ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002303 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 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEALS U.S. Senate's `decree' revenge - Milliyet U.S. Senate: No money if you enter N. Iraq - Hurriyet Press is new U.S. target - Turkiye Baghdad war witnesses targeted - Vatan Black day for press - Vatan Two journalists killed, media mourns - Sabah Friendly fire on media in Baghdad - Hurriyet Crying broadcast from death hotel - Aksam Bush, Blair agree on `new Iraq' - Turkiye Secretary Hoon: Iraqis right to loot palaces in Basra - SIPDIS Sabah U.S. obsessed with regime in Syria - Milliyet OPINION MAKERS Baghdad siege complete - Radikal Civilians victimized, not Saddam - Radikal Civilians are massacred in the hunt for Saddam - Cumhuriyet Baghdad in shock, horror - Zaman They shoot journalists - Yeni Safak FIJ: Attack on press a war crime - Yeni Safak Bloody censure on press - Cumhuriyet U.S. tanks hit media - Zaman Bush's new target after Iraq, Palestine - Cumhuriyet Invasion government: Gen. Franks to administer Baghdad - Yeni Safak FINANCIAL JOURNALS Annual industrial output up by 4.4 percent - Dunya Journalists killed; U.S. doesn't want witnesses - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Iraq: Dailies report that the U.S. Congress included a clause in its supplemental war budget that would block disbursement of $1 billion in cash, or $8.5 billion in loan guarantees, if Turkey enters Northern Iraq unilaterally. The clause stresses that the aid might also be cut if Turkey abandons implementation of economic reforms. Commentaries view the clause as a kind of punishment for Turkey for refusing full cooperation with the U.S. in the war with Iraq. Papers give extensive front-page coverage to the journalists killed by U.S. tank fire in Baghdad on Tuesday, describing the attack as a `bloody warning' to the press. An Al-Jazeera manager said to "Zaman": `Whether intentional or not, coalition forces have begun targeting press members. You can imagine the threat Iraqi civilians are living under.' Meanwhile, three Iraqi Embassy diplomats who were declared persona non grata left Turkey on Tuesday. Commenting on his visit to Damascus on Sunday, Foreign Minister Gul said that beside Iran and Syria, Ankara intends to hold consultations with Israel as well. The Israeli foreign minister will pay a visit to Ankara next week to discuss the war and economic relations with Turkey. Opposition CHP leader Baykal criticized the government for seeking a rapprochement with Iran and Syria, and added that such moves blocked possible cooperation with the U.S. MFA diplomats feel uneasy about the cancellation of Khalilzad's scheduled visit to Ankara this week, Baykal said. Pointing to developments in Northern Iraq, Baykal claimed that the U.S. has not fulfilled pledges made by Secretary Powell during his visit to Ankara last week to prevent Kurdish groups from entering Mosul and Kerkuk. Meanwhile, survivors of a massive 1999 earthquake in Izmit province lined up to donate blood to Iraqis wounded in the war, pointing out that Saddam Hussein donated $10 million worth of fuel after the quake. The fuel was used to build homes for earthquake victims. Turkey's Red Crescent (Kizilay) announced on Tuesday that it would send water, food, and medicine to Northern Iraq and Basra. The Red Crescent said all expenses would be met by the International Red Cross, papers report. U.S., the Red Cross, and Red Crescent representatives held a meeting at the MFA on Tuesday, and will soon sign a protocol on humanitarian aid activities in the war zone. On the other hand, all Iraqi opposition groups will reportedly meet in Nasirija in southern Iraq on Saturday. EDITORIAL OPINION: Restructuring Iraq "Military victory and political defeat" Hasan Cemal commented in mass appeal Milliyet (4/9): "It is true that making peace can sometimes be harder than making war. There seems to be a difference of opinion between the US and the UK regarding the possible role for the UN to play in post-war Iraq. On the other hand, Washington is also the scene of a tiff between the Pentagon and the State Department on the future of Iraq. . All of this clearly indicates some different tendencies and approaches about how to establish security and stability in Iraq. We should not ignore the legitimacy issue either. The new Iraqi administration will emerge from an occupation, and it remains to be seen to what extent it will gain legitimacy in the Arab world and the larger international community. . The end of Saddam is clear and definite, but Iraq in the post- Saddam era has uncertainties. Let's hope that we do not see chaos in Iraq, but rather a speedy normalization process in the near future." "End of military war, and the beginning of political war" Murat Yetkin opined in the liberal-intellectual Radikal (4/9): "The only way to achieve political victory in Iraq is to establish an administration with the support of the people instead of one imposed by foreign military powers. Yet there is no indication that the former will happen instead of the latter. It is irrational to believe that a former US army general or a former ambassador will be able to establish a new administration in Iraq with popular support. It is also risky to appoint a local figure to head an American-led administration. There are names circulating for the new administration, such as Ahmad Chalabi or Bahram Salih, which are seen by the majority of Iraqis as either `crooks' or `traitors.' .If Washington wants to turn its military victory into a political triumph, it must create a synergy with the UN system as well as regional countries and the genuine representatives of Iraqi people." PEARSON