US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6752

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006752 
 
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 
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US sends a message: Do not come to Iraq - Milliyet 
Look Who's Talking: Bremer Calls Turkey Colonial Power - 
Hurriyet 
US in shock after bombings - Turkiye 
Ramadan Shock for US - Sabah 
Verheugen: Turkey should wait a little more for the EU 
negotiations - Hurriyet 
 
 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Ankara reacts to Bremer - Cumhuriyet 
Baghdad has been turned into another Tel Aviv - Cumhuriyet 
Ankara is annoyed - Radikal 
US shaken by explosions - Yeni Safak 
Bremer: Ottomans were a colonial power in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Bremer's Gaffe - Zaman 
Horrifying scenes in Baghdad - Zaman 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Paul Bremer remarks stir controversy:  The Turkish media 
gave extensive coverage to the televised remarks of Paul 
Bremer.  Bremer reportedly said "the Iraqi Governing Council 
members have said they don't want Turkish troops.  This is 
true.  What they have done is suggested that they should 
have a dialogue with the Turks directly, so the Turks can 
sit directly with the IGC and they can go over it." 
Bremer's remarks in both papers and television reporting 
were interpreted as a sign of a policy shift on the part of 
the US.  Since Bremer mentioned the Ottoman period in Iraq 
from 1533 to the end of the World War I, today's papers 
carried his remarks under banner headlines.  Papers 
highlighted that Ankara was `very offended' by Bremer's 
remarks.  Reports carried this remark from an unnamed 
Turkish Foreign Ministry official: "It seems he is calling 
the Turks a colonial power for 400 years.  If he is making 
such remarks, how can we characterize the US and UK presence 
in Iraq?" 
 
 
"Hurriyet" also carried a comment from Washington. Unnamed 
US officials reaffirmed to the paper that there is no shift 
in US policy, and Bremer did not mean that Turkey will talk 
only to the IGC.  Dialogue on this issue continues between 
Ankara and Washington, in both diplomatic and military 
channels, the US officials noted.  The US continues to 
believe that the presence of Turkish troops in Iraq will 
contribute to stability there, they said. 
 
 
Commentators, on the other hand, reflected a more negative 
view of the latest developments.  Murat Yetkin of "Radikal" 
analyzed the current situation as a possible sign of change 
in US policy toward Iraq.  Yetkin believes that the US 
administration has taken anti-Turkish sentiment into account 
and has already given up on the deployment of Turkish 
troops.  Instead of explaining this change to Ankara 
directly, Yetkin claims, Washington is trying to agitate the 
Turks so that Ankara decides not to send troops. 
Growing Security Concerns in Iraq:  Papers highlighted the 
series of terrorist attacks in Iraq and noted the grave 
security situation.  Characterizing the events as "a bad 
Ramadan surprise for the US," reports said that even the 
International Red Cross Headquarters had become a target for 
terrorist attack.  The US has failed dramatically in its 
effort to improve the security situation in Iraq.  Some 
reports also concluded that it might be best for Turkey to 
stay away from trouble by not sending troops to Iraq. 
 
 
 EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq 
 
 
"Chances for sending troops seem to be diminishing" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (10/28): "Given the 
current situation, chances for Turkey to deploy its troops 
in Iraq are diminishing.  Confusing reports coming from 
Washington during the past week lead us to conclude that the 
US is indecisive about the issue.  The most recent 
statements lead us to believe that the Americans do not want 
Turkish troops.  According to reports, Wolfowitz and other 
high level US officials have put the issue on hold.  Paul 
Bremer went a step further by suggesting that Turkey should 
discuss the issue directly with the IGC.  Bremer's views are 
not the official US position, but the fact of the matter is 
that Turkey has now lost some of its desire to send troops 
to a chaotic Iraq. . Ankara must make a careful assessment 
of the situation and shape policies for Iraq accordingly. 
We cannot deny the ongoing mistrust of Turkey among certain 
Iraqi groups.  We should be able to understand the reasons 
behind this sentiment and come up with an objective analysis 
and a new strategy.  This is the right time for Turkey to do 
that, now that the deployment of troops has fallen from the 
agenda." 
 
 
EDELMAN