US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4155

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004155 
 
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 30, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Bremer thinks Saddam must be killed - Hurriyet 
U.S. seeks to destabilize Iran - Milliyet 
Iranians hunt for the PKK - Milliyet 
Rice invites Abbas to Washington - Aksam 
Turkey might open the door to Armenia - Milliyet 6/29 
U.S., Greece agree on by-passing Denktas - Aksam 
Larson: Turkey's economy still weak - Milliyet 6/29 
Britons want Blair to step down - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
U.S. wants Turkish troops for Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Powell urges patience for Iraqi stabilization - Radikal 6/29 
Guerrilla warfare against U.S. troops in Iraq - Zaman 6/29 
U.S. to handle other `rogue states' - Sabah 6/28 
Iranian parliamentarians protest student detentions - 
Cumhuriyet 
Iran discussing w/ Arabs extradition of Al-Qaida members - 
Cumhuriyet 6/29 
Jack Straw on `warning visit' to Iran - Zaman 
Israel disregards cease-fire by Palestinian groups - Radikal 
Rice welcomes cease-fire by Palestinians - Yeni Safak 
Bush, Blair losing popular support - Milliyet 6/28 
Council of Europe: South Cyprus a haven for cheap labor, 
prostitution - 
Radikal 6/29 
Turkish Cypriot opposition to unite against Denktas for 
elections - Cumhuriyet 6/28 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
New post for Ambassador Pearson: "Hurriyet" reports on 
Monday that Secretary Powell will assign U.S. Ambassador to 
Ankara, Robert Pearson, as Director General of Foreign 
Service at the State Department.  In this prestigious post, 
Pearson will be responsible for the assignments of thousands 
of American diplomats. 
 
 
Ambassador Edelman `warming up' for Ankara: The new U.S. 
Ambassador to Turkey, Eric Edelman, attended a series of 
briefings and meetings on Turkey at the Carnegie Endowment 
and the Brookings Institute last week, "Zaman" reports from 
Washington.  The paper defines Edelman as a `smart, amiable, 
and humble person with powerful connections.'  Zaman expects 
Edelman to have a tough time in dealing with priority issues 
for the U.S. government such as cooperation with Turkey in 
the Middle East, Armenia, and the continuation of economic 
and political reforms. 
Iran, Turkey cooperate against KADEK: Iran has launched a 
military operation against KADEK militants who purportedly 
infiltrated Iran from Northern Iraq.  The militants killed 
eight Iranian soldiers in a raid against a police station 
late last week.  Turkish troops are supporting the Iranian 
assault against KADEK, and KADEK officials have accused 
Turkey and Iran of setting up an alliance against the Kurds. 
 
 
Washington Post on Iraqi peacekeeping: Dailies cite a 
Washington Post article claiming that the U.S. has asked for 
`reinforcements' from Turkey, Pakistan, and India to help 
break the resistance of Iraqi militant groups affiliated 
with Saddam Hussein.  The Post expects delay in the arrival 
of reinforcements due to `political and logistical 
obstacles.' 
 
 
Ankara might open its border with Armenia: Papers report 
that a Turkish parliamentary delegation in Washington last 
week called on Ankara and Yerevan to take steps toward 
normalization of relations.  The Turkish parliamentarians 
said that the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border and 
bilateral trade would help in warming ties with Armenia. 
After meeting with the Assembly of Armenian Americans (AAA) 
in Washington, Turkish MPs said they also favored opening 
the ruins of the ancient city of Ani, near Turkey's eastern 
border, to Armenian tourists. 
 
 
Larson on Turkey's economy: Speaking at the Brookings 
Institution last week, Assistant Secretary of State Alan 
Larson said that despite significant progress seen in 
Turkey's economy after the 2001 crisis, there are still 
vital weak points in Turkey's economic management.  Larson 
drew attention to Turkey's dangerously high public debt, 
which amounts to around 82 percent of the national income. 
Turkey's economy needs `aggressive' structural reforms, 
Larson said. 
 
 
U.S., Greece attempt to `by-pass' Denktas: "Aksam" claimed 
on Monday that Greek Prime Minister Simitis has asked U.S. 
help in by-passing Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas.  The EU 
and the U.S. reportedly agreed at their recent summit to 
unite the Turkish Cypriot opposition against Denktas in 
upcoming elections this December.  The Turkish Cypriot 
opposition had earlier vowed to sack Denktas as negotiator 
in the peace talks if it comes to power. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq 
 
 
"Turkish soldiers in Iraq?" 
Ferai Tinc noted in mass appeal Hurriyet (6/30): "The US 
miscalculated the aftermath of the war, and it seems things 
are becoming messier in Iraq.  The number of Iraqis opposing 
the occupation is growing every day.  There is even 
discontent among the Kurds, supposedly America's best ally 
in Iraq.  According to the reports, the Pentagon has now 
started thinking about Turkey, and a Washington Post story 
tells us that the U.S. has requested Turkish troops. . If 
the story is true, Turkey should think about sending its 
troops to help for the establishment of a democratic Iraqi 
state and a stable and secure Iraq.  But if the US is 
seeking Turkish troops for helping to reinforce the current 
occupation, we should not be part of it.  There is only one 
way for the US to get rid of the `occupation force' label: 
by activating the UN to take on a more active role." 
 
 
"The US and Turkey" 
Murat Yetkin wrote from Washington in liberal-intellectual 
Radikal (6/29): "After having a series of talks with 
Washington officials, my observation is that US prestige has 
been shaken, especially in Europe, by Turkey's failure to 
pass the motion that would have allowed American troops to 
move through Turkey.  One still can feel sense the traces of 
disappointment with Turkey in Washington.  However, it is 
the US, not Turkey, that  benefited from the decline of the 
motion, in both political and military terms.  The US saved 
billions of dollars, prevented the entry of Turkish troops 
into Northern Iraq, and brought Turkey to a policy more in 
line with what Washington had wanted." 
 
 
PEARSON