US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4818

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004818 
 
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 30, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Military Says New Motion is a Must for Troop Deployment - 
Milliyet 
Turkish Military is Ready for Iraq - Hurriyet 
Seven Suggestions from TGS Chief Ozkok to PM Erdogan - Sabah 
US Plans to Send Top PKK Militants to exile in Norway - 
Hurriyet 
PKK Cornered - Milliyet 
Syria's `Hatay' Obsession - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Second Motion Crisis - Radikal 
Gen.Ozkok: We Need 45 Days to get Ready for Iraq - Zaman 
Surprising `Summit' - Cumhuriyet 
Parliament Approves Repentance Law - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Repentance Law: Turkey's parliament approved the repentance 
law yesterday with the backing of 365 deputies.  At his 
party group meeting, PM Erdogan denied claims that the draft 
was in response to the wishes of the US administration, and 
stressed that it had the full support of top state and 
military officials.  "Hurriyet" reports that the US welcomed 
the parliamentary approval and issued a call to PKK 
militants in Northern Iraq urging them to return to Turkey. 
"Hurriyet" also reports on CNN-Turk's Mehmet Ali Birand's 
interview with American Kurdish Information Network (AKIN) 
leader Necmettin Kerim.  Kerim predicted that 500-1000 PKK 
militants will return to Turkey to benefit from the new law, 
while militants who refuse to lay down their weapons will be 
arrested by  CENTCOM.  The PKK's top leaders, who are not 
eligible to benefit from the law, will then be sent to 
political asylum in Norway or other Scandinavian countries. 
However, A/S Marc Grossman told CNN-Turk that he had no 
information about such a plan, noting that the PKK `has no 
place in Northern Iraq.'  Once all terrorist camps in 
Northern Iraq are eliminated, Grossman said, there will be 
no need for a Turkish military presence there.' 
 
 
Troop Deployment: "Milliyet" reports that in a `summit' 
between PM Erdogan and TGS chief Gen. Ozkok at the Prime 
Ministry yesterday, the military leader stressed that a 
parliamentary motion is a must for the deployment of Turkish 
troops in Iraq.  "Hurriyet" writes that Gen.Ozkok told the 
PM that the military is ready to undertake peacekeeping 
tasks in Iraq as soon as a political decision is made. 
"Cumhuriyet" reports that Gen.Ozkok stressed that Turkish 
troops deployed to Iraq should be under the command of a 
Turkish officer.  FM Gul said that the Turkish troops would 
be deployed `to the northwest of Baghdat.'  `As the war is 
over in Iraq,' Gul told "Radikal," `this is not a dangerous 
area, and the troops will be mainly engaged in defensive 
operations.'  However, "Cumhuriyet" highlights General 
Myers' comments that the Turkish military deployment would 
include the Tikrit-Baghdad region.  Gen. Myers noted that 
the are is still a war zone where US soldiers have been 
faced with frequent attacks.' 
 
 
Visit of Syrian PM Miro: "Sabah" reports that Syrian PM Miro 
stirred a new crisis during his visit to Ankara yesterday. 
Miro tried to bring the Syrian claim of Hatay onto the 
agenda.  The Turkish side ignored the issue, but Miro 
insisted on the exclusion of border provinces (including 
Hatay) from regulations preventing double taxation.  Turkey 
rejected the exclusion.  PM Miro also re portedly assured 
the Turkish side that Syria's borders `will remain closed' 
to the PKK.  According to press reports, FM Gul warned Miro 
not to cause problems in Syria's relations with the United 
States. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
"Japanese troops to Iraq, but what about us?" 
Ertugrul Ozkok commented in the mass appeal Hurriyet (7/30): 
"If the U.S. withdraws from Iraq, chaos will prevail in the 
region.  Turkey cannot simply close its borders and pursue 
an isolationist policy, for Iran and Syria will not remain 
silent in the face of such a development.  About 30 nations, 
including Japan, will send troops to Iraq. .  Turkey cannot 
afford to remain a `dwarf' in the region. .  The Suleymaniye 
incident has shown that Turkey faces the risk of coming into 
conflict with the U.S. military. .  Some naturally worry 
about possible casualties if Turkey deploys troops for Iraqi 
peacekeeping.  Turkey has lost 30,000 citizens in the fight 
against the PKK.  Can those who are worried estimate future 
Turkish casualties if the PKK rises from the ashes of chaos 
in Iraq?" 
 
 
"Send troops, and come to the negotiation table" 
Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in the mass appeal Posta (7/30): 
"The Pentagon thinks that the Suleymaniye event should 
remain in the past, and a new page should be turned in 
relations with Turkey.  Congressman Mark Steven Kirk 
(Illinois) praised the Turkish military under General 
Ozkok's command, but added that some commanders' negative 
attitude towards Americans was a source of concern.  Turkey 
must have an impact on developments in Iraq, and must have a 
seat at the negotiation table rather than being an outside 
observer, Kirk said. .  The Pentagon believes that it 
doesn't need Turkey, but that cooperation with Turkey in 
Iraq will serve the U.S. interest. .  Some can act 
emotionally and say that Turkey should deny the Americans 
support and let them drown in Iraq.  Some can think 
differently and say that if the U.S. drowns in Iraq, Turkey 
will suffer considerable losses as well." 
 
 
DEUTSCH