US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4467

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004467 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Ankara releases statement without waiting for 
Washington - Milliyet 
Statement voices regret, not apology - Milliyet 
Boucher: Washington's evaluation of joint statement 
continues - Sabah 
U.S. not sorry enough to apologize - Vatan 
Unilateral `regret' over Suleymaniye incident - Sabah 
Mere `regrets' from U.S. - Turkiye 
Crisis frozen - Aksam 
Rumsfeld letter arrives instead of apology - Hurriyet 
Bush in Turkey next year - Hurriyet 
Denktas: Varosha might be opened to Turks - Hurriyet 
North Korea admits plutonium production - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Restriction on Turkey's activities in N. Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
U.S.-Turkey Friendship Group criticizes detentions - 
Yeni Safak 
Baykal on detentions: Turkey's pride is hurt - Yeni 
Safak 
Talabani denies involvement in Suleymaniye incident - 
Zaman 
U.S. watches KDP, PUK officials close to former Iraqi 
regime - Cumhuriyet 
Attacks prevent U.S. from pulling troops out of Iraq - 
Radikal 
Scott Ritter: Bush acted on lies, attacked Iraq - 
Radikal 
Syria pulls back troops from Lebanon - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Detention commission statement: In a joint military 
statement on Tuesday, the U.S. and Turkey expressed 
regret at "the treatment which Turkish soldiers faced 
in detention."  Papers say that the statement fell far 
short of the expectations of the nation and Turkey's 
politicians.  The Americans have refused to apologize, 
but managed to include in the statement U.S. concern 
over Turkey's covert actions in the region.  "Aksam" 
claims that significant problems remain between the two 
allies, and that the crisis has been frozen 
temporarily.  The U.S. has only `regretted' the 
mistreatment of Turkish soldiers, but not the raid 
itself, "Milliyet" stresses.  The U.S. is annoyed that 
TGS released the statement without waiting for 
confirmation from Washington.  "Cumhuriyet" writes that 
details of a regional coordination mechanism between 
the two allies will be discussed during the visit of 
CENTCOM Chairman General Abizaid this weekend.  The 
U.S. has tried to restrict Turkey's influence in 
Northern Iraq, but wants to make use of Turkish 
resources for the reconstruction of Iraq, the paper 
comments. 
 
 
Rumsfeld letter to Erdogan: Secretary of Defense 
Rumsfeld, on behalf of President Bush, sent a letter to 
Prime Minister Erdogan voicing U.S. concern over the 
covert actions of Turkish troops in Northern Iraq, 
according to today's "Hurriyet." Sources regard the 
letter as `very strange' in that a letter from the 
American Defense Secretary to Turkey's Prime Minister 
is outside of accepted diplomatic practice. 
 
 
Bush to Turkey in 2004: "Hurriyet" says that President 
Bush has officially notified Turkey of his planned 
attendance at the NATO Summit meetings in Istanbul in 
May 2004.  Bush made a significant goodwill gesture by 
saying he could stay for three days in Turkey.  Heads 
of state and government from 46 countries are expected 
to attend the summit. 
 
 
Delay possible in U.S. loans to Turkey: $8.5 billion in 
U.S. loans to help Turkey weather the economic shock of 
the war in Iraq could be delayed for months due to 
concerns about Ankara's slow progress in meeting IMF 
conditions, dailies report.   The U.S. loans could be 
delayed until September or possibly later unless Turkey 
meets its obligations under a $16 billion IMF loan 
program. The U.S. loans also depend on Turkish 
cooperation in Iraq, according to the press. 
 
 
Turks may open Varosha for settlement: Papers report 
that Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas has warned that the 
deserted town of Varosha might be settled by Turks if 
Greek Cypriots turn down his offer for joint use of 
Nicosia international airport and Varosha under UN 
supervision.  Papers expect Greek Cypriot President 
Papadopoulos to urge UN Secretary General Annan to 
respond to the Denktas offer. 
 
 
Turkey to demine Syria border: Turkey's ministry of 
defense has announced that it will provide funds to 
sweep for mines along a 700-km line along the Syrian 
border from Hatay to Mardin.  When demined, the 3.5 
million acres of land will be opened for agriculture. 
The minefield has killed or injured over 3,000 since 
being set up in 1952 for security reasons. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq/US-Turkey Joint Statement 
 
 
"Northern Iraq/Civilian and Military" 
Hasan Cemal observed in mass appeal Milliyet (7/16): 
"The Suleymaniye incident is inexcusable and is 
incompatible with Turkish-American friendship.  Yet it 
seems that both sides have understood this and 
therefore toned down the rhetoric.  It is also 
important that both sides see the need for greater 
coordination and cooperation in the future process in 
Iraq.  In spite of these efforts, bilateral relations 
their current phase and for the near future present a 
complex picture. . The fact of the matter is that the 
US is now Turkey's southern neighbor.  This might 
remain the case for years.  Turkey has been formulating 
its Iraq policy so far based on military 
considerations.  This should be changed now.  Today, 
the northern Iraq issue is more of a diplomatic issue 
than a military one.  Turkey should engage its foreign 
ministry more than before, and form a working 
coordination between civilians and the military." 
 
 
"The Suleymaniye Report" 
Cuneyt Ulsever wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (7/16): 
"The joint statement contains certain messages hidden 
between the lines.  . For instance, both sides clearly 
admit the lack of mutual trust and confidence in 
bilateral ties.  Thus Turkey and the US have declared 
in the joint statement their intention to work together 
toward the rebuilding of that confidence. . The US 
acknowledged its mistake about the way that Turkish 
military personnel were treated.  Yet the statement 
also implied that the Turkish military personnel in 
Northern Iraq were involved in secret activities as 
claimed by the US authorities. . In sum, in this 
declaration Turkey has accepted the terms of the US 
policy for northern Iraq and has erased its `red 
lines.'  In return, the US has noted that it will pay 
more attention to the PKK issue." 
 
 
PEARSON