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