US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5416

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005416 
 
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 25, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Provocation - Milliyet (8/24) 
Peshmerges Play with the Fire - Hurriyet (8/24) 
U.S. Notified Turkey in Advance about the Raids against 
Turkoman and PUK Bureaus -Hurriyet 
U.S. Mediates Cease Fire Between Turkomans and Kurds - 
Milliyet 
U.S. Pressure on Turkomans Grows - Turkiye 
Chaos Continues in Iraq - Aksam 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
US Opens Fire on Turkomans - Cumhuriyet (8/24) 
Turkish Liaison Officers Monitor Tensions in Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
Newsweek: Americans Believe that US is Mired in Swamp in 
Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Tensions in Kirkuk Eases, Turkish Government Monitors the 
Developments-Zaman 
Cabinet Meets Today - Radikal 
Iraqi Religious Leaders Do Not Want Turkish Troops in Iraq - 
Radikal 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Turkoman Tension in Iraq:  Weekend papers give extensive 
coverage to growing violence and turmoil in Iraq. 
Saturday's "Cumhuriyet" reports that PUK militants opened 
fire on Turkomans in Kirkuk during a demonstration over a 
destroyed sacred Turkoman tomb.  Sunday's "Turkiye" reports 
that 8 Turkomans were killed during `Peshmerge-Turkoman' 
clashes.  Sunday's "Milliyet" describes the killing of the 
Turkomans as a provocation.  Sunday's "Zaman" reports that 
the US troops raided the Iraqi Turkoman Front Headquarters 
and seized some weapons.  However, today's papers carry 
conflicting reports about the incidents in Kirkuk.  Today's 
"Cumhuriyet" reports that the US raid wasn't only against 
the Turkoman Bureau but the PUK bureau as well.  "Milliyet" 
draws attention to the five-hour meeting which took place 
yesterday in Iraq between US military officials, ethnic, 
political and religious leaders.  At the meeting Kurds and 
Turkomans agreed to pay compensation to families of people 
from both sides who were killed.  With that agreement, US 
was able to establish a cease fire between the Turkomans and 
the Kurds. "Turkiye" stresses that pressures on the 
Turkomans is growing in Kirkuk.  Today's "Cumhuriyet" draws 
attention to the words of Turkoman rep. Ahmet Muratli that 
Barzani and Talabani's militants were trying to avert the 
deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq by creating tension. 
FM Gul said that Turkey issued a warning to PUK 
representative in Ankara and PM Erdogan stressed that Turkey 
was cooperating closely with Washington and Baghdad.  On 
Sunday, police moved against a radical nationalist group 
protesting the incidents in Kirkuk, in front of the PUK 
bureau in Ankara.  Twenty three policemen were injured and 
150 demonstrators were detained. 
 
 
Cabinet Meeting:  All papers report that the main item on 
the agenda of today's Cabinet Meeting will be the Turkish 
troop deployment in Iraq.  The issue will be discussed once 
again at the NSC meeting in September and the final decision 
will be left to the parliament. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
"Prudence and calm" 
Semih Idiz noted in the mass appeal Aksam (8/25): "Kurds are 
worried about the enhanced cooperation between the U.S. and 
Turkey on Iraq. .  Americans have understood that even in a 
federal system, the central authority in Iraq should be 
strong enough to work for the integrity of Iraq, not for a 
particular region or ethnicity.  Kurds dislike such a 
development, for they are seeking a loose federation for 
Iraq with extensive rights for them. .  Turkey and Kurds 
will have to learn to live together.  They will either 
choose living under constant tension, or cooperate for the 
sake of stability. .  It is Turkey's responsibility to 
establish dialog channels with the Kurds." 
 
 
"Turkey's interest in Iraq" 
Asli Aydintasbas commented in the mass appeal Sabah (8/25): 
"For many years, the Turkomen have been the natural 
supporters of the Iraqi opposition that suffered under the 
Saddam regime.  However, Ankara removed all Turkomen leaders 
who had preferred independent action. .  Ankara has 
unnecessarily ordered the Turkoman Front to withdraw from 
all forums which included Shiite Kurds and independent Arab 
dissidents.  Shiite Turkomen are excluded from the Front. . 
Turkey must now actually strengthen the Turkoman Front it 
had largely weakened in the past.  Autonomy is essential for 
the Turkoman Front. .  An independent and powerful Turkomen 
block can be a guarantor for stability.  Is Ankara ready for 
it?" 
 
 
EDELMAN