US embassy cable - 03ANKARA3911

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003911 
 
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, JUNE 17, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
----------------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Demonstrations spreading in Iran - Hurriyet 
EU approves use of force against Iran, North Korea - 
Milliyet 
Turkey, U.S. healing wounds - Aksam 
Desert Scorpion hunts Saddam's men - Aksam 
`Desert Scorpion' against Iraqi resistance - Hurriyet 
Clinton to become NY mayor - Turkiye 
New reform package to reduce military members in NSC - 
Milliyet 
President strikes a blow against Uzan family - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
UN: Iran violates nuclear non-proliferation treaty - 
Cumhuriyet 
Nuclear pressure on Tehran - Radikal 
Grossman's `strategic ally' gesture - Zaman 
Baath militia ambushes U.S. troops - Radikal 
U.S. striving to win hearts of Iraqis in Fallujah - 
Cumhuriyet 
BBC survey: 57 percent worldwide have negative opinion of 
Bush - Cumhuriyet 
Denktas unconvinced: Neither Annan Plan nor EU - Cumhuriyet 
Denktas: Weston did not propose a solution - Yeni Safak 
Israel against temporary cease-fire - Yeni Safak 
U.S. seeks cooperation with Taliban - Yeni Safak 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Public Procurement Law to be enacted this summer - Dunya 
Gul: Turkey won't need IMF after 2004 - Finansal Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
MFA delegation in U.S.: MFA U/S Ambassador Ziyal told the 
press after meeting with Richard Armitage, Marc Grossman and 
Paul Wolfowitz that Turkey and the U.S. have agreed to 
continue cooperating as `strategic partners.'  Grossman said 
that the two `strategic partners' reviewed all aspects of 
their bilateral relationship.  The Turkish side presented 
the U.S. a comprehensive package on the rebuilding of Iraq, 
and Ankara reportedly offered to spend part of the $1 
billion U.S. assistance grant for Turkey for the 
reconstruction effort.  The package also considered a 
possible Turkish contribution to the peacekeeping force in 
Iraq. 
 
 
Weston in Northern Cyprus: After meeting with Greek Cypriot 
President Papadopoulos over the weekend, U.S. Special Cyprus 
Coordinator Tomas Weston met with Turkish Cypriot leader 
Denktas on Monday.  The Greek Cypriot side is ready to 
resume the UN-sponsored talks in September, Weston told 
Denktas.  Denktas declined the offer, however, saying that 
it is no longer possible to revive the Annan plan.  Denktas 
noted that the Turkish Cypriots would join the EU only once 
Turkey's full membership is secured. 
New EU adjustment reforms: Papers report on a new government 
effort to increase civilian control over military 
expenditures.  According to proposals in the `seventh' EU 
reform package, military procurement will become more 
transparent, and military spending will be included in the 
general budget.  Civilians will be assigned to the post of 
National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general, and force 
commanders will be excluded from the NSC.  The new package 
also restricts the authority of the president.  Papers 
speculate that the new package will also expand freedom for 
conducting political propaganda in Kurdish. 
 
 
President approves takeover of Uzan companies: President 
Sezer approved a Council of Ministers decree ordering the 
takeover of energy plants owned by the Uzan Group.  The 
president's approval of the decree without any delay is seen 
as open support for the government's decision to seize ten 
energy companies and dams belonging to the Uzan family for 
ongoing violations of contract provisions with the Energy 
Ministry. 
 
 
Commander warns against fundamentalism: On the 164th 
anniversary of the establishment of gendarme forces, General 
Sener Eruygur drew attention to intensified activity by 
radical religious organizations, saying that 4,346 students 
were being given fundamentalist training in a single 
province.  The Gendarme Commander said that secularism must 
be defended in the face of the growing fundamentalist 
threat. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
 
a)   Middle East 
b)   Iran 
 
 
"Future of the US and Palestine state" 
Erhan Basyurt wrote in the Islamist-intellectual Zaman 
(6/17): "If the roadmap fails, it will negatively affect not 
only Israel and Palestine, but also the US and particularly 
the prestige of President Bush.  The US is well aware of the 
fact that the gist of anti-American radicalism stems from 
the Palestinian issue.  In the eyes of the US, a democratic 
Palestinian state is to be the core of a democratic 
restructuring of the Middle East.  To prevent failure, the 
US must be willing to exert its political, economic and 
political clout on both sides in an impartial manner.  Yet 
this balancing act may prove as difficult as finding a 
settlement." 
 
 
"Iran and who is doing what?" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (6/17): "Iran, 
under both internal and external pressure, is experiencing 
its most critical period since the Islamic revolution. 
Iran's future is uncertain. . At this stage, we don't see a 
move by the masses against the regime.  Yet recent events 
indicate that the people of Iran, for the first time, are 
raising their voices against the system and the regime's 
current policies.  It is important to see what action the 
regime will take and how much it will heed the voices of the 
people. . As for the US, its goal is not exactly clear, but 
it goes without saying that the Bush administration wants 
the Tehran regime to end.  . If Washington is determined to 
`deal with' Iran now, it means that the region will go 
through a very intense period." 
 
 
PEARSON