US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6621

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006621 
 
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, OCTOBER 22, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
 
 
US concerned about Turkish Cypriot polls - Milliyet 
Ankara offers EU Zana in exchange for KADEK - Hurriyet 
US warns its nationals to leave Israel - Turkiye 
Security to be enhanced around Turkey's Baghdad embassy - 
Sabah 
Israeli energy minister: Israel should apologize for 
civilian casualties - Sabah 
Saddam has $500 million in Turkish banks - Aksam 
Koizumi calls Bush "Beefman" - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Gen. Myers: US to stay in Iraq for at least another year - 
Cumhuriyet 
Fiery Cyprus polemic between Erdogan, Denktas - Radikal 
US wants observers for Turkish Cypriot election - Cumhuriyet 
Springtime continues in the Aegean - Radikal 
HRW claims US troops use excessive force in Iraq - Radikal 
Rumsfeld launches investigation of Gen. Boykin - Yeni Safak 
Bosnia bids farewell to Alija - Zaman 
Israel seriously damages Gaza - Yeni Safak 
Iran signs nuclear control agreement - Cumhuriyet 
Greek Cypriots admit country a haven for money launderers - 
Zaman 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
$8.5 billion loan controversy:  Foreign Minister Gul 
repeated on Tuesday that the $8.5 billion US loan for Turkey 
is not tied to a condition of troop deployment in Iraq. 
Turkey's economy is not in urgent need of the loan, Gul 
stressed.  Prime Minister Erdogan said that Turkey would 
accept the money, and that the first tranche of the loan 
would arrive late October.  Erogan said the $8.5 billion 
loan agreement was not  conditioned on Turkey staying out of 
Northern Iraq.  Papers drew attention to the fact that the 
loan agreement had not been submitted to the cabinet for 
approval, and that the GOT has not applied to the US 
Treasury for release of the first tranche of money.  Ankara 
says the credit, approved by the US Congress for Turkey's 
frail economy ahead of the invasion of Iraq, is not 
essential to tackling the country's debt load. 
 
 
Turkey bargains with EU over KADEK:  "Hurriyet" claims on 
its front page that Turkish officials promised EU Commission 
members that Ankara would `change the course of the DEP 
(Democracy Party) case' if KADEK were placed on the EU list 
of terror organizations.  Kurdish politician Leyla Zana and 
three other former DEP lawmakers are being retried on 
charges of separatism.  Zana was sentenced to 15 years in 
prison in 1993.  The court ruled against the release of Zana 
and her colleagues last week, which may cast a shadow over 
Turkey's progress report currently being drafted by the EU 
Commission. 
 
 
US troops allegedly harassing Iraqi women:  The Islamist 
"Yeni Safak" cites an article by Dr. Susan Blocks, an 
American, claiming that US troops raped 4000 Iraqi women in 
the early days of the Iraq occupation.  Iraqi females 
between the ages of 40-50 have been used to feed the sexual 
fantasies of American soldiers, Blocks claimed.  Sexual 
violence is prevalent in Iraq, Blocks writes, adding that 
abduction and rape are spreading like a plague.  Rape 
victims include women between the ages of 9 and 64, she 
notes.  Dr. Blocks also claims that female relatives of 
detained Iraqis are also being held in custody. 
Israelis buying land in Northern Iraq:  Dailies cite the 
Israeli newspaper "Yediot Ahronot" as reporting that the MFA 
has warned Israeli Embassy officials in Ankara against the 
purchase of land by Israelis in the oil-rich Northern Iraqi 
town of Mosul.  Ankara is concerned that Israel might be 
providing support to Kurds in the region.  However, Israeli 
government officials have assured Ankara that such press 
reports are without foundation. 
 
 
Gul, Papandreou meet in Athens:  During his visit to Athens 
on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Gul voiced Turkey's 
determination to solve the Cyprus and Aegean disputes.  Gul 
discussed with Greek officials possibilities for cooperation 
in security, transportation and communication during the 
2004 Olympic Games to take place in Athens.  Greek FM 
Papandreou said the Olympic flame would be taken to Istanbul 
as well.  Papers believe that Papandreou made a goodwill 
gesture by referring to `Istanbul' as well as 
`Constantinople,' the term ordinarily used by Greek 
officials.  Papers draw attention to the `marvelous' welcome 
given to the Turkish delegation in Athens, and note the 
absence of protest demonstrations. 
 
 
Denktas unhappy with Ankara:  Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas 
said that Ankara should clarify its support for his 
government before the general elections in northern Cyprus 
scheduled for December.  Prime Minister Erdogan said last 
week that the course of the Cyprus talks could be changed if 
the pro-EU Turkish Cypriot opposition emerges victorious. 
Erdogan also noted that a constant refusal of the Annan Plan 
will not help efforts to find a solution.  Denktas claimed 
that the Greek Cypriot National Council is seeking a single 
state on the island, demanding restoration of property 
rights for displaced Greeks, and calling for an end to 
Turkey's guarantor status. 
 
 
US concerned of Turkish Cypriot polls:  US State Department 
Spokesman Adam Ereli voiced concern about possible 
irregularities in Turkish Cypriot voter lists.  The US 
regards the polls as a crucial opportunity for Turks to 
express their views on a Cyprus settlement based on the UN- 
sponsored peace plan.  Ereli stressed that the elections 
would be, in a sense, a referendum on the Annan Plan. 
Meanwhile, US Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Weston said 
in Ankara on Tuesday that European observers should be 
allowed to monitor the elections. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
 
a) Iraq 
b) Cyprus 
 
 
"Nobody is in a hurry right now" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal Milliyet (10/22): "The 
process leading toward a deployment of Turkish troops to 
Iraq began with great enthusiasm.  This initial enthusiasm 
has given way to reluctance despite the fact that Turkey 
passed the troop authorization through parliament.  This is 
the result of changing conditions and circumstances in Iraq 
over the past several weeks, which has put a brake on the US 
desire for Turkish troops.  As for Turkey's position on the 
issue, it seems that Ankara has failed to assess the current 
situation in Iraq, and has overlooked the deep sentiment 
against foreign forces and its impact on US policy. . Turkey 
is now waiting for the US to adopt a clear stance on the 
troop deployment issue.   As Turkish officials put it, 
`Turkey is ready to wait until it happens.'  This means that 
Ankara believes that the persuasion of Iraqi groups on the 
issue is solely the job of the United States." 
 
 
"Cyprus in a flurry" 
Okay Gonensin noted in the mass appeal Vatan (10/22): 
"Results of the Turkish Cypriot elections will not only 
shape the future destiny of Turkish Cypriots, but the 
destiny of the whole island.  The pro-Denktash team is doing 
its best to ensure that it wins the game.  Denktash also 
claims that he has full support from the Turkish military. 
In fact, Turkish military support for Northern Cyprus is 
about military and strategic considerations, not about 
politics. . Solving Cyprus is the key for Turkey's accession 
to the European Union.  Turkey cannot possibly go through 
the EU integration procedure unless the `Cyprus key' is 
turned to open the current logjam. . Rhetoric suggesting 
that the Cyprus issue should be dealt with after the start 
of full membership talks between Turkey and the EU commences 
is nothing but a tactical game to prevent Turkey's 
membership from taking place. . The elections must be fair 
and open.  Even a tiny shadow means an act of  betrayal 
against Turkey and Turkish Cypriots." 
 
 
EDELMAN