ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 008007

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
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2002


THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:


HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
--------------
HEADLINES


MASS APPEALS
Bush's Republicans make history - Hurriyet
Saddam emerges from U.S. ballot box - Sabah
Erdogan steps back on `Belgian model' - Aksam
Erdogan promises Europe to end torture - Milliyet
Erdogan to Die Welt: We are conservative democrats --
Turkiye
Bush's Ramadan message: Islam a religion of peace - Turkiye


OPINION MAKERS
Erdogan: Did not propose Belgian model for Cyprus - Radikal
MFA `fine tunes' Erdogan on Cyprus - Cumhuriyet
Ecevit cabinet's sad farewell meeting - Cumhuriyet
Gen. Ozkok: Iraq resolution without war - Yeni Safak
Bush takes control of Congress - Zaman


FINANCIAL JOURNALS
AKP to diminish number of cabinet ministers - Dunya
IMF delegation awaits invitation for program negotiations -
Finansal Forum


BRIEFING


Erdogan: AKP leader Erdogan said he would not present
President Sezer with a list of party candidates for Prime
Minister during their meeting today. Sezer will wait for
the official announcement of poll results and for the oath
ceremony to decide about a new Prime Minister, papers say.
The two are expected to discuss the Cyprus problem, and
President Sezer will ask Erdogan and CHP leader Baykal to
make a joint statement about Cyprus, reports claim. Dailies
note AKP officials were busy drafting formulas for
constitutional changes that would lift the political ban on
Erdogan. If AKP fails to do so, Abdullah Gul will become
the Prime Minister, and Erdogan will become a super minister
with wide authority, "Cumhuriyet" claims. Papers also
report an `action plan' by AKP, which will reduce the number
of state ministries from 17 to 3, with a total of 23
ministers in the cabinet.


Erdogan, EU, Cyprus: Papers report that EU accession is the
top issue on the AKP agenda. After receiving a briefing
from MFA on key international issues, Erdogan met with the
ambassadors of 15 EU countries on Wednesday evening.
Erdogan outlined for the EU envoys AKP priorities: ending
torture, ensuring freedom of expression, scrapping
investigations against religious foundations, and
implemention of regulations on Kurdish language broadcasts
and education. The EU ambassadors voiced optimism after
meeting Erdogan, and EU Turkey representative Ambassador
Kretschmer issued a statement of cooperation, papers say.
Erdogan is expected to visit the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus on November 15 before going to Athens on
November 18. After the MFA briefed Erdogan and his staff on
Wednesday, the AKP official for foreign relations, retired
ambassador Yasar Yakis, said the Belgian model could not be
applied in Cyprus. "Radikal" believes AKP was forced by the
MFA to make `adjustments' to its earlier remarks on Cyprus.
MFA Spokesman Buluc said on Wednesday that Turkey was
against the Belgian model for Cyprus, and that Ankara
supported the views of Denktas. MFA officials will
accompany Erdogan on his visit to Greece, even tough MFA
Spokesman Buluc has said Erdogan would go there as party
leader, not as a representative of Turkey, "Radikal" adds.


General Ozkok in U.S.: Dailies report that TGS Chief General
Ozkok has started a tour of U.S. military facilities after
meeting with Vive President Cheney, National Security
Advisor Rice and Secreatary Powell the other day. A senior
U.S. official is quoted as saying that the Americans were
impressed by Gen. Ozkok's determination regarding Turkey's
integration with the EU and Turkey's place in the West. The
official reportedly said the U.S. has not yet made a
decision on Iraq. Papers claim the U.S. has prepared a
financial support package for Turkey, and is confident that
Ankara will support a possible action against Iraq.


U.S. wraps up aid package for Turkey: Papers and
broadcasters report the U.S. Congress was busy preparing a
package of direct and indirect military and economic aid for
Turkey. Sources close to the Washington Administration
reportedly said the package would amount to $4-6 billion.
Reuters reported that the U.S. Eximbank might extend a $4.2
billion military loan to Turkey. However, legal obstacles
must be lifted to enable Eximbank to extend credit for
military sales, reports note.




EDITORIAL OPINION: Turkish Elections


"The West and the AKP"
Hadi Uluengin wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (11/7): "The AKP
has an enormous chance because its government is going to
take charge with significant support from the Western,
Christian if you will, world. . The Copenhagen summit is
likely to set a date for Turkey unless AKP makes a crucial
mistake. The EU, contrary to common opinion, will not
pursue a completely negative attitude against the AKP. On
the contrary, Turkey will be treated with more care because
it might serve as an alternative model to the conflict of
civilizations. Therefore, the results of November 3 provide
a historic chance to the AKP which could benefit both Turkey
and all of humanity."


"Cast Aside the Old Molds"
Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in mass appeal/sensational Posta
(11/7): "The AKP will not be able to change the secular
system. If and when they attempt any such thing, we would
confront them, defending the system. . We should act with
self-confidence and try not to live in fear. If these guys
have bad intentions, if they want to deceive us, we will
find that out soon enough. . As ANAP did in 1993, AKP will
now start drawing the line it is going to follow. This is
because they know that the pro-Islamic votes do not amount
to more than 10 to 15 percent, that a large part of the
votes they received came from different directions. Will
they want to be a party of the center and rule the country
for years? Or will they take a radical stance, unable to
withstand the pro-Islamic pressure exerted by a minority
that forms part of their grassroots? If they choose the
second path, they will end up as losers."