US embassy cable - 02ANKARA8879

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 008879 
 
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, DECEMBER 10, 2002 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                         ------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Erdogan Trades Cyprus for EU accession date - Milliyet 
Copenhagen Summit-Civilization Test - Hurriyet 
Harsh Warning from Erdogan to EU: You must put up with the 
consequences-Turkiye 
KADEK is on US Terrorist Organizations List - Hurriyet 
Patriot Summit - Hurriyet 
 
 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
US Senators in Ankara - Cumhuriyet 
US Officials Visit Ankara Constantly - Radikal 
Erdogan Will Bargain for Iraq and EU in Washington-Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
US Senators: "Cumhuriyet" and "Radikal" report on Senator 
Biden and Hagel's visit yesterday to Ankara.  Responding to 
journalists' questions following an hour-long meeting with 
PM Gul, Biden said that the US Administration and the 
congress agree on Iraq's territorial integrity, and that he 
and Senator Hagel had stressed that point during meetings 
with Kurdish leaders in Northern Iraq.  Responding to a 
question, Senator Biden said that progress on a solution in 
Cyprus will be an important factor in the U.S. Congress' 
consideration of economic assistance to Turkey. 
 
 
EU: Today's papers give extensive front-page coverage to the 
harsh warnings made by AKP leader Erdogan in Copenhagen.  In 
his speech, Erdogan urged the EU to abandon its `double 
standards,' and warned that the EU should be ready to face 
the consequences if it refuses to give a date to Turkey. 
Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen rejected the charge of a 
double standard, and said that EU criteria should be met in 
practice, not only on paper.  "Hurriyet" says in a banner 
front-page headline that the Copenhagen decision would be a 
test for EU civilization.  "Milliyet" reports that AKP 
leader Erdogan presented a letter of intent to the EU term 
president yesterday.  In the letter, Turkey pledges to help 
convince TRNC president Denktas to seek a solution in Cyprus 
if Turkey is given negotiation date.  "Hurriyet" reports 
that President Sezer announced that he will not go to 
Copenhagen to protest the EU decision not to set a date for 
Turkey. 
 
 
Iraq: "Hurriyet" reports that a delegation of Turkish air 
force officials went to Germany for talks with US officials 
about the US demands for using Turkish airspace and air 
bases in a possible operation against Iraq.  During the 
meetings, the Turkish delegation will reportedly demand the 
deployment of Patriot air defense systems, satellite 
connection with the air bases, and installation of new 
equipment at the bases.  "Hurriyet" also reports that EUCOM 
Deputy Commander Charles Wald `secretly' arrived in Ankara 
for important contacts.  General Wald had meetings with 
Turkish Deputy Chief of General Staff Yasar Buyukanit and 
Air Force Commander General Cumhur Asparuk. 
 
 
AKP Leader Erdogan's Visit to US: "Zaman" reports that 
Erdogan will meet with President Bush today at the White 
House.  The meeting will focus on Turkish support for a 
possible operation against Iraq, the Cyprus issue, and 
Turkey's EU accession.  "Hurriyet" says that if the meeting 
with Erdogan is successful, President Bush might launch a 
new diplomatic campaign in support of Turkey by calling EU 
leaders.  "Sabah" reports that Erdogan will face a 
leadership test in Washington, and adds that the US will ask 
for Turkish support in a possible operation against Iraq. 
However, the US will not change its plan if Turkey refuses 
to give support.  In that event, however, the US would feel 
obliged to compensate Turkey for its potential losses. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
 
"The critical week in Turkey's relations with the West" 
Sedat Ergin draws a parallel between EU membership and an 
Iraq operation in mass appeal Hurriyet (12/10): "The current 
situation vis--vis Turkey and the EU creates an equilibrium 
regarding relations with the West, and it will be 
interesting to watch Turkish public opinion on both the 
Cyprus and Iraq issues.  . The Cyprus issue is the weakest 
link, because overall public opinion is very much concerned. 
It is because the EU asks Turkey for serious concessions on 
Cyprus and hints that it would be helpful for Turkey's 
efforts to be given a membership date.  Yet Turkey is 
worried that it could lose all of its trump cards and be 
left empty-handed.  . The second link in this equilibrium is 
the Iraq issue.  Today, the US President will most likely 
call on the EU to give a date for Turkey after his meeting 
with AKP leader Erdogan.  One of the reasons for the Bush 
administration's staunch support for Turkey's EU membership 
is Iraq.  A disappointing decision from the Copenhagen 
summit will create a very negative atmosphere in Turkish 
public opinion, to the point at which it would be very 
difficult for the Turkish government to be persuasive for a 
military operation in Iraq.  In this case, the Turkish 
public, given their general anger with the West, would be 
seriously opposed to a war in Iraq and would refuse to serve 
to western interests." 
 
 
"Iraq and EU" 
Yilmaz Oztuna editorialized in mass appeal-conservative 
Turkiye (12/10): "US preparations are clearly underway, and 
Washington is determined to topple Saddam at all costs. 
Following the recent visit to the Kurdish parliament by two 
distinguished US senators, we might draw the conclusion that 
once Saddam is gone, the Kurdish-controlled region will be 
given autonomy.  After all, the Gulf regimes are disturbed 
by the fact that Saddam's regime has weapons of mass 
destruction, so they have started to cooperate with 
Washington.  . AKP leader Erdogan meanwhile is going to 
discuss Iraq, the EU, and Cyprus with President Bush.  All 
three issues are interrelated, and should be handled with 
great care and attention.  Based on the decisions made on 
these issues, Turkish foreign policy will be shaped for 
years to come."