US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4033

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004033 
 
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 24, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Gul: I may visit the U.S. - Sabah 
NIE report shows Bush might have lied - Hurriyet 
U.S. planning a regular Iraqi army of 40,000 - Aksam 
Saddam letter to U.S. outlines surrender conditions - Sabah 
`Iron Horse' chasing Saddam - Milliyet 
Israel admits assassination attempt on Arafat - Sabah 
EU leaders: Turkey might become EU's trump card on Mideast - 
Milliyet 
German envoy: Turkey's place is in Europe - Hurriyet 
Erdogan: Unilateral goodwill moves not enough in Cyprus - 
Turkiye 
Turkey to cut troops by 90,000 - Vatan 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Invaders depressed: U.S. troops want to go home - Cumhuriyet 
Pipeline wars in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
WT: Time to kiss-and-make up with Turkey - Cumhuriyet 
Tehran bans student demonstrations - Radikal 
Belgium obeys U.S. - Zaman 
Putin silences last dissident broadcaster - Radikal 
Hamas leader: No peace under occupation - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Gul might visit U.S. in July: On his return from the WEF 
meetings in Jordan, Foreign Minister Gul said that he would 
soon pay an official visit to the U.S.  Dailies report that 
the date of the visit would be set according to the schedule 
of Secretary Powell.  Papers also note that the foreign 
ministers of Greece and Palestine, and the King of Jordan 
would visit Turkey soon. 
 
 
Turkey to join Iraqi reconstruction: Ankara is being invited 
to a meeting on the reconstruction of Iraq in New York next 
week, papers say.  A delegation from Iraq will also attend 
the meeting. 
 
 
EU officials warmer to Turkey: "Milliyet" reports a 
`changing' attitude of EU member countries regarding 
Turkey's position vis--vis Europe, saying that EU leaders 
began viewing Turkey as a trump card in their relations with 
the Middle East.  The EU's foreign policy chief Javier 
Solana said at the WEF meetings in Jordan that full 
membership of Turkey to the Union would make Europe a 
neighbor to the Middle East.  German Foreign Minister 
Fischer said Turkey's EU membership was crucial for peace 
and stability in the region. 
National Program out for discussion: MFA officials have 
briefed on Monday the cabinet on the 977-page National 
Program for Turkey's EU drive, papers report.  Government 
Spokesman Cicek said the draft would be discussed with the 
opposition party CHP, and with some NGOs like Turkey's 
businessmen's association TUSIAD as well. 
 
 
Prosecutor to file lawsuit against Uzan: Following a 
complaint by Prime Minister Erdogan's lawyers on grounds of 
insult and libel, the prosecutor's office has initiated an 
investigation into Genc Party leader Cem Uzan's remarks 
against Erdogan.  The investigation might lead the 
prosecutor to demand up to three years prison sentence for 
Uzan, papers say.  If convicted, Uzan will be banned from 
politics. 
 
 
Parliamentary investigation against former politicians: A 
parliamentary commission against corruption has demanded 
investigation against a number of certain political figures 
for corruption and graft, reports say.  A former prime 
minister and ex-ANAP chairman Mesut Yilmaz is accused of 
irregularities in the Blue Stream natural gas agreement with 
Russia, and in construction of the Black Sea motorway. 
Former cabinet ministers Husamettin Ozkan (DSP), Gunes Taner 
(ANAP), Cumhur Ersumer (ANAP), and Koray Aydin (MHP) are 
also under investigation on claims of corruption regarding 
energy, construction, and privatization contracts, reports 
note. 
 
 
EU funds for SE Turkey: EU's Turkey representation has 
announced on Monday a decision to provide 500 million Euro 
aid annually for the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) 
until 2006, papers report.  EU representative Hans Jorg 
Kretschner said special efforts are needed for 
implementation of EU reforms, and noted that EU funds would 
be spent for education and, social and cultural projects in 
southeast Turkey. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iran / Iraq 
 
 
"Iran" 
Ozgen Acar observed in social democrat-intellectual 
Cumhuriyet (6/24): "It is interesting to see some comments 
calling for the US to intervene in Iran as they did in Iraq. 
The regime in Iran is not only an enemy to Turkey and its 
secular system, but also it is hostile to democracy.  Yet I 
would not sympathize with `the US should intervene in Iran' 
rationale.  . It is a well-known fact that at least during 
the last 10 years Iran has been working on a nuclear weapons 
development program.  Dictatorships such as Iran may use 
nuclear weapons unexpectedly and this possibility itself is 
a great threat to Turkey. . However, the motives behind the 
nuclear armament should also be inquired into.  Iran's 
nuclear weapons development began with the need to establish 
a defense or offense  when necessary against Israel, which 
has nuclear weapons as well.  What is the reason for the 
IAEA not doing a nuclear arms inspection in Israel?" 
 
 
"Lies and mistakes" 
Zafer Atay wrote in the economic-political Dunya (6/24): 
"Things are becoming a mess for the Bush administration 
because of the way it seems the Hawks have built their Iraq 
policy on lies and mistakes. . It seems very unlikely that 
the American forces in Iraq will be able to find any weapons 
of mass destruction.  All over the indications lead us to 
the fact that the Saddam regime actually destroyed its WMD 
prior to the UN inspection. . The US administration has made 
another mistake by convincing itself that it is seen as the 
savior of Iraq.  And the ongoing instability as well as 
social disorder seems to be creating a very painful period 
for the US administration.  It remains to be seen what other 
consequences will occur after carrying out a policy filled 
with lies and mistakes." 
 
 
PEARSON