US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5456

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005456 
 
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 27, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Turkish Delegation to Iraq: "Woman Soldiers Needed for Iraq" 
-Hurriyet 
General Ozkok on Military Reform - Hurriyet 
US Conditions Loans on Turkish Troop Deployment - Sabah 
Confusing Calculations - Milliyet 
General Ozkok Wants Changes in the Military - Milliyet 
US Condition for Credit: "Pass the Troop Decision First" - 
Turkiye 
Taylor: "Military and Economic Cooperation Part of Loan 
Agreement" - Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Government Delays Decision on Troop Deployment - Cumhuriyet 
NSC Has Huge Authority - Radikal 
Iraqis to Turkey: "Don't Come With US Troops" -Zaman 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Turkish Troop Deployment:  "Cumhuriyet" reports that the 
government has decided to delay the troop deployment 
decision until after next month's NSC meeting.  Ankara wants 
to see all the reports compiled by Turkish delegations to 
Iraq, as well as the results of the NSC meeting and 
discussions with the US, before taking a decision. 
"Milliyet" reports on contradictory statements of government 
officials with regard to the deployment decision.  PM 
Erdogan said yesterday that parliament will hold a meeting 
on October 1, as scheduled, and will not call an emergency 
session in September.  However, FM Gul announced that an 
emergency session is still a possibility. 
 
 
US Treasury Undersecretary John Taylor's Statement: 
"Milliyet" reports that US Treasury Undersecretary John 
Taylor announced that the US might give approval to $1 
billion in assistance for Turkey in September.  Asked if the 
timing of the Turkish decision on troops would have an 
impact on the timing of the US decision on loans, Taylor 
noted that `military and economic cooperation have always 
been part of the loan package.'  "Sabah" notes that Turkey 
has responded with a `wait and see' policy on its troop 
decision in light of the US effort attempt to link the loan 
to military cooperation.  (More complete media reaction to 
U/S Taylor's comments being sent septel). 
 
 
NSC Authorities: "Radikal" gives extensive front page 
coverage to what it claims is the `huge' power of the 
National Security Council General Secretariat, and draws 
attention to a secret regulation outlining the 
organization's responsibilities.  Under the regulation, the 
NSC is authorized to carry out all necessary psychological 
measures for ensuring national unity and integrity, to 
coordinate its activities with intelligence organs, and to 
prepare directives for the prime ministry and other 
ministries in connection with the implementation of NSC 
recommendations.  However, a new regulation in line with 
reforms contained in the seventh package will be adopted in 
November. 
 
 
General Ozkok's Message:  "Hurriyet" writes about the 
`message of change' issued by TGS Chief General Ozkok. 
Ozkok made his statement after the hand-over ceremonies for 
retiring generals.  General Ozkok said that military 
officials must be ready to adjust themselves to a changing 
security environment.  The depth and scope of security has 
increased, and Turkey needs a high-quality intellectual 
component among its personnel to cope with this changing 
environment. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
"America report" 
Hasan Bulent Kahraman observed in the intellectual/opinion 
maker Radikal (8/27): "An American friend of mine, a most 
notable Republican involved in U.S. foreign policy, recently 
complained to me in New York that the U.S. Administration is 
confused and acting in a `frantic' way.  "Two hundred years 
of U.S. values have been wasted in the last two years," he 
lamented.  He said he had witnessed a growing fury against 
the U.S. Administration during an extended international 
tour he had taken recently. .  Newspapers and TV channels 
have become outlets of a kind of U.S. `Politburo,'he 
remarked.  `You can get the `real' news about America from 
the European press, but not from the U.S. media,' he added. 
For the first time in modern American history, Americans are 
facing a world of illusions at home, which is at odds with 
the most fundamental of all American values -- the truth. . 
`The Administration has come to an impasse in its attempt to 
solve problems through military means,' he emphasized. . 
The U.S. can emerge from the Iraq swamp only through 
cooperation with the rest of the world.  `Regional 
cooperation such as that contemplated with Turkey will not 
solve the problem,' he said, `but will only hurt our 
allies.' 
 
 
EDELMAN