US embassy cable - 03ANKARA2015

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002015 
 
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, MARCH 27, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                         ------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
U.S. missiles cause bloodbath in marketplace - Hurriyet 
U.S. missiles pour death on civilians - Sabah 
U.S. was supposed not to hit civilians: 14 dead - Vatan 
U.S. missiles went to wrong address again - Haberturk 
Secretary Hoon: Civilian deaths won't change course of 
 
SIPDIS 
operation - Hurriyet 
Gen. Ozkok: This war not ours - Hurriyet 
Gen. Ozkok: No plan to occupy Northern Iraq - Vatan 
Powell: U.S. aid shows loyal ties with Turkey - Turkiye 
Saddam's new Generals:  General Storm, General Heat - Sabah 
Blix: This war is illegitimate - Aksam 
Blix: U.S. slammed the door on us - Milliyet 
TUSIAD fires Tomahawk on government - Turkiye 
Growing pessimism in the U.S. - Posta 
Saddam sends 5,000 troops to Nasirija - Turkiye 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
`Smart' missiles hit civilians - Cumhuriyet 
Missiles on marketplace cause massacre: 14 dead - Radikal 
Savagery: U.S., UK coalition burn 15 civilians to death - 
Yeni Safak 
U.S., UK cruelty - Yeni Safak 
U.S. had intervened after Serbs' marketplace bombing in 1994 
- Zaman 
Invaders begin wiping out civilians - Akit 
Death caught Baghdadians shopping - Cumhuriyet 
Gen. Ozkok: Turkey won't engage in conlict in N. Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
Gen. Ozkok: We're friends with U.S. - Radikal 
Guerrilla resistance, storm slow down coalition advance - 
Radikal 
Russian FM: U.S., UK's war illegal, doomed to failure - 
Cumhuriyet 
Iraqi Ambassador: Don't be a partner in killing - Cumhuriyet 
U.S. declares war on Al-Jazeera - Zaman 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Richard Armitage: U.S. support for Turkey will continue - 
Dunya 
EU Commission approves $1 billion Euro for Turkey - Dunya 
TUSIAD bombs government - Finansal Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Iraq: Dailies report that the U.S. Administration was 
`pleased' by TGS Chief General Ozkok's remarks in Diyarbakir 
on Wednesday.  Gen. Ozkok referred to the U.S. as Turkey's 
`friend and strategic ally,' and vowed that Turkey would 
coordinate efforts with the U.S. in Northern Iraq. 
"Milliyet" says the tough resistance put up by Iraqi troops, 
the lack of U.S. troops in Northern Iraq, and the fear of a 
Turkish military intervention has caused concerns among 
Northern Iraqi Kurdish groups.  The U.S. sent 1000 
paratroopers to Northern Iraq to ease those concerns. 
Troubles in southern Iraq has forced the U.S. to ask for 
access to Turkish airbases at Incirlik, Malatya and Batman. 
"Radikal" claims there is still mistrust between the U.S. 
and Turkey regarding Northern Iraq: the U.S. is suspicious 
of `hidden Turkish intentions' in the region, and Turkey 
feels uneasy about `undisclosed pledges' made by the 
Americans to the Kurds.  The U.S. and Turkey have agreed 
that Turkey should meet the needs of refugees fleeing to the 
Turkish border, and the U.S. will protect the Northern 
Iraqis and take care of their needs.  Turkey will also help 
to support logistical activities of U.S. troops transferred 
to Northern Iraq, "Radikal" added.  Diplomatic sources are 
concerned that the Republican-led Congress might not approve 
the proposed $1 billion in aid for Turkey.  Commentaries 
view the $1 billion grant as an indication of new U.S. 
expectations from Turkey, and speculate that President Bush 
might use it as a `trump card' in bargaining with Ankara. 
Meanwhile, all papers give extensive front-page coverage to 
the marketplace killings in Baghdad alleged to have resulted 
from coalition missiles.  Many papers and broadcasters 
compare the incident to the Serbs' mortar attack on a market 
in Sarajevo during the war in Bosnia.  Papers report 
American and British officials voicing doubt whether the 
missiles were fired by coalition forces.  Papers report that 
the National Security Council (NSC) will meet on Friday to 
discuss Iraq and the Cyprus issue.  The military wing of the 
NSC is expected to criticize the AKP government, which they 
see as responsible for failing to keep up with developments 
that led to the war in Iraq. 
 
 
TUSIAD reprimands government: All papers highlight a 
statement by the businessmen's association (TUSIAD) chairman 
Tuncay Ozilhan, who slammed the government for its inability 
to handle current crises.  `Turkey will either turn into a 
closed Middle Eastern country, or integrate itself with the 
Western world,' Ozilhan warned.  He added that 
`normalization of relations with the U.S. will take longer 
than the crisis period between the two countries following 
the 1974 U.S. embargo on Turkey.'  Ozilhan warned against 
possible campaigns by anti-Turkish lobbies in the U.S.  He 
rebuked the government for `blocking its own way to the EU 
by choosing a no-solution in Cyprus.'  Ozilhan called for an 
acceleration of economic reforms, and advised the government 
to extend the IMF program to cover the 2003-2006 period. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  War in Iraq 
 
 
"The course of war" 
Taha Akyol wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (3/27): "It seems 
that the Sunni and Shiite Arabs of Iraq have at least one 
thing in common: standing against the occupying force to 
protect the motherland.  It remains to be seen whether this 
sentiment will work on the Kurds, yet it is likely that the 
northern front will be more of a challenge.  Another 
challenge is the outskirts of the capital, Baghdad.  The 
suburbs of Baghdad are fed by ethnic feelings as well as 
rage, a potentially serious challenge for the American 
forces.  . It is very difficult to estimate about the course 
of the war and foresee the next step.  Yet one thing is 
clear: The course of the war poses a dangerous situation for 
Turkey in both its political and military aspects." 
 
 
"The collapse of the American strategy" 
Fatih Altayli argued in mass appeal Hurriyet (3/27): "Given 
the mistakes made by the American hawks, the US deterrent 
role has been seriously damaged.  Scenes from the war prove 
that Iraq, despite the12-year embargo and other problems, is 
not going to be a piece of cake for the American troops. 
The course of the war is directly affecting the future of 
American policy regarding the new world order.  The winner 
of this war, no matter what happens in the meantime, is 
going to be the United States.  It will not, however, be a 
real `win' for the US, as it will most likely result in 
another `war' on the US domestic political front. . The US 
national security strategy, which was declared last 
September, has already collapsed.  It requires a series of 
important changes.  The US is on the cusp of a process of 
internal challenge." 
 
 
PEARSON