US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4984

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004984 
 
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, AUGUST 7, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
 
 
Sezer Approves Seventh Harmonization Package -Hurriyet 
Barzani: PKK Should Return Home - Milliyet 
Return Home Begins - Sabah 
Interior Minister: 5,000 PKK Preparing to Return Home - 
Milliyet 
Petkim Privatization Cancelled - Hurriyet 
Uzan Group Refuses to Pay for Petkim, Tender Dropped - 
Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
 
 
Approval from Cankaya for the Seventh Package - Radikal 
Giant Step for civilianized politics: Sezer Approves Seventh 
Package - Zaman 
Government brings `Headscarf' to Higher Education - 
Cumhuriyet 
2 PKK/KADEK Militants Return Home Through Habur - Yeni Safak 
Returning Home Starts With Speed - Radikal 
Petkim Sale to Uzans Cancelled - Yeni Safak 
Uzan Group Unable to Pay for Petkim - Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Approval of the Seventh Harmonization Package:  President 
Sezer approved the seventh harmonization package yesterday, 
a move described by most papers as a large step toward 
democratization.  With the approval of the package, the 
military's influence over Turkey's politics will be limited. 
"Zaman" reports that the approval takes Turkey closer to the 
EU.  "Milliyet" notes that the military had expected Sezer 
to veto the package, and that the president signed the 
package despite the open opposition of the NSC Secretary 
General.  "Vatan" argues that the approval of the seventh 
package has transformed the NSC into an advisory body.  The 
NSC will convene every two months instead of once per month, 
and the council will only have the authority to make 
recommendations on national security issues.  With this 
package, freedom of thought is expanded and penalties for 
insulting the state and state officials are reduced.  The 
package also supports judicial action against torture, and 
stipulates that civilians can no longer be tried in military 
courts. 
 
 
Response to the Repentance Law:  "Hurriyet" reports that 2 
PKK/KADEK militants surrendered in Iraq, and 80 other 
members of terrorist organizations applied  to Turkish 
security forces in Turkey to benefit from the repentance law 
on the first day of its application.   Special centers have 
been established in Van, Sirnak and Kirklareli for the 
surrendering militants.  Interior Minister Aksu said that 
around 5,000 PKK/KADEK militants in Northern Iraq are 
expected to apply to benefit from the amnesty.  Meanwhile, 
"Hurriyet" reports that yesterday PKK militants attacked a 
police station in Mardin, killing two policeman.  Turkish 
officials claim that anti-amnesty militants were responsible 
for this attack.  In an interview with El-Cezire TV, KDP 
leader Barzani urged all PKK militants in northern Iraq to 
return to Turkey. 
Cancellation of PETKIM Bid:  All papers report that the 
Privatization Administration has cancelled the sale of state- 
owned PETKIM to the Uzan group.  After court decisions 
against the Uzan family in Switzerland and the United States 
opened the way for a freeze of the family's assets abroad, 
the Uzans were unable to pay the agreed $605 million for 
PETKIM.  A new tender will now be required for the company's 
privatization. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq 
 
 
 "Strengthening Baghdad" 
Erdal Safak opined in the mass appeal Sabah (8/7): "Turkey 
once again has a chance to prevent undesirable developments 
from taking place in Iraq. . There are some facts that 
Turkey should take into consideration immediately.  Current 
indications coming from Iraq do not give hope for the 
maintenance of Iraq's territorial integrity.  There are many 
activists in northern Iraq who advocate an independent 
Kurdish state, and efforts are underway to move toward a 
referendum on the issue.  For instance, the `Kurdistan 
Journalists Federation' decided not to join the Iraqi 
Journalists Union, based on the that it is `independent.' . 
Foreign Minister Gul has rightly underlined the importance 
of `strengthening Baghdad.'  There is only one way toward 
the strengthening of Baghdad, which is the presence of 
Turkish troops there.  Turkey already missed its first 
chance, and now it has been given a second.  It is very 
unlikely that there will be a third chance." 
 
 
"Risk Analysis" 
Fehmi Koru argued in the Islamist-intellectual Yeni Safak 
(8/7): "Iraq has turned into a quagmire, and Turkey should 
stay away from it.  Yet there is no harm for Turkey in 
helping and advising others on how to `dry the quagmire.'  . 
Turkey's presence in Iraq should only be considered after 
the withdrawal of foreign troops and the handing of control 
to the United Nations.  . The US so far has not shown any 
sign of change in its current policies in Iraq.  Bremer, 
whose position is that of a typical `occupation Governor' is 
not optimistic about cooperation with indigenous Iraqi 
groups.  Washington is not very optimistic about Bremer's 
success either.  . Turkey should not contribute to the 
ongoing occupation by sending its troops there.  Instead, 
Turkey's mission should be designed to persuade the US and 
the UK to correct their mistakes.  Both the US and UK should 
leave Iraq to the Iraqis, and leave the region to regional 
countries.  It is in their best interests to withdraw from 
Iraq as soon as possible." 
 
 
DEUTSCH