US embassy cable - 03ANKARA2269

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002269 
 
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, APRIL 8, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                         ------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
`Saddam myth' nearing end - Hurriyet 
U.S. troops' `show of force' in the heart of Iraq - Aksam 
Saddam's last days - Milliyet 
U.S. troops' cigarette break in Saddam's palaces - Milliyet 
Iraq's Information Minister As-Sahaf still `broadcasting 
live' - Sabah 
Civilians caught between two fires - Vatan 
UN wants Iraqi oil revenues - Hurriyet 
Wolfowitz: UN will have limited role in post-war Iraq - 
Vatan 
U.S. wants to try Saddam in U.S. and Iraq - Sabah 
Wolfowitz: Syria helps Iraq - Turkiye 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Century's disgrace: Mothers, children under fire - 
Cumhuriyet 
Invaders seize three presidential palaces in Baghdad - 
Cumhuriyet 
Americans settle in Baghdad - Radikal 
Massacre in the heart of Baghdad - Yeni Safak 
War of nerves in Baghdad - Yeni Safak 
Americans' `show of force' in Baghdad of 6 m civilians - 
Zaman 
Blair, Bush disagree over UN role in post-war Iraq - Radikal 
Syrian FM: Aftermath of Iraq war will bring chaos - Yeni 
Safak 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
IMF's $4.2 billion `kiss of life' boosts markets - Dunya 
AKP expected to replace Treasury U/S Oztrak - Finansal Forum 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Iraq: Mainstream papers believe the `myth of Saddam' 
collapsed, and that the end of the Iraqi tyrant is near. 
Saddam is said to have fled to his hometown Tikrit, thus 
coalition forces are now headed there, papers say.  Pro- 
Islamic papers accuse Americans of `slaughtering' women and 
children in Baghdad, and shooting at everything that moved. 
"Zaman" accuses U.S. of making a `show of force' in a city 
of six million civilians.  Reports regard the Saddam statue 
demolished by local people in Karbala, and U.S. troops 
entering Saddam'a palaces as signs of psychological defeat 
for the Iraqi regime.    "Cumhuriyet" says that during the 
Ankara visit of the Iranian Foreign Minister Kharrazi, 
Turkey and Iran have agreed to stand against a sovereign 
Kurdish state, and a post-war government manufactured by 
foreign powers.  Interests of neighboring countries should 
be considered while Iraq's future is being restructured, the 
two countries agreed.  "Cumhuriyet" underlines the fact that 
Ankara did not want to be seen forming a coalition with Iran 
and Syria, and that Foreign Minister Gul would seek a 
bilateral understanding with Syria during his visit to 
Damascus on Sunday.  Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shara told a 
private Turkish TV channel on Monday that Rumsfeld and other 
U.S. officials' allegations of the presence of WMD in Syria 
were false.  `They've invaded two-thirds of Iraq, but could 
not find any WMD.  Their accusation of Syria possessing WMD 
is groundless, and indicate the mistake they've made in 
Iraq,' Al-Shara said.  Press commentaries are doubtful that 
U.S. will fulfill its pledge to keep the Kurds away from 
Mosul and Kirkuk, and draw attention to U.S. reluctance 
about giving written guarantees.  Foreign Minister Gul 
denied on Monday reports about a Turkish dipnote to U.S. on 
the issue.  Dailies report talks between MFA and U.S. Ankara 
Embassy continued regarding carriage of humanitarian aid and 
logistical supply from Turkey to Northern Iraq, but that no 
progress was recorded on the coordination mechanism for 
monitoring developments in the region. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Post war scenarios 
 
 
"Now the real war starts" 
Serdar Turgut commented in mass appeal Aksam (4/8): "It 
seems that the CIA's influence will prevail over the view of 
other departments about Ahmad Chalabi. He will no longer be 
viewed as the key figure in the restructuring of Iraq.  In 
the post-Saddam government, we should expect a group of 
Americans serving as ministers in Iraq.  The US is very 
determined to implement its `new world order,' and the 
formation of the new Iraqi government will demonstrate this 
fact.  According to the CIA, James Woolsey is the leading 
name for the new Information Minister in Iraq.  It is 
interesting to see that certain elements within the 
Washington administration do not even care about possible 
uneasiness in the world concerning the appointment of a 
former CIA chief as a minister in Iraq. . A recent report by 
the Army War College clearly indicates that the US should 
stay in the region for a long time in order to finish the 
job.  `Reconstructing Iraq: Insights, Challenges and the 
Mission for Military Forces in a post-conflict scenario' 
foresees no less than 135 major tasks to accomplish in Iraq 
in the post-war period in order to prevent another crisis. 
Turkey should be prepared for living with chaos in its 
immediate neighborhood for a very long time." 
 
 
"As Pandora's box opens" 
Sedat Ergin wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (4/8): "The US 
will eventually claim victory as expected, but the next 
phase of the Iraq issue -- the restructuring -- will be even 
more critical than the war itself.  Iraq is made up of a 
very complex set of ethnic groups and religious sects.  We 
cannot even give a precise figure of the ethnic diversity, 
since there has been no census since 1985. . However, the 
new Iraqi structure can only function if all of the Iraqi 
elements reach a consensus.  Yet finding a formula to 
achieve such a consensus is certainly a very tough job. . It 
is also possible to see many players assuming a role of 
influence in the future Iraq, which could mean competition 
and even conflict. . There is still a question yet to be 
answered: To what extent will the people of Iraq accept the 
US-imposed formula and move on with things?  How will the 
restructuring of Iraq be turned to the establishment of 
democracy with political parties?" 
 
 
PEARSON