US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6019

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006019 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 24, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
AKP wants parliamentary authorization on Iraq - Hurriyet 
Gul: U.S. must solve the PKK problem at once - Vatan 
Perle: No need for Turkish troops in Iraq - Milliyet 
Annan, other UN members duel with Bush - Sabah 
Bush three points behind Democrat Wesley Clark - Sabah 
Bernard Lewis: Turkey should choose between U.S. and Europe 
- Aksam 
Chalabi against more foreign troops in Iraq - Turkiye 
Gul: In current form, Annan Plan will bring catastrophe to 
Cyprus - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Erdogan aims to bypass parliament on Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Perle: We can do without Turkey in Iraq - Radikal 
U.S., UN duel - Radikal 
Annan: `Preventive attack' might turn into law of the jungle 
- Yeni Safak 
Powell gaffe: `U.S. a Judeo-Christian country' - Yeni Safak 
Gen. Clark: Six countries in line after Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Gen. Clark: Bush will attack 6 Muslim countries - Yeni Safak 
Iraq censures Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabija - Yeni Safak 
Iraq, freed by U.S., silences free media  - Zaman 
British believe war on Iraq illegitimate - Cumhuriyet 
Israel agrees with U.S. on `security wall' - Zaman 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
FM Gul in New York:  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said to 
the press in New York that Ankara expects to hear clear 
messages from the U.S. regarding the elimination of the 
PKK/KADEK threat in Northern Iraq.  Gul stressed that the 
GOT does not want another failed effort to enact a motion 
for the deployment of Turkish peacekeepers in Iraq.  Gul 
said that a UN resolution in support of an Iraqi 
peacekeeping mission would be highly useful.  He also noted 
that the $8.5 billion loan offered by the U.S. would not 
affect Turkey's decision on the Iraqi stabilization mission. 
 
 
GOT to request parliamentary authority for Iraq: The GOT is 
considering requesting authorization from the parliament for 
deploying peacekeepers in Iraq before the AK Party congress 
on October 12.  Papers believe that the government will 
submit a motion to parliament on October 8 or 9.  The AK 
Party leadership is confident that the motion will be 
approved. 
 
 
Turkey might send 10,000 troops to Iraq:  Dailies expect 
Turkey to deploy 10,000 troops in Iraq, and an additional 
5,000 soldiers from other countries to be put under Turkey's 
command.  Diplomatic sources said the Turks could be 
deployed to the north of Baghdad, in the mainly Kurdish 
Salahaddin province, or in parts of the Al-Anbar region. 
Ankara prefers to stay away from Fallujah and Tikrit, the 
most troublesome zones of the Al-Anbar region, where the 
U.S. has lost 30 soldiers thus far. 
 
 
Ambassador Edelman calls on ANAP:  U.S. Ambassador Eric 
Edelman said after meeting with the Motherland Party (ANAP) 
leadership in Ankara on Tuesday that the U.S. has not put 
new conditions on the release of the $8.5 billion loan for 
Turkey.  Edelman reminded that the conditions which had been 
set by the Congress were the continued implementation of 
Turkey's economic recovery program within the framework of 
its IMF agreement, and cooperation with the U.S. on Iraq. 
FM Gul meets Israeli counterpart:  In a meeting with his 
Israeli counterpart, Silvan Shalom, in New York on Tuesday, 
Foreign Minister Gul warned that the Middle East peace 
process would be damaged if Israel sends Arafat into exile. 
Gul told Shalom that Israel should improve the living 
conditions of the Palestinian people, adding that Turkey 
does not approve of the excessive use of power.  He also 
noted that Turkey's Energy Minister, Hilmi Guler, would 
visit Israel next week to finalize a deal on the sale of 
Turkish water to Israel. 
 
 
GOT aims to change administrative structure: According to a 
draft discussed by the cabinet earlier this week, 
responsibility for all government services -- including 
justice, defense, intelligence, security, finance, customs, 
education, land registry, religion, and social security -- 
will be transferred to local administrations.  The 
appointment of doctors, teachers and imams (preachers) will 
also be handled by local administrations.  "Cumhuriyet" is 
concerned that the ruling AK Party will attempt to 
politicize the bureaucracy. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq 
 
 
 
 
"Sending Turkish Troops to Iraq" 
Nuri Elibol wrote in conservative-mass appeal Turkiye 
(9/24): "Turkey's military engagement in Iraq contains both 
advantages and risks.  The government will have to make an 
assessment of the pros and cons, and reach a final decision 
accordingly.  There are two main factors that will directly 
influence the decision-making process -- the US response on 
the PKK/KADEK issue, and the language of the expected UNSC 
resolution.  Things will be a lot easier for the Turkish 
government action if the US can come up with satisfactory 
assurances about the PKK/KADEK and if the UN resolution 
establishes an international force under a UN umbrella." 
 
 
"New Situation in Iraq" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal Milliyet (9/24): "The 
situation in Iraq has changed in the post-war era as Turkey 
once again discusses whether to send troops there.  Compared 
to the situation before the war, the current conditions in 
Iraq are riskier for Turkey, and the advantages are less 
obvious.  In the event of a Turkish military presence in 
Iraq, the Turks will not be in charge of Northern Iraq, and 
Turkish troops will work under more restrictive terms and 
conditions than in a war-time situation. . There is one 
crucial aspect for Turkey, which is the elimination of the 
PKK in northern Iraq.  The resolution of this issue depends 
on the stance of the US.  If the Bush administration does 
not adopt a determined and transparent policy on this issue, 
sending Turkish soldiers to Iraq will once again be a tough 
decision for both the government and the parliament." 
 
 
EDELMAN