US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6563

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006563 
 
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, OCTOBER 20, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US seeking a formula for Turkish troops to Iraq - Sabah 
10/19 
Bremer against, Wolfowitz for Turkish troops in Iraq - 
Hurriyet 10/18 
Gen. Ozkok curious about America's true intentions in 
Iraq - Milliyet 10/19 
PM Erdogan: Islamic Europe's new reality - Millliyet 
10/18 
Bush given `fiery' welcome in Manila - Milliyet 10/19 
Bush around Asia in six days - Sabah 10/19 
Death beats Izetbegovic - Turkiye 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
PM Erdogan: Iraq's future unclear - Cumhuriyet 10/19 
US planning to reduce troops to 40,000 in Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
Barzani happy with Erdogan remarks - Yeni Safak 
America dying in Iraq every day - Yeni Safak 
Gen. Boylin apologized to Muslims - Zaman 10/19 
Izetbegovic bids farewell - Radikal 
Izetbegovic was a man of struggles - Zaman 
Iran invites UK, France, Germany to nuclear cooperation 
- Cumhuriyet 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Turkish peacekeepers to Iraq: Prime Minister Erdogan 
has reacted strongly to American concerns and Iraqi 
officials' attitude regarding deployment of Turkish 
soldiers in Iraq and said Turkey was not very 
enthusiastic about sending troops, say Sunday's papers. 
Erdogan said that the Turkish parliament had adopted a 
resolution for deploying troops in Iraq in line with a 
US request, and stressed that Turks would not go to a 
place they are not wanted.  Erdogan underlined the 
energy, water, food and security problems in Iraq, and 
said the country's future was unclear. 
 
 
Monday's "Radikal" reports a joint declaration against 
Turkish troop deployment by representatives of a number 
of political parties in Iraq.  KDP leader Barzani 
welcomed Erdogan's remarks that Turkey would not go to 
Iraq without an invitation, according to Radikal. 
 
 
The US Administration, concerned by reaction from the 
Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) to the deployment of 
Turkish peacekeepers, is now discussing new scenarios 
for cooperation with Turkey, say weekend papers. 
Ankara is annoyed by ambiguous American maneuvers, and 
complains that US officials were talking to the press 
rather than with Turkish officials, diplomatic sources 
told the papers. 
 
 
TGS Chief on Iraq, Cyprus: TGS Chief General Hilmi 
Ozkok said over the weekend that US intentions in Iraq 
were not clear.  Ozkok named instability and the 
PKK/KADEK terror threat as the two major sources of 
concern in Iraq.  Turkey is willing to contribute to 
stabilization efforts in Iraq, he stressed.  General 
Ozkok also noted that Turkey would not turn down a call 
for help by the Turkmens in Northern Iraq.  Ozkok added 
the Cyprus situation could be resolved in a week if 
progress is seen on Turkey's EU entry drive. 
 
 
Cyprus:  Prime Minister Erdogan is hopeful that chances 
for a solution in Cyprus will increase if a new 
administration takes power after the general elections 
in the Turkish Cypriot sector in December, weekend 
papers report.  Sunday's "Cumhuriyet" quoted Greek 
Cypriot press reports claiming that the State 
Department had decided to support the Turkish Cypriot 
opposition and sent a team to Cyprus to work against 
Denktas.  Commentators write about AKP hopes of seeing 
the opposition led by Mehmet Ali Talat emerge 
victorious in the polls.  AKP wants to see Talat as a 
new figure to replace Denktas in negotiations with the 
Greek Cypriots for a solution within the framework of 
the UN-sponsored peace plan. 
 
 
`Diyanet' on the need for change in Islam:  Head of the 
Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) Prof. Ali 
Bardakoglu said that religious practices and norms 
should be reviewed in line with the new conditions 
required by modern times.  The Directorate has prepared 
booklets for the youth and adult citizens in Turkey. 
The promotion campaign to be launched will initially 
focus on the place of women in Islam, papers say. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq/OIC Summit 
 
 
"US is confused but." 
Cuneyt Ulsever commented in mass appeal Hurriyet 
(10/20): "The US has successfully ended the war in Iraq 
but failed to establish order.  And worse is to come 
because the US does not have a clear vision of how to 
achieve order in Iraq.  The US only presents a dazed 
and confused picture..Many circles, including in 
Turkey, are actually happy about the failure on the US 
side.  To be honest, this is something that bothers me 
very much. The US is confused in Iraq and that is the 
very reason for Turkey to be there.  Otherwise, the 
situation is like sitting and watching the fire in 
immediate neighborhood.  Turkey should be in Iraq not 
only to helping out the US forces, but, more 
importantly, to serve its very own interests.  It is 
worrying to see that the US is not influential enough 
with the IGC despite the fact that the members are 
appointed by the US.  The situation is becoming more 
chaotic.  Therefore, Turkey should insist on taking on 
an active role in Iraq." 
 
 
"Islamic Countries Ignored the Iraq Reality" 
Ferai Tinc commented in mass appeal Hurriyet (10/20): 
"The OIC summit has missed an important chance to shape 
a policy line on Iraq.  Short-sighted assessments and 
individual ambitions overshadowed the discussion of 
Iraq.  Therefore, the summit failed to design an 
alternate plan for Iraq's reconstruction or to 
establish a joint action plan.  Turkey and Pakistan 
worked together for a joint Islamic peacekeeping force, 
yet failed..The overall majority of the OIC countries 
signify a fact: The leaderships are preserving their 
reign under the disguise of `sacred religion.'   And 
those leaderships have just abandoned Iraq to its 
destiny." 
 
 
EDELMAN