US embassy cable - 03ANKARA3729

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003729 
 
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 
MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
----------------- 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
U.S. suspends plan for interim government in Iraq - Hurriyet 
Palestinian organizations reject road map, choose terror - 
Turkiye 
Erdogan letter to Bush: Continue cooperation with Turkey - 
Vatan 
Greece invites Turkey to EU Thessaloniki summit - Sabah 
Erdogan: We support the Bush-led Road Map - Milliyet 
Hamas strikes a blow against Aqaba summit - Milliyet 6/8 
Wolfowitz `gang' distorted Iraqi WMD reports - Aksam 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Palestinian organizations' bloody response to call for 
disarmament - Radikal 
Palestine headed toward civil war - Cumhuriyet 
Peace hopes fading in Mideast - Zaman 
DEHAP asks for general amnesty for KADEK - Yeni Safak 
CSIS: U.S. seeking Turkey's support against Iran, Syria - 
Zaman 6/7 
Iran under American siege - Yeni Safak 6/8 
Pentagon knew that Saddam had no WMD - Milliyet 6/7 
Arabs, Muslims to be deported from U.S. - Cumhuriyet  6/8 
Ashcroft wants expanded death penalty, long detention for 
terrorists - Radikal 6/7 
Turkey ranks third in global unemployment - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
EU reform package: Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that 
Turkey would not ignore liberalization because of security 
concerns, and promised that the sixth package of EU 
adjustment laws would be submitted to the parliament this 
week without waiting for the June 26 meeting of the National 
Security Council (NSC).  Gul stressed the need to modernize 
Turkey's administration.  The reform package would allow 
broadcast in Kurdish on private television channels.  Gul 
said on Saturday that the government would press ahead to 
enact the reforms despite objections by the military on some 
controversial issues such as broadcast in languages other 
than Turkish and changes to the Law on the Struggle Against 
Terrorism. 
 
 
Erdogan prepares letter for Bush: MFA U/S Amb. Ugur Ziyal, 
who is expected to visit the U.S. later this week, will 
present a letter from Prime Minister Erdogan to President 
Bush, according to Turkish dailies.  Erdogan's letter 
reportedly urges that Turkey and the U.S. forget past 
disagreements and look to the future: `Turkey, which is 
still facing westward, views the U.S. as a strategic 
partner.  The Iraqi nation trusts Turkey, and this could be 
to the advantage of the U.S.' 
 
 
AJC delegation visit: An American Jewish Committee (AJC) 
delegation met with top-level Turkish leaders on Friday, 
weekend dailies reported.  Harold Tanner, the head of the 
delegation, told officials that the AJC is ready to extend 
help in exchange for Turkey's support on regional problems. 
Prime Minister Erdogan vowed to boost Turkish-Israeli ties, 
and said he would pay a visit to Israel soon after the 
upcoming visit of Israeli President Katsav to Turkey. 
 
 
Turkey wants to host Mideast peace summit: Prime Minister 
Erdogan and Foreign Minister Gul have called their 
counterparts in Israel and Palestine, inviting them to a 
prospective summit meeting in Turkey on Middle East peace. 
Erdogan called Sharon on Sunday to denounce the killing of 
innocent people and to express Turkey's strong support for 
the Middle East roadmap highlighted by last week's summit in 
Agaba.  Sharon expressed satisfaction about the level of 
Israeli-Turkish ties, and said that a likely meeting on 
Middle East peace should be held in Turkey, according to 
Monday's dailies. 
 
 
Turkey's `changing' Iraqi policy: Foreign Minister Gul told 
"Hurriyet" in a Sunday interview that Turkey will attempt to 
exert influence on Iraq via economic cooperation.  Ankara 
prefers to address the Kurds via the central administration 
in Baghdad, Gul said.  `Kurds are an influential part of the 
new Iraq.  Kurds are our neighbors, and we will protect them 
as well,' Gul noted.  Gul is uneasy about the situation in 
Kirkuk, Hurriyet claims: `A census should be held in Kirkuk 
to see the actual numbers of Turkomen in the region and to 
make healthier projections about Iraq's future,' Gul 
emphasized. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
a) Middle East 
b) Iraq and US-Turkey 
 
 
"It's time for Mahmoud Abbas" 
Yasemin Congar wrote from Washington in mass appeal Milliyet 
(6/9): "Mahmoud Abbas managed to portray a Palestinian 
leadership which rules out acting with the `victim' 
psychology and does not try to find a justification for 
terrorism. . Recent statements from both Sharon and Abbas 
have provided hope.  Yet the realization of this hope 
requires Abbas to disarm the Islamic Jihad, and requires 
Sharon to resettle the illegal residents in the West Bank. 
In any case, we should be prepared for actions to undermine 
the peace effort from terrorist organizations as well as the 
Israeli right wing.  Ankara, like any capital in the world 
that believes in the necessity of a Palestinian state as 
well as Israel's security needs, should be pleased with 
President Bush's involvement in the peace process.  Ankara 
should also search for ways to contribute to this process. 
Establishing a dialogue with Abbas and his cabinet, for 
example, is one way to make such a contribution." 
 
 
"Turkey sees the realities of northern Iraq" 
Ilnur Cevik wrote in the English language Turkish Daily News 
(6/9): "At last Ankara decided to set aside its prejudices 
and fears and send a Foreign Ministry delegation comprised 
of prominent ambassadors on a fact-finding mission to 
northern Iraq.  The delegation came back with important 
findings that confirm what we have been saying for the past 
decade.  Ankara has reportedly decided to ease some of its 
`red lines' on Iraq, to take a softer line toward the Kurds, 
and to treat all groups in Iraq equally, without showing 
favoritism toward the Turkmen.  That is welcome news for the 
Iraqi Kurds who, like the Turkmen, regard themselves as our 
relatives.  Let us hope that the powerful military in Turkey 
shares the views of the government regarding the 
conciliatory mood toward the Kurds and the change of heart 
on Iraq." 
 
 
PEARSON