ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 008087 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 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2002 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL Sezer green light for AKP candidate for Prime Minister - Milliyet Sezer to leaders: Let's go to Copenhagen together - Hurriyet Erdogan, Baykal bargain on Constitutional change - Aksam Iraq: Ready to cooperate with Erdogan - Turkiye Sezer neutral between Erdogan, Baykal - Sabah Meeting Sezer relieves Erdogan - Vatan OPINION MAKERS AKP economic regulations encourage dirty money - Cumhuriyet Erdogan issues clear messages to EU - Radikal AKP wants to join European Democratic Union - Zaman Baykal vows to scrap political bans - Yeni Safak FINANCIAL JOURNALS AKP's `tax peace' project envisions amnesty - Dunya Boom in real sector, exports - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Government formation process: President Sezer gave a green light to an AKP candidate for Prime Minister, and will take into account AKP views on the issue, papers say. Papers expect the President to wait for the oath-taking ceremony before choosing a candidate. Erdogan said after meeting Sezer on Thursday that the new Prime Minister would be a trustworthy figure who is known at home and abroad. Erdogan added that Sezer has welcomed the tone of compromise between AKP and the opposition CHP. CHP leader Baykal said after being received by Sezer that the President would be in close cooperation with both parties in the parliament. Baykal also noted that CHP would support a constitutional amendment package which includes removal of political bans, scrapping parliamentary immunity and reducing the parliamentary election term from five to four years. The new government could be completed before the end of November, reports say. Leaders on EU: Dailies claim that President Sezer urged Baykal to continue cooperation with the AKP on EU accession, and said Baykal and Erdogan should accompany him to the EU Copenhagen Summit. Erdogan told the press on Thursday that relations with the EU would continue even if Turkey is denied a date for membership negotiations at the Copenhagen Summit. Erdogan reportedly briefed EU envoys about his party's reform pledges: freedom of expression and association; changes in political parties law and election regulation; an end to torture; facilitation of activities by foreign and domestic associations; religious foundations will be allowed to purchase real estate; decisions of the ECHR will be implemented. Ambassador Pearson calls on Erdogan: U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Robert Pearson paid a courtesy visit to AKP leader Erdogan on Thursday, conveying to him congratulation from President Bush on AKP's election victory, papers report. Pearson said the U.S. backed AKP efforts for a breakthrough in ties with the EU, in economic and democratic reforms, and in fighting corruption, reports say. Responding to a question after the meeting, Pearson said that the Iraqi issue was also discussed, and noted that the U.S. preferred to work together with the UN for a solution. Erdogan in turn has congratulated President Bush for the Republicans' election victory. He said the AKP leadership intended to visit the U.S. after the new government is formed. Economy: Ali Coskun, portrayed by the economic daily "Dunya" as the `architect of AKP economic policy,' said the AKP would carry out an economic transformation through a special economy ministry, and that privatization would be accelerated. Instead of axing jobs, AKP prefers personnel reform in the public sector based on productivity and merit, Coskun said. `In order to ease the burden on the public sector, we are considering shifting some authority from the central government to local administrations,' Coskun added. "Cumhuriyet" criticizes the AKP intention to abolish `financial year zero' regulation, saying it would deal a heavy blow to the fight against money laundering. The paper claims that AKP market regulations will strengthen Islamic capital. Meanwhile, S&P has revised its outlook on Turkey's debt from negative to stable. S&P analysts said they did not expect significant economic changes under the new government, but a possible war on Iraq might increase risks in Turkey. The international investment bank Morgan Stanley said that single-party government had significant chances to accelerate democratization in Turkey. IMF official Tom Dawson said it was natural for the new government to make some minor changes to the IMF-sponsored economic program. The new leaders have voiced a willingness to work with us, and the IMF is ready to cooperate, Dawson said. EDITORIAL OPINION: US Mid-Term Elections "George Bush the Cowboy, the Unstoppable" Ali Sirmen commented in social democrat-intellectual Cumhuriyet (11/8): "The mid-term election results represented not only a victory for the Republican Party, but also broke a record in the Party's history. The Bush administration has now obtained sufficient power to pass any legislation in Congress. . It looks like the Republican Party victory stemmed not only from the post-9/11 circumstances, but also from the failure of Democrats to produce alternate policies. Nevertheless, the Bush administration manipulated the September 11 events very well and convinced the American public to follow Bush's unrealistic approach: `what is good for the US is good for the world.' . With the help of the off-year election results, the Bush administration has received the voters' support for its biased and arbitrary policies. That means that no one can possibly stop President Bush and his cowboy- mentality policies on world issues such as Iraq." "The Republican Victory" Yilmaz Oztuna wrote in conservative-mass appeal Turkiye (11/8): "The election results were somehow surprising, as it has generally been the opposition party that enjoyed greater popularity during mid-term elections. It seems that the September 11 syndrome continues to be a major motivating factor for Americans. The voters are giving the message that the most vicious terrorist attack is not yet avenged. This message clearly gives an extra bonus to President Bush, particularly for his militaristic policies in Iraq and elsewhere. The current UN initiative will most likely produce a resolution leading to the elimination of Iraq's WMD as well as complete control of Iraq. However, even that is not going to be sufficient for the Bush administration, which is determined to topple Saddam Hussein at all costs."