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Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004171

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
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

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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

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