US embassy cable - 03ANKARA7757

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007757 
 
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, DECEMBER 18, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Saddam, from throne to cage - Turkiye 
Saddam collaborates with US to save his life - IGC member - 
Turkiye 
Saddam kept in Baghdad - Milliyet 
Iron Horse hunts resisters - Milliyet 
`Good morning Baghdad' - Robin Williams in Iraq - Aksam 
Verheugen: Real Turkish Cypriots want EU - Milliyet 
Traffic intensifies between Ankara and Lefkosa - Sabah 
Denktas signals he might withdraw as negotiator - Aksam 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Bush wants heaviest possible punishment for Saddam - 
Cumhuriyet 
Resistance continues in Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Post-Saddam violence in Iraq - Radikal 
Talat: Denktas cannot remain as negotiator - Zaman 
Ankara against new elections, prefers broad coalition in 
TRNC - Radikal 
Eroglu, Denktas to continue cooperation - Radikal 
Madonna prefers Wesley Clark as president - Radikal 
Heavy penalties for November 17 terrorists - Radikal 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
 Cyprus:  Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas met on Wednesday 
with the leaders of political parties represented in 
parliament - the CTP, UBP, DP and BDH.  Denktas reiterated 
the need for a national unity government, and said that he 
would not insist on being the chief negotiator in Cyprus 
talks.  CTP leader Talat is not against a national coalition 
government, and said his party could consider a coalition 
with the UBP as well.  Outgoing coalition leader UBP's 
Eroglu has also abandoned his hard line stance, and said his 
party would consider forming a partnership with the CTP. 
"Turkiye" reports the comments of US Congressman Mark Kirk, 
who said that the US would prefer that Talat form the new 
government.  US Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Weston met 
with Talat in Lefkosa on Wednesday.  The US has stepped in 
before Turkey, writes "Hurriyet," drawing attention to 
Weston's rush to the island without waiting for the new 
government to be formed.  The MFA said Ankara would continue 
to cooperate with any new Turkish Cypriot government. 
Ankara has been using the Annan Plan as its main point of 
reference for a new Cyprus peace proposal to be unveiled 
soon, claims "Zaman."  The MFA is reluctant to discuss its 
new plan with Weston, who will be visiting Ankara Friday. 
The new plan by Turkey will offer a timetable for solving 
disagreements on key issues like guarantor status, reduction 
of troops, and migration. 
 
 
US offers Turkey free trade deal:  US Congressman Mark Kirk 
said the US could offer to sign a free trade agreement with 
Turkey if progress is seen in efforts toward a Cyprus 
settlement.  A new free trade agreement between the US and 
Turkey will strengthen the position of Ankara in its 
relations with the EU, Kirk said.  Kirk said that the pro-EU 
CTP leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, should be designated as prime 
minister in the TRNC. 
New bill for restructuring the NSC:  A bill for establishing 
transparency in the structure of the National Security 
Council (NSC) has been submitted to the Council of Ministers 
for approval, "Hurriyet" reports.  The draft abolishes some 
units of the NSC such as the offices for intelligence 
gathering and collective civil defense.  The NSC Secretary 
General will be held accountable for spending from slush 
funds, "Hurriyet" notes. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq 
 
 
"James Baker Makes a Difference" 
Fikret Ertan noted in the Islamist-intellectual Zaman 
(12/18): "In the effort to rebuild Iraq, it is crucially 
important that Iraq's colossal foreign debt is either erased 
or restructured with a reasonable repayment plan.  This 
issue is as vital as the security and stability of Iraq. 
Failure to find a settlement to the debt issue will mean 
that Iraq will suffer from lack of investment and will not 
be able to attract foreign capital.  In the end, these 
factors would lead to more serious problems with security 
and stability. . Thus the Bush administration's recent 
decision to appoint James Baker to deal with Iraq's debts is 
not only a very important step but also very appropriate. 
Baker, who is just the right name for this job, has already 
made progress by reaching consensus with French and German 
leaders for the elimination of some Iraqi debt. . It is also 
expected that Baker will exert his personal charisma in 
talks with the Russians and will eventually convince Moscow, 
which has so far been cool to the debt reduction argument." 
 
 
"The Unholy War" 
Derya Sazak commented in mass appeal Milliyet (12/18): 
"Events following the capture of Saddam strongly indicate 
that attacks against the occupation forces will continue. 
The Bush administration has managed to make progress in 
ending dictatorial regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that 
might be a good outcome.  Yet there are no gains from the 
strategy of preventive war.  The general picture does not 
convince us that the intention of the war was to prevent 
terror.  There is a complex set of reasons ranging from the 
fight against terrorism to oil and other issues that 
motivated the US.  It is also puzzling to see that Saddam 
has been captured while Bin Laden remains on the loose. . 
Saddam's capture has not ended the violence.  This is the 
very time for the US administration to start making a fair 
analysis of the Iraq situation in the post-Saddam era. 
Saddam is out of the game, but the `September 11 process' 
still requires further explanation." 
 
 
EDELMAN