ever 
before, the military is well aware of its responsibilities. 
The Troop deployment will be a political decision.  No one 
should attempt to manipulate the military for political 
purposes.'  "Vatan" notes that the statements by Buyukanit 
are particularly important, as he is expected to become the 
next Chief of the General Staff in 2006.  The General 
commented that a system of judicial review on decisions of 
the High Military Council (YAS), an idea proposed by PM 
Erdogan, would violate the constitution.  Buyukanit stressed 
that the military remains concerned about EU harmonization 
reforms and has communicated these concerns to the 
government. 
 
 
Prime Minister's Son Married in Istanbul:  All papers cover 
the wedding of Prime Minister Erdogan's son Bilal.  The 
ceremony took place in the Lutfi Kirdar Congress Building in 
Istanbul.  Around 10,000 invitees, including Italian Prime 
Minister Berlusconi and Albanian Prime Minister Nano, were 
in attendance.  President Sezer attended a Philosophy 
congress in the same building yesterday morning, but it was 
noticed that he did not attend the wedding.  TGS Chief 
General Ozkok did not attend the wedding but sent flowers. 
Extraordinary security measures were taken all day around 
the congress building. 
 
 
NASCO Holding: "Hurriyet" draws attention to a `scandal' 
created by the current government.  During former PM 
Ecevit's administration, the assets of NASCO Holding were 
frozen in accordance with the UN decision to block assets of 
terrorist organizations and those who finance them.  NASCO's 
assets were frozen because of its alleged links to Al-Qaida. 
However, with the new Foreign Exchange Law, published in the 
official Gazette on August 6, the AKP government has allowed 
NASCO to regain control of its assets. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq; Cyprus 
 
 
"The future of Iraq" 
Kamuran Ozbir commented in the nationalist Ortadogu (8/11): 
"Discussion about the future of Iraq requires a through 
analysis of the Saddam era. Saddam's policy for northern 
Iraq for 30 years was basically to convert all northern 
Iraqis into Arabs.  The oil-rich Arab tribes in south and 
central Iraq were transferred to the north, and non-Arab 
minorities -- Turkmen, Kurds and Assyrians -- were all 
forced to leave the area.  The agony did not stop there, 
because after the demise of the Baath regime a campaign has 
been initiated to convert the region's Turkmen into Kurds. 
. Turkmen are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq 
following the Arabs and Kurds.  Kurdish groups still claim 
authority over the oil-rich Kirkuk region.  After the 
collapse of Saddam regime, Kurds declared Kirkuk as the 
center of Kurdistan, and they deployed their fighters there 
with the permission of coalition forces.  Yet Turkmen 
parties declared Kirkuk as their territory and remained 
there as well.  Tension and confusion remains in this area. 
The issue can only be resolved by taking the facts into 
account.  Terror or military force will not settle anything. 
It seems the region will enjoy peace once all Iraqis are 
given their Constitutional rights." 
 
 
"Customs Union with Northern Cyprus: A fiasco" 
Erdal Guven criticized in the liberal-intellectual Radikal 
(8/10): "The AKP government must realize the fact that the 
worst-case scenario for Cyprus, especially for Northern 
Cyprus, is `no-solution' approach that has been used up to 
now.  Turkey so far has launched more than 20 initiatives to 
bolster the Northern Cypriot economy, including the most 
recent Turkey-Northern Cyprus Custom Union agreement.  All 
of these efforts have failed, and the latest one is doomed 
to fail as well.   The salvation for northern Cyprus is 
through a lasting settlement on the island followed by EU 
membership." 
 
 
DEUTSCH