US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5154

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005154 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
 
 
Parliament to have the final word on Iraq - Hurriyet 
Turkish troops getting ready for Iraq - Milliyet 
Bush targets U.S. middle class voters - Sabah 
U.S. troops missed Saddam again - Turkiye 
Bombs on Mideast peace process - Milliyet 
Suicide attacks hit Mideast peace - Sabah 
Banking watchdog might confiscate Uzan assets - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Presidential approval for Iraq deployment - Radikal 
`Hawkish' U.S. ambassador to Ankara - Cumhuriyet 
U.S. applies pressure on UN for Iraq Decision - Yeni Safak 
Iraqi Kurds want a federal system - Zaman 
Israel violated cease-fire - Yeni Safak 
Suicide for Mideast roadmap - Zaman 
Denktas won't recognize Greek Cypriot passport for Turks - 
Cumhuriyet 
Prodi: Turkey's EU membership unlikely in near future - 
Radikal 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Presidential summit for Iraqi peacekeeping: President Sezer 
discussed the Iraq stability force issue with Prime Minister 
Erdogan, Foreign Minister Gul, TGS Chief General Ozkok, and 
MFA officials at a summit meeting in Ankara on Tuesday.  A 
presidential statement issued after the meeting said that 
parliament would adopt a final decision on the issue in line 
with Turkey's national interests.  The statement did not 
specify the need for international consensus before 
deploying peacekeeping troops in Iraq.  Dailies regard the 
summit as a compromise between the president, the 
government, and the military.  The Iraq deployment issue 
will be discussed at the August 22 National Security Council 
(NSC) meeting before it is submitted to parliament in early 
September. 
 
 
New U.S. Ambassador to Ankara: Papers view the assignment of 
the new U.S. Ambassador to Ankara as the first move in a 
scenario to introduce radical reforms in the region. 
"Zaman" writes that Ambassador Eric Edelman has witnessed 
the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the 
Warsaw Pact, and the division of Czechoslovakia.  Edelman is 
being portrayed as an influential figure in the reshaping of 
Turkey and the Middle East.  Edelman, a `hawk' of the U.S. 
Administration, is coming to Ankara when U.S.-Turkish 
relations are on a razor's edge, "Cumhuriyet" notes. 
 
 
Turkey, TRNC customs union: Having signed an agreement for 
the free circulation of goods and services, Turkey and the 
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are about to 
implement a customs union, "Cumhuriyet" reports.  Sub- 
commissions are working to harmonize Turkish and TRNC 
regulations.  The new deal will have positive effects on 
TRNC tourism, exports, and citrus fruit production. 
However, TUSIAD, Turkey's influential businessmen's 
association, voiced disappointment about the agreement with 
the TRNC, predicting that it would cause suspicion in Europe 
and delay Turkey's EU membership drive. 
 
 
Uzans might be tried for irregularities: The Uzan family, 
blamed by Turkey's banking regulatory board (BDDK) for 
unregistered double accounts, the sale of non-existing 
bonds, and for draining the family-owned Imarbank, might 
have to stand trial following an investigation by the 
prosecutor's office.  The prosecutor has launched a second 
investigation against the Uzans for money laundering, 
according to press reports. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
- NATO in Afghanistan 
- Iraq 
 
 
"Afghanistan and NATO" 
Fikret Ertan wrote in the Islamist-intellectual Zaman 
(8/13): "Things will go more smoothly now that NATO has 
assumed charge in Afghanistan.  It will certainly help ISAF 
to function more efficiently and provide better results in 
easing the pain of the Afghan people. . Apart from the ISAF 
mission, however, Afghanistan is urgently in need of many 
other things, such as facilitating NGOs, measures to help 
the economy, and moves toward establishing a national army. 
NATO now has a brand-new mission in Afghanistan, which 
basically extends the Alliance's responsibilities outside of 
Europe for the first time.  The core of the NATO mission is 
to secure peace and stability in all of Afghanistan.  This 
will require ISAF to take on some additional duties, a step 
that should be taken as soon as possible." 
 
 
"Turkish soldiers in Iraq, for what?" 
Zafer Atay argued in the economic-political Dunya (8/13): 
"Turkey should think very carefully about the mission for 
Turkish troops and the area to which they are to be 
assigned.  If Turkey sends its troops in the absence of a 
NATO or UN resolution, we should be prepared for some 
serious problems.  . There is an armed resistance against 
the occupation force in Iraq.  If Turkey is assigned to the 
Baghdad-Tikrit area, the country's `hot spot,' our soldiers 
will be at risk as much as any American soldier. . There is 
an argument that says that Turkey cannot remain aloof to 
development in the restructuring of Iraq.  This view has 
some truth in it, as Iraq plays an important role in 
Turkey's national political and economic interests. 
However, it remains to be seen whether the US will give us 
credible assurances about Turkey having a strong say in 
Iraq's restructuring?  So far, US promises about the Turkmen 
have gone unfulfilled, as is the commitment to eliminate the 
PKK/KADEK threat.  We must get tangible assurances from 
Washington rather than simply accept American reassurances 
not to worry about these problems." 
 
 
DEUTSCH