US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6525

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006525 
 
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, OCTOBER 17, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Powell's victory: UN to enter Iraq - Sabah 
U.S. convinced UN on Iraq - Turkiye 
Sezer issues reform call for Muslim world - Milliyet 
OSCE observers believe Azerbaijani elections `dirty' - 
Sabah 
Azerbaijanis revolt against Aliyev dynasty - Milliyet 
Fitch might upgrade Turkey's credit rating this year - 
Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
U.S. taking its time on Turks to Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
UN provides full support to U.S. bill on Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
U.S. confused on Turkish troops for Iraq - Yeni Safak 
U.S. got Iraq visa from UN, cautious on Turkish 
peacekeepers - Zaman 
Poll: 90 percent of Iraqis against Turkish troop 
deployment - Cumhuriyet 
PM Erdogan: Ball passed to U.S. on Iraq - Yeni Safak 
U.S. sanctions on Syria at doorstep - Radikal 
Greek Cypriots pledge not to veto Turkey's EU 
membership - Zaman 
EU's Kretschmer: Military still intervening in civilian 
life - Zaman 
S&P upgrades Turkey's credit rating - Radikal 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Turkish peacekeepers to Iraq:   Secretary of Defense 
Donald Rumsfeld said at a joint press conference with 
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General 
Richard Myers, that a consensus between Turkey, CENTCOM 
and the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) was needed for 
deployment of Turkish peacekeepers in Iraq, papers 
report.  Hasty decisions should not be expected on such 
a sensitive issue, Rumsfeld said, adding that 
international peacekeepers might not be needed in Iraq. 
On the other hand, Prime Minister Erdogan reportedly 
said TGS and MFA have completed preparations for troop 
deployment and that Ankara was awaiting a move by the 
US. 
 
 
Papers speculate that US, concerned about a new wave of 
attacks in the face of Turkish troop deployment in 
Iraq, prefers not to rush the process.  Ambassador 
Edelman said to the press after meeting with MFA 
officials in Ankara on Thursday that negotiations with 
the Turkish side should progress very carefully.  We 
will continue holding contacts in Iraq as well as in 
Ankara and Washington on the issue, Edelman said. 
"Radikal" quotes diplomatic sources as voicing doubt 
regarding the intentions of the US  Edelman has 
conveyed to Ankara a message from the US Administration 
that Iraqi officials have to be convinced about 
deployment of Turkish soldiers, the paper claims.  In 
the meantime, Turkey and the US should prepare a legal 
framework for the dispatch of troops, an anonymous 
official told Radikal. 
Papers expect Turkish soldiers to go to Iraq in the 
first week of December.  A Turkish troop contingent of 
about 10,000 can reach Baghdad in five days, "Aksam" 
writes.  The paper adds that a military investigation 
team of 25 officials will visit Baghdad on October 20. 
The team will investigate the alleged connection 
between the Kurdish and Arab tribes and local 
insurgents and will pinpoint zones of danger for 
Turkish soldiers.  The report continues that they will 
also check on water resources in the Salahaddin and al- 
Anbar regions and determine the food and health needs 
of people there. 
 
 
President Sezer at OIC summit:  President Sezer has 
issued calls for reform in the Islamic world at the 
Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC) summit 
meetings in Malaysia.  Sezer urged the US to gradually 
transfer sovereignty to the Iraqi people.  He made it 
clear that Turkey has no hidden agenda in Iraq, and 
invited Muslim countries to contribute to Iraq's 
rebuilding and welfare, papers report. 
 
 
EU's Kretschmer urges for Cyprus solution:  EU 
Commission representative Hans Jorg Kretschmer told the 
Turkish press that reforms in Turkey were progressing 
faster than expected, but that EU accession 
negotiations with Turkey are unlikely to begin next 
year if the Cyprus problem remains unresolved. 
Kretschmer complained that Turkey's military was 
intervening in civilian issues despite the EU 
adjustment laws passed by the GOT. Kretschmer finds 
stunning the military efforts to shape education 
policies.  Commentators draw attention to the fact that 
Kretschmer's assessments will be put in the EU 
enlargement report, and advise both the government and 
military to be careful in making remarks to the public 
about the report. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq 
 
 
"Iraq and the US" 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in the conservative Turkiye 
(10/17): "The authorization given by the Turkish 
parliament for the troop deployment provided legitimacy 
even to those who make big fuss about the issue. 
Turkey is now trying to correct the mistake of March 1. 
The anti-Turkish rhetoric has remarkably increased 
immediately after the parliamentary decision, which 
shows what type of consequences Turkey might face in 
the absence of its presence in Iraq.  The anti-Turkey 
circles are doing their best to discourage Turkey from 
sending troops there.  The recent attack against the 
Turkish Embassy in Baghdad is a clear example of that, 
and unfortunately many more might come.  Turkey has a 
role in Iraq, which is to support peace and stability 
and to help bring more humanitarian assistance to the 
people of Iraq.  Turkey is capable of teaching a lesson 
to those who seek blood and turmoil. ... Turkey is 
determined enough to serve in Iraq.  There is only one 
factor that might deter Ankara from moving forward, 
which is Washington's stance.  If Washington continues 
to be reluctant on the deployment issue, Turkey will 
not do it.  Nevertheless, at the end of the day, the US 
will most likely ask Turkey to play an active role." 
 
 
"The US is having difficulties with the IGC" 
Muharrem Sarikaya noted in mass appeal Sabah (10/17): 
"On Turkey's side, both the government and the military 
are very determined to go ahead with the troop 
deployment.  As for the Washington angle, there are 
various voices overheard and Ankara is somewhat 
disturbed about them.  Yet the government does not 
believe that those who speak against Turkish deployment 
can be considered to represent the US administration's 
view.  . According to Ankara, the major difficulty for 
Washington on the Turkish deployment issue is with the 
IGC.  The US administration is trying to prepare the 
ground for a Turkish presence in Iraq.  However, `no 
foreign troops' statements from both the IGC and from 
neighboring countries such as Jordan is only making the 
process tougher for the US. . Ankara does not interpret 
the delay on the negotiation process as a crisis 
between Turkey and the US.  On the contrary, the 
current delay provides Ankara an opportunity to observe 
the evaluation process in the US, and thus to be able 
to see the big picture." 
 
 
EDELMAN