Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA2173
2003-04-03 13:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

Tags:  OPRC KMDR TU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002173

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, APRIL 3, 2003

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


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


HEADLINES


MASS APPEALS
Gul: Turkey in the coalition - Hurriyet
Warm dialogue with U.S. - Vatan
Logistical support without decree - Milliyet
Powell: Turkey best model for Iraq - Milliyet
High-level U.S. officials: Powell visit very productive -
Hurriyet
Turkey to provide humanitarian aid in N. Iraq - Turkiye
Small anti-war groups protest Powell - Sabah
Offensive on Baghdad in 48 hours - Hurriyet
`Red Line' broken; Baghdad attack soon - Aksam
30 km to Baghdad - Milliyet
U.S. needs to find chemical weapons. fast! - Milliyet
Civilian volunteers won't leave Baghdad - Turkiye
U.S. stop peshmerges from revolting in Kirkuk - Aksam
Saving Private Jessica - Vatan


OPINION MAKERS
Powell got what he wanted - Cumhuriyet
`Logistical peace' with U.S. - Radikal
Powell leaves Ankara happy - Yeni Safak
Powell didn't ask for the impossible; `decree' damage
repaired - Zaman
They're killing patients: Maternity hospital bombed - Yeni
Safak
U.S. not precise, hits hospital - Cumhuriyet
American bombs don't recognize civilians - Cumhuriyet
Losers in the war: Civilians - Radikal
U.S. war methods worse than Halabja - Cumhuriyet
CHP's Baykal: Let's not become part of Iraq error - Radikal
U.S., UK tiff over post-war share - Cumhuriyet
Tarik Aziz: Ending regime in Baghdad will hurt Ankara -
Zaman


FINANCIAL JOURNALS
Boycott on U.S., UK goods growing worldwide - Dunya
Randy Cunningham (R) against aid for Turkey - Finansal Forum




BRIEFING


Iraq: Mainstream papers agree that SecState Powell's visit
made a positive contribution to normalization of ties with
the U.S. after the decree crisis. Most papers predicted
that the Powell visit would be a "Kiss and Make Up" meeting
after weeks of tension between the U.S. and Turkey over
rejection by the parliament of the deployment of foreign
troops on Turkish soil. In a joint press conference
Wednesday, Powell and Gul said Turkey would support search
and rescue operations in Northern Iraq and facilitate
transfer of humanitarian aid to the region. Gul stressed
that Turkey is part of the U.S.-led coalition, and that a

new decree is not needed to meet U.S. requests. Turkey will
allow delivery of fuel and water for coalition forces
through its border. Secretary Powell has asked the Turks to
ease measures on its border to facilitate trade among the
Kurds, papers report. Ankara rejected this idea, saying
border trade money could go to terrorist groups. Powell
stressed that the U.S. wants to stabilize Northern Iraq, and
that a Turkish intervention is not necessary. The U.S. gave
Ankara further assurances that troublesome scenarios would
not take place in the region. He vowed that the U.S. would
ensure control of Mosul and Kirkuk, adding that regional oil
revenues would go to all Iraqis, not just to the Kurds.
Secretary Powell also declared that Turkey would be given a

SIPDIS
share in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq. Gul
reportedly outlined for Powell the negative impact of a war
on Turkey's economy, and the Secretary promised that U.S.
support for Turkey's relations with the IMF and WB would
continue. Commentaries regard the $1 billion grant and a
share in Iraq's reconstruction as gains for Turkey. Small
anti-war groups of NGOs, unions, and students protested
against the U.S. during Secretary Powell's meetings.
Meanwhile, the TGS denied reports about 25 American trucks
carrying arms and ammunition via Turkey's Habur gate to the
Northern Iraqi town of Erbil, saying that the trucks took
Hummer jeeps -- but no weapons -- to the region.




EDITORIAL OPINION: War in Iraq / Powell visit


"The Iraqi Ministers"
Fatih Altayli notes the Iraqi propaganda war in mass appeal
Hurriyet (4/3): "Iraqi ministers are becoming more popular
every day with the help of their constant television
appearances. Always wearing their military uniforms, they
are telling the world about Iraq's victory, and they have
won the sympathy of the anti-war group. Yet who are they
actually? A bunch of lunatics who normally should be tried
at the International Tribunal of Human Rights had the US had
not carried out an operation in Iraq. A bunch of killers
responsible for gassing thousands of Kurds. A bunch of
invaders responsible for occupying Kuwait. . Standing
against the war is certainly the right thing. However, it
is appalling to see that those anti-war groups are looking
for a victory on the criminals' side."


"Repairing relations with the US"
Murat Yetkin analyzed Secretary Powell's visit in liberal-
intellectual Radikal (4/3): "It seems that Washington has
realized that punishing Turkey -something the hawks have
been insisting on --because of the decline of parliamentary
motion is not a wise move regarding the future of Turkish-
American bilateral relations. Secretary Powell emphasized
this by calling Turkey the `best model' for the future of
Iraq and the only Muslim democracy. Powell's visit
underscored the intention by both Ankara and Washington to
move forward together."


"Powell and his `kiss-and-make-up' visit"
Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in the sensational-mass appeal Posta
(4/3): "The visit of Secretary of State Colin Powell to
Ankara provided a basis for settling issues of concern to
both sides. Both Turkey and the United States have made
clear that they understand their responsibility for mistakes
or belated actions. There was a happy ending in terms of
the future of Turkish-American relations. The Powell visit
was very timely, and certainly prevented continued
deterioration in bilateral relations. . The positive
atmosphere will overcome the negative developments in the
past unless the bilateral understanding and agreements are
violated, or unless something unexpected happens during the
course of war."


PEARSON