US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5491

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005491 
 
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 
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
AKP Plans to Limit President's Authority to Avoid Referendum 
- Sabah 
Naval Forces Commander Alpkaya: "Threats to Secularism 
Continue" - Hurriyet 
CHP Leader Baykal: "If We Go Into Iraq, We'll Be Seen As 
Occupiers" - Hurriyet 
Uzans Have Transferred Assets to Jordan - Milliyet 
PKK Attacks in Silopi and Cizre: 6 policemen injured - 
Turkiye 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
NSC Powers Spark Debate - Zaman 
Three Nominees for TRT Directorate from RTUK - Yeni Safak 
Admiral Bulent Alpkaya: "Fundamentalist Threat Continues" - 
Cumhuriyet 
NSC Should Reveal Its Secret Plans - Radikal 
PM Erdogan: "Turkey Won't be US' Gendarme in Iraq" - Turkiye 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Admiral Alpkaya Remarks:  All papers report that at a hand- 
over ceremony yesterday Naval Forces Commander Admiral 
Bulent Alpkaya said that terror and fundamentalist 
activities are still threats for Turkey.  Alpkaya added that 
the Naval Forces would continue to carry out their 
responsibilities to fight fundamentalism and separatism. 
 
 
Turkish Delegation Returns from Iraq:  "Radikal" reports 
that a delegation of Foreign Ministry, General Staff, and 
Intelligence Service representatives returned from Iraq and 
presented their report to the Government.  The report 
advises that before Turkey decides to send forces to Iraq, 
the Iraqi people must be convinced that Turks are their 
friends and are going to Iraq to protect them and help them 
with their economic and social problems.  Within this 
framework, the report urged the government to expand 
Turkey's humanitarian assistance to Iraq. 
 
 
AKP Plans to Cut President's Powers:  "Sabah" reports that 
the AKP has decided on a new strategy for avoiding a 
possible referendum on the sale of state forest land.  PM 
Erdogan has given a green light to a further constitutional 
reform that would restrict the President's powers to veto 
and call a referendum. 
 
 
Fener Patriarch Presses For Re-Opening of Halky Seminary: 
"Zaman" reports that the Greek Orthodox Patriarch met with 
PM Erdogan yesterday to request the re-opening of Halki 
Seminary in Heybeliada.  In a statement following the 
meeting, the Patriarch voiced hope that Turkey would solve 
the problem of the Greek minority and authorize the re- 
opening of the seminary. 
 
 
CHP Leader Baykal Opposes Troop Deployment to Iraq:  CHP 
leader Baykal stressed yesterday that if Turkey sends troops 
to Iraq, Turkish forces would be seen as occupiers.  Baykal 
added that the US operation will lead to the ethnic 
disintegration of Iraq and will trigger a process of ethnic 
restructuring in the Middle East.  Turkey cannot be expected 
to give support to such a process, Baykal said.  He also 
criticized the United States for `not taking a single step' 
against the PKK/KADEK in Northern Iraq.  In today's 
"Cumhuriyet," CHP parliamentary deputy Onur Oymen accused 
the United States of `ordering' Turkey to pass the 
repentance law, and said that Turkey's support in Iraq is 
`not for sale.' 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
"Erdogan's Iraq approach" 
Murat Yetkin interviewed Prime Minister Erdogan for the 
intellectual/opinion maker "Radikal" (8/29): "Prime Minister 
Erdogan said that Turkey wants to share in the political and 
economic rebuilding of Iraq.  Otherwise, a troop deployment 
would fall short of Turkey's expectation to become part of a 
solution in Iraq. .  Erdogan noted that the U.S. believes 
Turkey's contribution can help the stability situation in 
Iraq, and talks are continuing in that direction. .  Erdogan 
said he is aware of the fact that local Iraqis are not 
positive about seeing Turkish troops in their region, but 
added that consultations with Iraqi groups are continuing. . 
Erdogan said that in order to avoid a new `March 1' crisis, 
the government would wait until conditions are ripe and 
parliamentary approval is guaranteed. .  Erdogan's remarks 
indicate an ongoing bargaining process with the Americans. 
It seems that the `ripening' process will continue at least 
until the NSC meeting in September. .  The military also 
believes that Turkey should not hurry, and that balances in 
the Middle East and in relations with the U.S. should be 
taken into consideration." 
 
 
"Foreign policy with Arab tribes" 
Cengiz Candar wrote in the mass appeal "DB-Tercuman" (8/29): 
"The Obeid tribe is influential around Kirkuk, with around 
500-750,000 members.  Four leaders of the tribe, given a 
reception at the highest level in Ankara, said they 
preferred Turkish troops to be deployed in Northern Iraq 
instead of in the Fallujah-Bakuba-Ramadi triangle, which 
they believe to be a dangerous area.  They are really saying 
that Turkish troops should be deployed around Kirkuk, so 
that Turks, the Obeid tribe, and the Turkomen can confront 
the Americans and the Kurds in the region. .  Ankara scorns 
Barzani and Talabani, representatives of 4.5 million Kurds, 
but flatters these Arab tribal leaders.  Then we call this 
an `Iraq policy.'  Imagine an alliance between the Ankara- 
controlled Turkoman Front and the Obeid tribe, a remnant of 
the Saddam era, against a team of Americans and the Kurds. 
This will do nothing but bring ridicule to Turkey's foreign 
policy." 
 
 
EDELMAN