US embassy cable - 03ANKARA7070

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007070 
 
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 
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Terror targets Italians in Nasiriye - Milliyet 
Bush urges IGC to hurry on constitution - Milliyet 
Bush seeking an alternative to IGC - Turkiye 
Bloodbath in Iraq, Italy in shock - Turkey 
CIA warns that Shiites might join Iraq resistance - Milliyet 
Talabani wants interim Iraqi government fast - Vatan 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
 
 
Washington might dissolve the IGC - Cumhuriyet 
Soros to give millions of dollars to Bush opponents - 
Radikal 
US considers `Afghan model' for Iraq - Zaman 
CIA admits failure in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
FM Gul: Turkey will protect Iraqi Kurds - Zaman 
US sanctions on Syria - Radikal 
Medact announces 55,000 civilian casualties in Iraq - Yeni 
Safak 
TRNC elections will be a vote of confidence - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Cyprus:  Prime Minister Erdogan will pay a visit to the 
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) November 15 to 
meet with Denktas and opposition leaders.  Papers claim that 
Erdogan will give all sides in the TRNC the message that 
negotiations should be resumed within the framework of the 
Annan Plan no matter which party emerges victorious from the 
Turkish Cypriot elections in December.  "Zaman" says that 
Ankara will offer to reduce gradually the number of Turkish 
troops in Cyprus and, in exchange, Turkey would retain its 
guarantor status on the island. 
 
 
The Loizidu case:  The Council of Europe warned Ankara to 
abide by a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling 
obliging Turkey to pay $900,000 in reparations to a Greek 
Cypriot national, Titina Loizidu, for her loss of property 
after the occupation of northern Cyprus by the Turks in 
1974.  Council of Europe officials reportedly said that 
Turkey would face serious sanctions if the money is not paid 
by November 19, and that such a refusal would constitute a 
violation of the EU Copenhagen Criteria.  Ankara has agreed 
to pay the fee, but has asked that issues concerning 
property rights in the lawsuit not be raised until the end 
of 2005.  Ankara is worried that the verdict could set a 
precedent for thousands of similar applications who have 
cases pending before the ECHR. 
 
 
Kurds block hospital construction in Kirkuk:  The city 
council of Kirkuk rejected a Turkish proposal to build a 
hospital in Kirkuk, "Zaman" reports.  An AK Party lawmaker 
in charge of the project, Turhan Comez, believes the refusal 
was the result of opposition by Kurdish members of the 
council.  "Milliyet" reports that 9 Kurds serving on the 
council voted against the proposal, while 6 non-Kurds voted 
to support it and 8 members abstained. 
 
 
PKK/KADEK militants in Turkey:  "Cumhuriyet" claims that 
KADEK has sent 2,500 militants to southern and eastern 
provinces of Turkey from Iraq since March 2003.  The 
militants have been instructed to organize street protests 
and to assassinate local government officials.  Pro-Kurdish 
DEHAP members have also intensified protest demonstrations, 
the latest one being staged in major provinces to protest 
the deteriorating health condition of jailed PKK leader 
Abdullah Ocalan.  The paper expects the militants to 
intensify their activities in Turkey after December 4. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Elections 2004 
 
 
 "The Bush Fans" 
Soli Ozel wrote in mass appeal Sabah (11/13): "The American 
intellectual elite is concerned that the re-election of the 
current administration in November 2004 would be a disaster 
for the country.  On the other hand, the Bush administration 
is going through a period of internal conflict.  Several 
agencies, including the CIA, have stood up to defend 
themselves against the criticism they have faced since the 
Iraq war.  The State Department, which stood against the war 
from the start, is trying to regain control over foreign 
policy in Washington.  There is also a growing reaction 
against several religious fundamentalist figures within the 
administration. . As for the economy, the Bush 
administration has created a 300 billion dollar budget 
deficit in just three years.  This poses a major problem for 
the future of the US economy.  The latest figures indicate 
that one-third of US national income is controlled by 
foreigners.  That is another weakness for the American 
economy. . The upcoming elections will tell us how the US 
will shape its future as a superpower.  The Bush 
administration is characterized by religious fundamentalism 
and an irresponsible foreign policy.  The election defeat of 
this administration seems to be not only in the US interest, 
but also would benefit the whole world.  The fact of the 
matter is that now Democrats have a tough job to accomplish: 
finding a good candidate to defeat Bush." 
 
 
EDELMAN