US embassy cable - 02ANKARA8900

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 008900 
 
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, DECEMBER 11, 2002 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                         ------- 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Bush to Erdogan: We are shoulder to shoulder with you - 
Milliyet 
EU Support from Bush - Hurriyet 
President Bush: Operator, connect me to Berlin - Sabah 
Turkish People Deserve EU entry - Hurriyet 
EU Stubbornness-Turkiye 
Top Level summit at Cankaya - Milliyet 
Annan offers new Cyprus plan - Hurriyet 
Parliament Clears Obstacles in front of Erdogan - Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Cooperation for Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Bush: Shoulder to shoulder for EU entry - Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Erdogan-Bush Meeting/EU: Today's papers give extensive, 
front-page coverage to AKP leader Erdogan's US visit and to 
the Erdogan-Bush meeting at the White House.  Erdogan was 
welcomed by President Bush with the words `Welcome to the 
home of Turkey's closest friend and ally'.  All papers 
report that the US President has extended support to 
Turkey's EU entry by saying that `we are shoulder to 
shoulder with Turkey in their struggle to enter the EU'. 
"Aksam" reports that Erdogan was briefed for 2 hours by 
DepSecDef Wolfowitz and U/S Grossman prior to his meeting 
with President Bush.  "Hurriyet" reports that top-level US 
officials, including SecState Powell, Condoleezza Rice, 
Wolfowitz and US Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson, 
attended the meeting at the White House.  "Sabah" reports 
that President Bush promised to call EU capitals to lobby 
for an early accession date for Turkey. 
 
 
"Turkiye" reports that despite all the efforts exerted by 
Turkey, EU countries stubbornly insist on delaying the start 
of accession talks until 2005.  Britain, Spain, Greece, 
Italy, Portugal, Ireland, and Belgium want to begin the 
accession talks in 2003.  However, 8 countries led by France 
and Germany insist on 2005.  In a banner front-page 
headline, "Hurriyet" says that the Turkish people deserve EU 
entry because Turkey has carried out reforms to meet EU 
standards.  "Milliyet" reports that Ankara is planning 
responses to a possible negative outcome in Copenhagen. 
Options under consideration include rejecting Annan's Cyprus 
plan, imposing economic sanctions on selected EU countries, 
and rejecting automatic EU access to NATO resources. 
 
 
Cankaya Summit: "Milliyet" reports that a `security summit' 
was held at the Presidential Palace yesterday with the 
participation of President Sezer, PM Abdullah Gul, and chief 
of General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok.  EU accession, Cyprus, 
and Iraq were the top issues of yesterday's meeting, and 
three decisions were taken : 1. The 2005 proposal for EU 
accession talks is unacceptable, 2. The EU demand for 
evaluating the Turkish government's performance over the 
next six months is acceptable, 3. A deal on Cyprus cannot be 
signed before or during the EU summit.  General Ozkok 
reportedly submitted an evaluation report on the Annan plan. 
PM Gul will present the report to EU leaders in Copenhagen. 
 
 
Cyprus:  All papers report that Annan has presented the new 
Cyprus plan.  "Hurriyet" reports that Annan's revised Cyprus 
Plan does not differ very much from the initial plan, and 
does not meet Turkish demands for equality and sovereignty. 
 
 
Constitutional Amendments: "Milliyet" reports that the 
parliament amended article 76 of the constitution to clear 
the way for the premiership of AKP leader Erdogan.  CHP 
reportedly tried to keep the obstacles in front of Erdogan, 
but to no avail.  In the end, most CHP deputies voted in 
favor of the amendments. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Turkey-EU and Erdogan's Washington visit 
 
 
"Plan A: 2003; Plan B: 2004" 
Zeynep Gurcanli wrote in tabloid Star (12/11): "The worst- 
case-scenario in Ankara's mind is to be given a negotiation 
date in 2004.  This date seems to be the upper `acceptable' 
limit for Turkey. . AKP leader Erdogan underlined the EU 
issue as the major topic to discuss with President Bush 
prior to his meeting at the White House.  He believes that 
Turkey's chances to get a negotiation date within the 
acceptable parameters will increase at least 50 percent more 
after meeting with Bush.  Erdogan hints that he expects 
President Bush to exert even more pressure on European 
leaders.  This support, of course, comes with a price. 
Erdogan and his staffers believe that the price will be 
Turkey's support for the Iraq operation.  However, there 
might be another bill attached to it: Cyprus.  . It is very 
likely that President Bush will promise to increase pressure 
on the EU but also exert pressure on the Turkish side on the 
Cyprus issue.  The revised Annan plan on Cyprus will most 
likely be presented to Erdogan while he is in the United 
States.  Turkey is rapidly moving toward a `take-it-or-leave- 
it' position on the Cyprus issue.  The visit of Erdogan to 
the US might be a breakthrough in Turkish foreign policy." 
 
 
"The last 24 hours" 
Zafer Atay wrote in economic-political Dunya (12/11): "It 
seems there are two main scenarios for Turkey's membership 
procedures.  First is the positive scenario, i.e. giving 
Turkey a negotiation date as early as 2003, or setting a 
time in 2004 for giving a date.  The so-called French-German 
formula regarding a 2005 plan is the worst scenario.  The 
approval of this formula has the potential to undermine 
Turkish-EU relations dramatically.  It would provide the 
anti-EU lobby in Turkey clear and undeniable arguments. . 
Time is running out, and in only a few days we will see the 
outcome.  Yet whatever the decision may be, we should never 
think about giving up our efforts to meet the Copenhagen 
criteria.  These are indispensable elements for Turkey and 
Turkish society, and we better continue these reforms 
whether or not we are admitted to the EU." 
 
 
DEUTSCH, ACTING