ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 008523 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 21, 2002 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEALS We took more so that we can give later - Hurriyet 7 of 15 EU members want Turkey be given a date - Vatan Bush: I am working for Turkey - Vatan Headscarf is in state protocol - Milliyet A settlement package for EU - Aksam Bush pressuring EU for Turkey - Sabah OPINION MAKERS Gul: We are for negotiations on Cyprus - Radikal AKP Deputies Praying Show at Hilton - Cumhuriyet Gul: We will take steps which will shock the EU - Yeni Safak Erdogan's radical approach on EU and Cyprus issues - Zaman Headscarf in protocol - Cumhuriyet FINANCIAL JOURNALS London supports Turkey being given a date - Dunya Erdogan diverts from the official policy line for the sake of EU membership- Finansal Forum BRIEFING Cyprus: "Hurriyet" fronts an interview with the former President Kenan Evren who served as Chief of Staff for the Turkish Ground Forces during the Turkish army's Cyprus operation in 1974. Retired Gen. Evren is quoted as saying, Turkey at that time invaded more territory than was originally planned. They did this to ensure a negotiable portion for bargaining. He said that the UN plan brings a historic chance and called on the concerned parties to work for a settlement. "CNN Turk" carried out the interview, and the "Hurriyet" report also mentions that the two Greek television stations, "Antenna TV" and "Mega TV" will re- broadcast it. All papers report opposition leader Baykal's statement about the Cyprus plan, in which he says `it is not going to bring peace to the island in its present form'. The CHP leader received a briefing from the Foreign Ministry and warned against losing the two-community structure of the island if the Kofi Annan plan is adopted. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul gave an interview to "Radikal" and emphasized that `no solution is the best solution for Cyprus' is not the approach they will be pursuing. Gul spoke in a determined tone to work for a settlement and called the Annan plan negotiable. "Cumhuriyet" reports that British Rep. for Cyprus Sir David Hannay is to visit Ankara this weekend for consultations. Erdogan, EU: Papers continue to report AKP leader Tayyip Erdogan's lobbying in various European capitals. His meetings with the British PM as well as EU officials in Brussels was the media highlight of the day. Erdogan repeated Turkey's determination to join the EU and underlined the expectation that the Copenhagen summit would provide a date for negotiations. "Milliyet" says that following his consultations with the EU so far, Erdogan had reached a point (in moving discussions forward) at which the upcoming EU summit might set a date for Turkey in order to set a calendar for the accession program, and that would be good enough at this point. "Radikal" as well as "Zaman" front Erdogan's pragmatic approach toward the EU as he suggested to take on "EU-Cyprus-ESDP" as a package. "Radikal" says this approach is quite a contradiction to Ankara's traditional policy. NATO Summit/Bush-Sezer: All papers highlight the Bush-Sezer meeting during the NATO summit. Reports carry a positive tone and emphasize the US support for Turkey's EU accession which Bush personally expressed to Sezer. According to the reports, Bush-Sezer meeting focused on three items: Iraq, EU and Cyprus. Bush reaffirmed the US's commitment to protect Iraq's territorial integrity. Speaker Hastert: "Cumhuriyet" mentions that Speaker Hastert is heading a Congressional delegation and is to see Prime Minister Abdullah Gul as well as Parliamentary Speaker/Acting President, Bulent Arinc. Kurdish Broadcast: Higher Council of Radio and Television [RTUK] announced that it has finished the necessary regulation-drafting work so that (national TV network) "TRT" can initiate Kurdish broadcasting. According to the final regulation the Kurdish broadcast will be 4 hours radio, and 2 hours television in a week. Supreme Court's torture verdict: Papers report a verdict from the High Court of Appeal on torture. The Supreme Court turned down a local court's decision to acquit two policemen used torture against a thief in order to have him confessed. The court's verdict says, torture is a crime against humanity and under no circumstances it shall be considered as an excuse. EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq/UN Inspection "Hans Blix and the Hawks" Fikret Ertan wrote in the Islamic-intellectual Zaman (11/21): "The only obstacle before the US about its Iraq operation plan is the current UN inspection process in Iraq, and the upcoming report to UNSC. This report is going to be a very critical one because it will actually come up with an opinion on whether there is a need for use of force against Iraq. . In sum, the Hans Blix report will pave the way either for peace or war. He stands as a target against the anti-Iraq group, i.e. the hawks, in the Bush administration. They consider Blix over-moderate and tolerant toward Iraq. . Hans Blix concentrates his efforts on finding a way to cooperate with Iraq first rather than rushing into a conflict with Iraq. His goal is to disarm Iraq without any armed conflict. Let's hope he succeeds and Iraq has got the message. .because the hawks will not miss any little chance to use against Iraq."