US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5628

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005628 
 
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 
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
General Jones: A UN Peacekeeping Force Under US Command - 
Sabah 
Bush Seeks UN Support - Milliyet 
CHP Leader Baykal Criticizes Government for Troop Deployment 
- Milliyet 
PM Erdogan: "Turks Free Movement in Europe Could Be Limited" 
- Milliyet 
Poland Resumes Duty South of Baghdat - Milliyet 
US Promises to Eliminate PKK in Northern Iraq - Turkiye 
Turkey's Five Conditions For Iraq - Hurriyet 
New Iraqi Government Resumes Duty - Hurriyet 
PM Erdogan: Turkey Wants to be Part of a Secular Europe" 
-Hurriyet 
Powell: Must Wait for the Democratic Process on Turkey's 
Troop Decision" - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Turkish General Staff Supports Troops for Iraq" - Radikal 
Good News On Inflation - Radikal 
NATO Formula for Iraq From General Jones - Yeni Safak 
Inflation Numbers Lowest in 20 Years - Zaman 
Babacan Says Credit Agreement With US to be Signed Soon - 
Zaman 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
PM Erdogan's Remarks on EU Accession:  In remarks to Italy's 
`La Repubblica' newspaper, PM Erdogan emphasized the 
importance of secularism in Europe.  "Sabah" notes that 
Erdogan tried to ease fears in European countries about the 
possible consequences if Turkish workers are allowed free 
movement throughout the EU.  The PM stressed that Turkey 
could accept some restrictions regarding the free movement 
of labor even after it becomes a full member of the Union. 
In Italy this weekend, PM Erdogan will give details of 
Turkey's EU harmonization reforms and will have a working 
dinner with his Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi. 
 
 
General Jones' Visits Turkey:  "Hurriyet" reports that in 
his contacts in Ankara, General Jones focused on the transit 
of a possible Turkish troop deployment to Iraq and the need 
to neutralize the PKK/KADEK.  In a statement released by the 
Turkish General Staff following the meeting, the TGS noted 
that military delegations from the US and Turkey would begin 
meeting today to discuss military and technical issues 
related to the deployment.  "Hurriyet" predicts that during 
these meetings, Turkey will present five conditions to US: 
Turkey wants full authority in the sector that will be given 
to Turkish troops; Turkey must head the command structure 
for troops in its sector; Turkey and the US will undertake 
serious steps to eliminate the PKK/KADEK in northern Iraq; 
Turkish forces in Northern Iraq will give logistic support 
for the transport of forces toward Baghdad; Turkey should be 
given financial support for the deployment, based on the 
Polish example. 
 
 
US State Department Statement on PKK/KADEK:  "Turkiye" gives 
extensive front-page coverage to the statement of US State 
Department Spokesman Richard Boucher regarding the 
announcement of the end of the PKK/KADEK cease-fire. 
Boucher said that all terror groups in Northern Iraq must be 
neutralized, including the PKK -- a terrorist organization. 
He noted that the United States and Turkey will hold close 
contacts to allay Turkish concerns on this issue. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
"Troop deployment and KADEK" 
Koray Duzgoren commented in Islamic intellectual/opinion 
maker Yeni Safak (9/4): "The U.S. has demanded that Turkish 
troops be deployed in zones of Iraq which are causing 
trouble for the Americans. .  The PKK/KADEK has announced an 
end to its cease-fire with Turkey.  This decision might 
negatively affect American efforts to see Turkish troops in 
Iraq.  Turkey, on the pretext of deploying troops to central 
Iraq, is considering keeping a certain number of troops in 
the North to maintain pressure on Iraqi Kurdish groups and 
KADEK. .  Although the AKP government does not seem 
concerned, renewed clashes with the PKK/KADEK are possible. 
.  The U.S. wants stability in the region.  Turkey also 
needs regional peace and stability to improve its economy. 
The AKP government must swiftly change its position of 
ignoring the Kurdish problem.  The AKP must understand that 
KADEK is not merely a terror organization, but is closely 
related to the Kurdish problem.  The government must abandon 
its posture of seeing the troop deployment issue through the 
lens provided by the military and the elite rulers of the 
state structure." 
 
 
"Towards the finale" 
Okay Gonensin noted in the mass appeal Vatan (9/4): 
"Islamist terror and the war in Iraq have shown that an EU 
with Turkey will be in a stronger position to address the 
new balances in the Middle East. .  If a solution is not 
reached in Cyprus by May 2004, Turkey will become an 
occupier of the land of an EU member country. .  The Greek 
Cypriot Administration will naturally use its advantageous 
position in the EU to push for a settlement in Cyprus. . 
Leading EU members have shown that Turkey will not be 
blocked in its EU drive, but they have also made clear that 
they expect Ankara to make progress on the Cyprus issue. 
There is no sense in allowing the possibility of failure now 
that Turkey has come this close to reaching its goal of EU 
membership." 
 
 
EDELMAN