US embassy cable - 03ANKARA3997

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003997 
 
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, JUNE 20, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Powell invites Gul to U.S. - Turkiye 
Gul, Powell might meet at WEF in Amman - Sabah 
Wolfowitz: Turkey a model country - Aksam 
John Kerry says Bush lied on Iraq - Milliyet 
Turkish troops for Iraqi peacekeeping - Milliyet 
`Crazy Arab' Abizaid to replace Gen. Franks - Hurriyet 
U.S. planning war against Iran in 2004 - Vatan 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Iraqi attacks on U.S. troops continue - Radikal 
Poll: Only 1 percent of Iraqis happy with U.S. troops - 
Zaman 
Washington considering 30,000 peacekeepers for Iraq - 
Radikal 
WP: Incirlik to become logistical base for U.S. - Yeni Safak 
British MPs: Israel applies Hitler methods in Gaza - Radikal 
Athens to take Aegean problem to EU Thessaloniki Summit - 
Cumhuriyet 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Turkey's EU National Program targets 12 percent inflation - 
Dunya 
Cabinet minister: Low Dollar could signal economic crisis - 
Finansal Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Parliament approves EU reforms: The 6th package of EU 
harmonization reforms was approved by parliament.  The 
reform package gained the backing of both the ruling AKP and 
opposition CHP.  Article 8 of the anti-terror law, which 
bans separatist political propaganda, was abolished by the 
new legislation.  Broadcasts in languages other than Turkish 
will be allowed, and the ban on Kurdish names has been 
removed.  Papers regard the only shortcoming of the package 
as the removal of the clause allowing foreign observers to 
monitor elections in Turkey.  Dailies hail the swift 
enactment of EU reforms, which moved Turkey `one step closer 
to the EU.'  Papers believe the EU will provide `generous' 
financial aid for Turkey to support accession preparations. 
 
 
MFA delegation's U.S. visit: MFA U/S Ambassador Ziyal told 
the Washington Post that he was satisfied by his meetings in 
Washington.  Ziyal reiterated Ankara's readiness for 
cooperation in Iraq, and noted that Incirlik airbase could 
be turned into a logistical support center for coalition 
troops.  Ziyal also said that Secretary Powell has 
officially invited Foreign Minister Gul to the U.S. 
Islamist-oriented "Zaman" claims that the `strategic 
partnership' phrase was used by U.S. officials during the 
Ziyal visit merely as a diplomatic maneuver to prevent Ziyal 
from leaving Washington `empty-handed.'  Sources close to 
the U.S. Administration believe that the erosion of trust 
between the two countries is deep.  Although Washington was 
pleased by the messages issued by Gul at the OIC summit in 
Tehran, it wants to see deeds as well as words, "Zaman" 
reports. 
 
 
Investigation into AWACS sale: A parliamentary commission on 
corruption has asked the Defense Industry Undersecretariat 
about the details of a controversial $1.5 billion purchase 
of AWACS from Boeing's AWACS, "Milliyet" reports on its 
front page.  Boeing allegedly did not meet its obligations 
under the agreement, and received an additional $180 million 
in a `price adjustment.'  "Milliyet" notes that former Prime 
Minister Gul had refused to sign the agreement, which was 
approved by PM Erdogan shortly after he took office. 
Defense Minister Gonul allegedly said in April that Turkey 
had approved the agreement in an effort to smooth relations 
with the U.S. 
 
 
Turkey will pay reparations to Greek Cypriot: Ankara will 
comply with a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights 
(ECHR) by paying $1 million in reparations for the  seizure 
of the Greek Cypriot Titina Loizidou's private property in 
Girne after Turkey occupied North Cyprus in 1974.  Dailies 
point to some 3,000 pending lawsuits against Turkey on 
similar grounds, which could add up to $20 billion.  Papers 
see the payment as a positive step forward in Turkey's drive 
toward EU membership. 
 
 
Tehran `flirts' with Turkish Alawis: "Cumhuriyet" blames 
Tehran on its front page for ongoing attempts to export its 
fundamentalist regime to Turkey.  Iran's Embassy in Ankara 
has invited Turkish Alawi representatives to Tehran, the 
paper reports.  A few organizations have accepted the 
invitation, and Iran is continuing intensive missionary 
activities in Turkey.  These efforts have resulted in 
considerable support for Tehran among Turkey's Islamists. 
Alawis are an affluent political community in Turkey, and 
are well-known for their commitment to secularism. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Mideast / Iran 
 
 
"On the eve of a new Middle East" 
Erdal Guven opined in the liberal-intellectual Radikal 
(6/20): "Iran is part of the `Axis of evil,' a fact that 
should not be ignored.  Iran is now becoming also a part of 
a new Middle East design.  It requires no prophecy to expect 
an eventual regime change in Iran. . But the US is not going 
to use tactics that worked in Afghanistan and Iraq for Iran. 
In the Iranian case, the US is more of an observer than an 
interventionist.  The regime change process in Iran is 
already working in a very healthy way, through Iran's 
internal dynamics.  The regime continues to hold power, yet 
the moral high ground belongs to its opponents.  At this 
stage, the US will probably work toward strengthening the 
hand of the regime's opponents and weakening the regime by 
through secret operations.  The new Middle East is about to 
be born -- from Kabul to Jerusalem, and from Iraq to Iran." 
 
 
"Pressing Iran and Turkey" 
Sami Kohen observed in mass appeal Milliyet (6/20): "The 
international community is exerting intense pressure on 
Iran, even though Iran's production of nuclear arms has yet 
to be documented.  The Bush administration, just like during 
the campaign against Iraq, is using the nuclear arms claim 
on every possible occasion.  The interesting part of this 
story comes with the EU decision to support this claim.  The 
EU has joined the US campaign and started warning Iran, 
including the implied threat of military force if diplomacy 
fails. . Turkey shares the Western world's worries and 
suspicion about Iran's nuclear program.  Iran has been asked 
to demonstrate to the international community that its 
nuclear program is designed for peaceful purposes, as Tehran 
claims. . During U/S Ziyal's visit to Washington, Ankara 
made it clear that Turkey is on the US side on the Iran 
issue.  However, more specifics on this matter will be 
worked through the efforts of the IAEA, in which Turkey is 
one of 35 members." 
 
 
PEARSON