US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6113

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006113 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 29, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Gul defends U.S. loan for Turkey - Hurriyet 9/28 
Bremer: 19 Al-Qaida members caught in Iraq- - Millliyet 9/28 
Barzani: Our democracy a model for all of Iraq - Hurriyet 
Washington urges Iraqi interim government to draft 
constitution - Aksam 9/28 
Heir to Iraqi throne: Turkey should help us - Turkiye 
Grandson of Khomeini urges democracy for Iran - Sabah 9/28 
Grandson of Khomeini calls on US to support reformers in 
Iran - Aksam 9/28 
Landmines on Turkey-Greece border to be removed - Milliyet 
9/27 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Bush Administration's Iraq impasse - Radikal 9/28 
U.S. to send 10,000 in reinforcements to Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
9/28 
Laura Bush on Europe tour - Radikal 
`Bush Boulevard' in Tikrit - Radikal 
Putin wants UN resolution for Iraqi peacekeeping - Zaman 
9/28 
Saddam hiding out in Azerbaijan - Yeni safak 
Putin won't send troops to Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
U.S., Turkey disagree over Iraq:  Dailies claim that U.S. 
hopes for a contribution from Turkey to the Iraq 
stabilization mission are diminishing, and that the U.S. is 
preparing to deploy an additional 15,000 American troops in 
Iraq.  Ankara's demands for the elimination of the PKK/KADEK 
before deploying peacekeepers in Iraq have caused concern in 
Washington.  U.S. diplomatic sources are quoted as saying 
that talks between the U.S. and Turkey on Iraq are 
deadlocked. 
 
 
FM Gul on $8.5 bln U.S. loan:  Foreign Minister Gul said in 
a press conference in New York that the $8.5 billion U.S. 
loan for Turkey is not tied to a possible deployment of 
Turkish peacekeepers in Iraq.  Gul added that the loan will 
not affect Turkey's struggle against the PKK/KADEK in 
Northern Iraq.  Gul also said that the parliament would not 
reject a motion for deploying Turkish troops in Iraq if such 
a motion were to be submitted by the government. 
 
 
Iraqi heir apparent criticizes U.S.:  The leading member of 
the Iraqi royal family, heir apparent Sharif Ali bin 
Hussein, who the U.S. is considering for Iraqi leadership, 
said to  "Turkiye" that Turkey should deploy troops in Iraq. 
`Turkey should not allow Iraq to disintegrate.  Iraq needs 
soldiers from Turkey, not from the U.S. or other countries,' 
bin Hussein said.  He complained that the U.S. has not 
fulfilled its promises to the Iraqi people, and that the 
situation in Iraq is deteriorating. 
 
 
Gul, Papandreou agree on projects:  The Turkish and Greek 
foreign ministers opened a new chapter in bilateral 
friendship during their meeting in New York.  The two 
ministers signed a deal for sweeping landmines, and reached 
verbal agreement on cooperation at the 2004 Olympic Games in 
Athens.  Turkish companies will be allowed to win contracts 
for Olympic-related infrastructure projects.  Gul and 
Papandreou also agreed to facilitate transport for tourists 
to visit the Aegean coasts of both countries. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq/US-Turkey 
"The Cost of the US Loan" 
Sedat Ergin wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (9/28): "Turkey 
has apparently accepted a US condition that Turkish troops 
not be sent unilaterally into northern Iraq in order to 
receive the $ 8.5 billion credit.  In fact, northern Iraq is 
not the only condition on the loan. The loan will be 
suspended if Turkey does not cooperate with the US in Iraq, 
and does not share efforts for the stabilization of the 
country. . The timing of the deal was also very interesting: 
the loan was signed two days following the expiration of the 
Turkish parliament's authorization providing a mandate to 
the Turkish government to deploy troops in northern Iraq as 
needed.  . Economy Minister Babacan, who signed the 
agreement on Turkey's behalf, has also made some strange 
remarks, including a call to the government to `be careful' 
about this deal.  Babacan added that the responsibility for 
this risky deal belongs to the MFA. . We need clarification 
from the Turkish Foreign Ministry about these allegations, 
and the reasons for its green light for signing the deal." 
 
 
"The Northern Iraq Condition" 
Fikret Bila wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (9/28): "The 
financial deal between Turkey and the US is conditioned to 
keep Turkey out of northern Iraq.  This shows once again 
that the interests of the two Kurdish groups, PUK and KDP, 
are a higher priority for the US than Turkey's interests. 
The agreement clearly indicates that US policy is not to 
allow Turkey to use unilateral force in northern Iraq.  In 
fact, this condition is going to serve not only the interest 
of the PUK and KDP, but also the PKK/KADEK's interests as 
well. . Turkey should develop new policies for both northern 
Iraq and Iraq as a whole.  The current Turkish policy is 
based on a rhetoric that suggests Turkey will use force in 
Northern Iraq as needed.  But this approach is no longer 
valid under the current circumstances.  The fact of the 
matter is that Ankara is incapable of shaping policies free 
of US influence, and thus it should stop deceiving Turkish 
public opinion." 
 
 
EDELMAN