ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002269 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 TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL `Saddam myth' nearing end - Hurriyet U.S. troops' `show of force' in the heart of Iraq - Aksam Saddam's last days - Milliyet U.S. troops' cigarette break in Saddam's palaces - Milliyet Iraq's Information Minister As-Sahaf still `broadcasting live' - Sabah Civilians caught between two fires - Vatan UN wants Iraqi oil revenues - Hurriyet Wolfowitz: UN will have limited role in post-war Iraq - Vatan U.S. wants to try Saddam in U.S. and Iraq - Sabah Wolfowitz: Syria helps Iraq - Turkiye OPINION MAKERS Century's disgrace: Mothers, children under fire - Cumhuriyet Invaders seize three presidential palaces in Baghdad - Cumhuriyet Americans settle in Baghdad - Radikal Massacre in the heart of Baghdad - Yeni Safak War of nerves in Baghdad - Yeni Safak Americans' `show of force' in Baghdad of 6 m civilians - Zaman Blair, Bush disagree over UN role in post-war Iraq - Radikal Syrian FM: Aftermath of Iraq war will bring chaos - Yeni Safak FINANCIAL JOURNALS IMF's $4.2 billion `kiss of life' boosts markets - Dunya AKP expected to replace Treasury U/S Oztrak - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Iraq: Mainstream papers believe the `myth of Saddam' collapsed, and that the end of the Iraqi tyrant is near. Saddam is said to have fled to his hometown Tikrit, thus coalition forces are now headed there, papers say. Pro- Islamic papers accuse Americans of `slaughtering' women and children in Baghdad, and shooting at everything that moved. "Zaman" accuses U.S. of making a `show of force' in a city of six million civilians. Reports regard the Saddam statue demolished by local people in Karbala, and U.S. troops entering Saddam'a palaces as signs of psychological defeat for the Iraqi regime. "Cumhuriyet" says that during the Ankara visit of the Iranian Foreign Minister Kharrazi, Turkey and Iran have agreed to stand against a sovereign Kurdish state, and a post-war government manufactured by foreign powers. Interests of neighboring countries should be considered while Iraq's future is being restructured, the two countries agreed. "Cumhuriyet" underlines the fact that Ankara did not want to be seen forming a coalition with Iran and Syria, and that Foreign Minister Gul would seek a bilateral understanding with Syria during his visit to Damascus on Sunday. Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shara told a private Turkish TV channel on Monday that Rumsfeld and other U.S. officials' allegations of the presence of WMD in Syria were false. `They've invaded two-thirds of Iraq, but could not find any WMD. Their accusation of Syria possessing WMD is groundless, and indicate the mistake they've made in Iraq,' Al-Shara said. Press commentaries are doubtful that U.S. will fulfill its pledge to keep the Kurds away from Mosul and Kirkuk, and draw attention to U.S. reluctance about giving written guarantees. Foreign Minister Gul denied on Monday reports about a Turkish dipnote to U.S. on the issue. Dailies report talks between MFA and U.S. Ankara Embassy continued regarding carriage of humanitarian aid and logistical supply from Turkey to Northern Iraq, but that no progress was recorded on the coordination mechanism for monitoring developments in the region. EDITORIAL OPINION: Post war scenarios "Now the real war starts" Serdar Turgut commented in mass appeal Aksam (4/8): "It seems that the CIA's influence will prevail over the view of other departments about Ahmad Chalabi. He will no longer be viewed as the key figure in the restructuring of Iraq. In the post-Saddam government, we should expect a group of Americans serving as ministers in Iraq. The US is very determined to implement its `new world order,' and the formation of the new Iraqi government will demonstrate this fact. According to the CIA, James Woolsey is the leading name for the new Information Minister in Iraq. It is interesting to see that certain elements within the Washington administration do not even care about possible uneasiness in the world concerning the appointment of a former CIA chief as a minister in Iraq. . A recent report by the Army War College clearly indicates that the US should stay in the region for a long time in order to finish the job. `Reconstructing Iraq: Insights, Challenges and the Mission for Military Forces in a post-conflict scenario' foresees no less than 135 major tasks to accomplish in Iraq in the post-war period in order to prevent another crisis. Turkey should be prepared for living with chaos in its immediate neighborhood for a very long time." "As Pandora's box opens" Sedat Ergin wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (4/8): "The US will eventually claim victory as expected, but the next phase of the Iraq issue -- the restructuring -- will be even more critical than the war itself. Iraq is made up of a very complex set of ethnic groups and religious sects. We cannot even give a precise figure of the ethnic diversity, since there has been no census since 1985. . However, the new Iraqi structure can only function if all of the Iraqi elements reach a consensus. Yet finding a formula to achieve such a consensus is certainly a very tough job. . It is also possible to see many players assuming a role of influence in the future Iraq, which could mean competition and even conflict. . There is still a question yet to be answered: To what extent will the people of Iraq accept the US-imposed formula and move on with things? How will the restructuring of Iraq be turned to the establishment of democracy with political parties?" PEARSON