ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002015

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, MARCH 27, 2003

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


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


HEADLINES


MASS APPEALS
U.S. missiles cause bloodbath in marketplace - Hurriyet
U.S. missiles pour death on civilians - Sabah
U.S. was supposed not to hit civilians: 14 dead - Vatan
U.S. missiles went to wrong address again - Haberturk
Secretary Hoon: Civilian deaths won't change course of

SIPDIS
operation - Hurriyet
Gen. Ozkok: This war not ours - Hurriyet
Gen. Ozkok: No plan to occupy Northern Iraq - Vatan
Powell: U.S. aid shows loyal ties with Turkey - Turkiye
Saddam's new Generals: General Storm, General Heat - Sabah
Blix: This war is illegitimate - Aksam
Blix: U.S. slammed the door on us - Milliyet
TUSIAD fires Tomahawk on government - Turkiye
Growing pessimism in the U.S. - Posta
Saddam sends 5,000 troops to Nasirija - Turkiye


OPINION MAKERS
`Smart' missiles hit civilians - Cumhuriyet
Missiles on marketplace cause massacre: 14 dead - Radikal
Savagery: U.S., UK coalition burn 15 civilians to death -
Yeni Safak
U.S., UK cruelty - Yeni Safak
U.S. had intervened after Serbs' marketplace bombing in 1994
- Zaman
Invaders begin wiping out civilians - Akit
Death caught Baghdadians shopping - Cumhuriyet
Gen. Ozkok: Turkey won't engage in conlict in N. Iraq -
Cumhuriyet
Gen. Ozkok: We're friends with U.S. - Radikal
Guerrilla resistance, storm slow down coalition advance -
Radikal
Russian FM: U.S., UK's war illegal, doomed to failure -
Cumhuriyet
Iraqi Ambassador: Don't be a partner in killing - Cumhuriyet
U.S. declares war on Al-Jazeera - Zaman


FINANCIAL JOURNALS
Richard Armitage: U.S. support for Turkey will continue -
Dunya
EU Commission approves $1 billion Euro for Turkey - Dunya
TUSIAD bombs government - Finansal Forum




BRIEFING


Iraq: Dailies report that the U.S. Administration was
`pleased' by TGS Chief General Ozkok's remarks in Diyarbakir
on Wednesday. Gen. Ozkok referred to the U.S. as Turkey's
`friend and strategic ally,' and vowed that Turkey would
coordinate efforts with the U.S. in Northern Iraq.
"Milliyet" says the tough resistance put up by Iraqi troops,
the lack of U.S. troops in Northern Iraq, and the fear of a
Turkish military intervention has caused concerns among
Northern Iraqi Kurdish groups. The U.S. sent 1000
paratroopers to Northern Iraq to ease those concerns.
Troubles in southern Iraq has forced the U.S. to ask for
access to Turkish airbases at Incirlik, Malatya and Batman.
"Radikal" claims there is still mistrust between the U.S.
and Turkey regarding Northern Iraq: the U.S. is suspicious
of `hidden Turkish intentions' in the region, and Turkey
feels uneasy about `undisclosed pledges' made by the
Americans to the Kurds. The U.S. and Turkey have agreed
that Turkey should meet the needs of refugees fleeing to the
Turkish border, and the U.S. will protect the Northern
Iraqis and take care of their needs. Turkey will also help
to support logistical activities of U.S. troops transferred
to Northern Iraq, "Radikal" added. Diplomatic sources are
concerned that the Republican-led Congress might not approve
the proposed $1 billion in aid for Turkey. Commentaries
view the $1 billion grant as an indication of new U.S.
expectations from Turkey, and speculate that President Bush
might use it as a `trump card' in bargaining with Ankara.
Meanwhile, all papers give extensive front-page coverage to
the marketplace killings in Baghdad alleged to have resulted
from coalition missiles. Many papers and broadcasters
compare the incident to the Serbs' mortar attack on a market
in Sarajevo during the war in Bosnia. Papers report
American and British officials voicing doubt whether the
missiles were fired by coalition forces. Papers report that
the National Security Council (NSC) will meet on Friday to
discuss Iraq and the Cyprus issue. The military wing of the
NSC is expected to criticize the AKP government, which they
see as responsible for failing to keep up with developments
that led to the war in Iraq.


TUSIAD reprimands government: All papers highlight a
statement by the businessmen's association (TUSIAD) chairman
Tuncay Ozilhan, who slammed the government for its inability
to handle current crises. `Turkey will either turn into a
closed Middle Eastern country, or integrate itself with the
Western world,' Ozilhan warned. He added that
`normalization of relations with the U.S. will take longer
than the crisis period between the two countries following
the 1974 U.S. embargo on Turkey.' Ozilhan warned against
possible campaigns by anti-Turkish lobbies in the U.S. He
rebuked the government for `blocking its own way to the EU
by choosing a no-solution in Cyprus.' Ozilhan called for an
acceleration of economic reforms, and advised the government
to extend the IMF program to cover the 2003-2006 period.




EDITORIAL OPINION: War in Iraq


"The course of war"
Taha Akyol wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (3/27): "It seems
that the Sunni and Shiite Arabs of Iraq have at least one
thing in common: standing against the occupying force to
protect the motherland. It remains to be seen whether this
sentiment will work on the Kurds, yet it is likely that the
northern front will be more of a challenge. Another
challenge is the outskirts of the capital, Baghdad. The
suburbs of Baghdad are fed by ethnic feelings as well as
rage, a potentially serious challenge for the American
forces. . It is very difficult to estimate about the course
of the war and foresee the next step. Yet one thing is
clear: The course of the war poses a dangerous situation for
Turkey in both its political and military aspects."


"The collapse of the American strategy"
Fatih Altayli argued in mass appeal Hurriyet (3/27): "Given
the mistakes made by the American hawks, the US deterrent
role has been seriously damaged. Scenes from the war prove
that Iraq, despite the12-year embargo and other problems, is
not going to be a piece of cake for the American troops.
The course of the war is directly affecting the future of
American policy regarding the new world order. The winner
of this war, no matter what happens in the meantime, is
going to be the United States. It will not, however, be a
real `win' for the US, as it will most likely result in
another `war' on the US domestic political front. . The US
national security strategy, which was declared last
September, has already collapsed. It requires a series of
important changes. The US is on the cusp of a process of
internal challenge."


PEARSON