US embassy cable - 02ANKARA9161

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 009161 
 
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 
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2002 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                         ------- 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Grossman, Taylor Bring $20 billion package - Milliyet 
Tough $28 billion bargaining with U.S. - Hurriyet 
Taylor, Grossman in Ankara for persuasion - Turkiye 
30,000 Turkish Cypriots rally for EU - Sabah 
Turkish Cypriots rally, want Denktas out - Turkiye 
U.S. to deploy JTAGS radar system in Turkey - Vatan 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Grossman, Taylor: Reparation visit by U.S. - Cumhuriyet 
AKP's war ordeal - Radikal 
U.S. demands immediate response on Iraq - Radikal 
Peace front expanding: 90 percent of Turks against war - 
Cumhuriyet 
NGOs, business world, parliamentary human rights commission 
against war - Yeni Safak 
Deputy PM Sener: Markets will regain stability within ten 
days of a war - Zaman 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Ankara invites Taylor, Grossman: "Cost bargaining with the 
U.S. - Dunya 
Public procurement law turned into Swiss cheese - Dunya 
S&P: Turkey's rating might increase even in war - Finansal 
Forum 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Taylor-Grossman Visit & Iraq: All papers report the visit of 
Treasury U/S John Taylor and State U/S for Political Affairs 
Marc Grossman to Ankara.  The emphasis of the extensive, 
front-page coverage is on reports that the US has come to 
the stage of discussing a compensation plan for Turkey. 
"Yeni Safak" writes that the US has offered Turkey 20 
billion dollars, but points out that the amount was short of 
Turkey's expectation, which was 28 billion dollars. 
Although "Sabah" talks about a 100 billion dollar plan, the 
general consensus in the press is that Ankara will argue to 
Grossman and Taylor that the possible impact of the war on 
the Turkish economy is 28 billion dollars.  This figure, 
however covers only the economic losses, but does not take 
into account  defense and security-related costs.   Several 
papers also mention that Ankara wants the money directly 
from the US Treasury as opposed to via IMF and World Bank. 
 
 
FM Yakis at Parliament:  Foreign Minister Yakis briefed the 
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee about the Iraq 
situation.  MPs are very interested in the US demands from 
Turkey, and Minister Yakis outlined for them the proposed 
deployment of 40,000 US soldiers in Turkey as well as 
permission for a 150-member team of experts to inspect bases 
and ports.  Papers gave conflicting news about the base 
inspections.  "Hurriyet" quotes Yakis as saying "the 
permission for the site inspection has not yet been given," 
while "Radikal" quotes him as saying "the only permission 
given so far is for the site inspection."   Meanwhile, 
Parliament decided to go on recess until January 2, and the 
Iraq issue has been scheduled for parliamentary discussion 
on January 6. 
 
 
"Radikal" reports on the potential problem within the AKP 
government over the Iraq issue following a statement from 
Parliament's Human Right Commission Chairman Mehmet Elkatmis 
calling on Ankara to work toward peace and to say "no" to a 
war in the region. 
NSC Meeting:  The National Security Council meeting will be 
not only the last meeting of 2002, but the most crucial one, 
papers speculate.  The agenda is predominantly Iraq,  and 
Turkey's answer to Washington's demands will be discussed in 
detail.  According to "Radikal" writer Murat Yetkin, the NSC 
decision will be as follows: 
- Deployment of US troops in Turkey on a permanent basis is 
unacceptable, but Turkey can offer the use of Turkish 
territory for the transit of some troops. 
- Site inspection at the airbases and ports can be done. 
- The final decision belongs to the Turkish Parliament, and 
Turkey will continue to seek an international consensus 
under the auspices of the UN. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq 
 
 
"Hawks, Doves and Owls" 
Hasan Cemal opined in mass appeal Milliyet (12/27): "The US 
goal is to topple Saddam and pave the way for democracy in 
Iraq.  Once this goal is achieved, it will be followed by 
efforts for a peaceful settlement between Israel and 
Palestine and to eliminate fundamentalist roots from the 
region.  Yet the question is how these goals can be 
achieved.  It seems that Washington officials are putting 
their plans on paper, and it all looks fine from a 
theoretical point of view.  . The reality, however, might 
bring  unexpected developments and risks, including a global 
crisis in case US plans fail.  ... Turkey's stance seems to 
favor the argument of the owls: Saddam Hussein should go, 
but the US should not conduct this operation alone.  Turkey, 
on the other hand, does not have the luxury of saying to US 
that `I will not be a part of your plan.'  Thus the ongoing 
bargain between the US and Turkey is about defining the 
extent of Turkey's role." 
 
 
PEARSON