US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4105

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004105 
 
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 
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Bush defends Turkey's EU membership drive - Hurriyet 
Turkey to host 2004 NATO Summit, thanks to Bush support - 
Milliyet 
2004 NATO Summit in Turkey - Aksam 
CHP slams AKP for attempting `regime change' - Hurriyet 
Papadopoulos ready for talks on Annan plan - Sabah 
Justice Minister says Repentance Law will bring social peace 
- Turkiye 
Musharraf supports Bush, got $3 billion - Vatan 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Bush hosts EU leaders - Radikal 
Iraqi civilians furious - Cumhuriyet 
Texas Al-Qaida's July 4 target - Cumhuriyet 
Al-Qaeda suspects in Malawi handed over to U.S. - Zaman 
Iraq shock to the British - Yeni Safak 
Government of `Religious Affairs' - Cumhuriyet 
Bad news for fans: Al-Sahaf reportedly captured - Radikal 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Bush backs Turkey's EU drive: Dailies report that President 
Bush voiced strong support for Turkey's EU membership at a 
U.S.-EU summit meeting in Washington.  The `surprise' 
statement by Bush has given new impetus to the battered 
relationship between the U.S. and Turkey.  President Bush 
also told EU leaders that the U.S. would continue to press 
for a settlement in Cyprus, and noted that disagreements on 
the divided island should be tackled within the framework of 
the UN-sponsored peace plan. 
 
 
Turkish Al-Qaeda suspects: Two Turks who were among the five 
Al-Qaeda suspects apprehended in Malawi were handed over to 
U.S. authorities.  Arif Ulusam and Ibrahim Habaci were 
reportedly sent to the Guantanamo base.  The Turkish embassy 
in South Africa presented a note of protest to Malawi, 
saying that the Vienna Agreement obliged the Malawi 
administration to give details about the fate of the 
suspects. 
 
 
Turkey worried over safety of Iraqi pipeline: The MFA has 
officially complained to the U.S. about the protection of 
the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik oil pipeline carrying Iraqi oil to 
world markets via Turkey.  The pipeline was sabotaged three 
times in June, but might be reactivated in mid-July.  The 
U.S. would like to resume Iraqi oil sales via the Kirkuk- 
Yumurtalik pipeline as soon as possible. 
More clerics for Religious Affairs: AKP officials said on 
Wednesday that the government would not necessarily employ 
any additional Muslim clerics.  The move  responded to 
concern about appointing an additional 15,000 Muslim clerics 
and preachers, instead of the initially-proposed 1,600, to 
the Department of Religious Affairs (DIB).  Mainstream 
papers believe that political instability could arise from 
underlying tensions between the ruling AKP and the military. 
Deputy prime minister Sahin said that  imams appointed by 
the state and paid with official funds in Turkey's mosques 
are a bulwark for the state.  Papers draw attention to 
Turkey's growing need for teachers and doctors, and 
criticize the AKP sharply for attempting to recruit more 
Muslim clerics instead of solving problems in the education 
and health sectors. 
 
 
NSC meeting: The National Security Council (NSC) meeting on 
Thursday will discuss amnesty for PKK militants. On Friday, 
the Ministry of Interior will make an announcement regarding 
a new amnesty law.  According to the draft, terror 
organization defectors who have not been involved in armed 
attacks will be set free if they provide information about 
their affiliation.  Militants who agree to cooperate with 
security forces will be given financial support and new 
identities, according to press reports.  Justice Minister 
Cemil Cicek said the intent of the bill is to disarm 
supporters of terror in the Middle East.  The NSC will also 
discuss the 7th package of EU harmonization laws.  The 
package envisages amendments to the Penal Code that would 
remove obstacles to freedom of expression.  The government 
is determined to enact all necessary laws in order to meet 
the Copenhagen Criteria before the parliament's summer 
recess. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: US policy in the post Iraq war 
 
 
"The US changes its base policy" 
Zafer Atay wrote in the economic-political Dunya (6/26): 
"The US has decided to close down some of its military bases 
around the world, including in Turkey.  There is ongoing 
speculation that the US is acting vindictively against 
certain countries.  However, in the post-cold war and post- 
Iraq war era, the US does not need heavy-handed, money- 
guzzling bases any more.  In the new international 
atmosphere, where the Soviet threat does not exist and 
Russia is considered a common friend, Washington's focus has 
shifted to the Middle East and the Caucasus.  . Washington 
is not looking for an ideological fight -- its main interest 
is to eliminate the rouge states, both sponsors of terrorism 
and producers of nuclear weapons. . It seems likely that US 
bases will be opened in `less problematic' friends of 
Washington, such as Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania, 
as well as in the `good allies' of the Middle East region 
such as Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.  In Asia, we can add 
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to the list, because 
they cannot afford to oppose any US action." 
"The American image" 
Fehmi Koru argued in the Islamist-intellectual Yeni Safak 
(6/26): "President George Bush is suffering from a serious 
image problem because his reliability is on such shaky 
ground.  Recent opinion polls have only endorsed this 
observation.  . It is likely that we will see the political 
impact of this public opinion change both in the US as well 
as in the UK.  For instance, the war-mongering lobby in 
Washington must be very careful at every step from now on, 
especially at a time when new military operations are being 
contemplated.  The war-lobby might not find the UK on its 
side if there is an operation against Iran prior to the 2004 
presidential elections. . Turkey's ruling AKP should be 
watching developments very closely and should stay away from 
any military involvement in Iraq.  Turkey's role should be 
framed within UN resolutions and cover the Iraqi 
reconstruction and humanitarian initiatives." 
PEARSON