ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001313 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, FEBRUARY 27, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEALS Turkey, U.S. to sign economic, political, military deals soon - Milliyet No anti-aircraft missiles to Kurds - Hurriyet Constitutional guarantees for Turkomen - Aksam Turkey's Baghdad embassy evacuated, border closed - Turkiye Patriots, U.S. cargo vessels in Turkey, - Vatan OPINION MAKERS Parliament to vote for `war' - Cumhuriyet The parliament's ordeal - Yeni Safak Barzani: U.S. should stop Turkey - Zaman U.S. to transfer troops to Turkey March 3 - Radikal TGS considering emergency rule, martial law - Radikal FINANCIAL JOURNALS Approaching war paralyzes Turkish markets - Dunya Long-term stay in Iraq for thousands of U.S. troops - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Iraq: The parliament will reportedly vote on Thursday on the issue of deployment of foreign troops in Turkey. AKP leader Erdogan expects 348 deputies to vote in support of the motion, while some papers expect a significant number of AKP deputies to stand against it. Erdogan and Prime Minister Gul will continue efforts to convince MPs. Erdogan has told deputies that President Bush vowed to give Turkey written guarantees to secure Turkish support. AKP leaders are expected to warn deputies that without U.S. support, Turkey's economy would not be able to carry the prospective $30 billion burden the war might bring. Papers report President Sezer as saying during his meeting with the Parliamentary Speaker Arinc on Wednesday that the parliament should wait for a new UNSC decision. Reports claim that Sezer and Arinc prefer two separate motions for discussion in parliament - one for deployment of foreign troops on Turkish soil, and the other for sending Turkish troops abroad. Minister of Defense Gonul said Turkey should take its place in the operation against Iraq, or face the loss of U.S. support in seeking EU membership and a solution in Cyprus. The National Security Council (NSC) will convene on Friday to discuss Iraq and Cyprus. The government is uneasy about TGS intentions to declare emergency rule and martial law in the event of a war. Ankara has agreed with the U.S. that Kurdish groups will not be given heavy weaponry, and that Turkish troops will set up a security belt about 20 km deep inside northern Iraq. The U.S. and Turkey have also agreed that the Turkomen will be given a role in a post-war Iraq administration. The deal also foresees $6 billion in grants for Turkey, and $24 billion in loans. Papers criticize the government for working out a `feeble' financial deal with the U.S. If the decree is approved by the parliament on Thursday, the U.S. will begin deploying troops and equipment to Turkey on March 3. Patriot defense missiles have arrived in Turkey from the Netherlands, and Turkey has withdrawn its ambassador to Baghdad. The border with Iraq has been closed. (NOTE: Parliament voted on Thursday afternoon to delay until Saturday the debate on allowing U.S. troops on Turkish territory. AKP leader Erdogan had announced yesterday that the issue would be handled by the parliament on Thursday.) EDITORIAL OPINION: US-Turkey on Iraq "Rejection of US troops would still drag Turkey into war" Ertugrul Ozkok wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (2/27): "Characterizing the pending parliamentary decision as a choice between war and peace is a historical distortion of the facts. The parliament will vote on whether to allow the stationing of American troops in Turkey, as well as sending our troops to abroad. . The fact of the matter is that regardless of the Turkish parliament's decision, there is no possibility of stopping the war from happening. Thus Turkey should ask the following question to itself: Can Turkey stay out of the war if the parliament declines permission? . I will be very clear on this matter: The rejection of the permission by the Turkish parliament will only pave the way for Turkey's full engagement in the war. When Turkey tries to stay out of it, developments in the region take place completely out of Turkey's control and influence, which will eventually force Turkey to engage in an armed conflict in northern Iraq. The final chance for Saddam to work for a peaceful settlement will be available when Turkey decides to allow the US to open a northern front. This is the only way to show the insane dictator that the situation is indeed serious. . If Turkey decides to stay out of it, there will be a very high cost for us to pay in the next 50 years." "Turkey's future requires a `yes' to the decree" Fikret Ertan wrote in Islamic-intellectual Zaman (2/27): "Evidently the military power that Iraq has built is not only the responsibility of the US but also the European countries, mainly Germany and France. Yet that bad record does not justify a debate on the legitimacy of an operation. The future of Turkey is a more important and genuine issue than the legitimacy debate, which remains a theoretical discussion. . The fact is that Turkey's situation today and in the future is directly linked with the approval of the parliamentary decree [allowing US troops into Turkey]. The parliamentarians should think and act with responsibility." "We are going to war" Can Dundar argued in mass appeal Milliyet (2/27): "This is like raping a girl, i.e. Iraq. And the rapist, i.e. the US, is trying to convince us about the legitimacy of its action. We are given assurances that it is going to be something enjoyable. In fact, our role is like holding the girl's arms while she is being raped. . It is so sad to see the AKP leadership working to attain permission for the deployment of American troops. They are acting under threats and blackmail from Washington, and threats from President Bush himself. Bush clearly told Ministers Yakis and Babacan that without Turkey's permission for US troops, Turkey would suffer the consequences: the US acting together with northern Iraqi Kurds; the termination of IMF support; and the passage of an Armenian resolution in the Congress. In sum, he advised the Turkish ministers to `go back home and pass the permission from parliament.' We have been living under the shadow of the very same blackmail: a Kurdish state, Armenian resolution etc. The fact of the matter is that the US will leave eventually, and Turkey will have to live side by side with Kurds and Armenians. If we manage to take this trump card from the US hands, we can possibly overcome this dilemma. It is possible to turn the region into a center of attraction where everybody -Turks, Kurds, Armenians and Arabs- live together in harmony and brotherhood. This is the only way not to bow to the aggression for the sake of pennies." PEARSON