ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002568 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 MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL FM Gul: Turkey ready to contribute to peacekeeping in Iraq - Hurriyet Talabani: No pressure on Turkomen - Milliyet NYT: U.S. to establish four bases in Iraq - Sabah Pentagon: Iraq to replace Incirlik - Vatan Bush: Syria got the message - Turkiye Simitis to Ankara: Choose Cyprus or the EU - Hurriyet 4/20 Simitis: Time not on Turkey's side - Milliyet 4/20 Simitis: Annan plan a common ground for Cyprus solution - Sabah 4/20 Simitis' `Enosis' gaffe - Vatan 4/20 Gul: Enosis aspiration proves our doubts - Hurriyet OPINION MAKERS U.S., EU companies line up for Iraq contracts - Cumhuriyet Saudi Arabia: Invaders must not use Iraqi oil - Cumhuriyet 4/20 U.S. looking to market Iraqi oil via Israel - Radikal Labor MPs to Blair: Where are WMD? - Zaman 4/20 Sunnis, Shiites protest U.S., Saddam in Baghdad - Radikal 4/20 `Liberated' Sunnis, Shiites furious at U.S. - Radikal 4/19 Baghdadians: No to U.S., Yes to Sharia - Milliyet 4/19 Looting continues in Baghdad - Cumhuriyet 4/19 Turkomen: Ankara prevented Kurds from massacring us -- Zaman Gul: Enosis remarks won't help peace - Yeni Safak FINANCIAL JOURNALS Babacan: Foreign investors interested in Turkey - Dunya Ankara to provide loan for Turkish Cypriot entrepreneurs - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Iraq: Foreign Minister Gul said that Ankara will react positively to a U.S. call for cooperation in the reconstruction of Iraq, and was ready to contribute to international peacekeeping efforts by deploying troops in the region, papers report. Foreign ministers of Iraq's neighbors met at a summit meeting in Riyadh. The final declaration of the summit, which originally carried strongly- worded accusations against the U.S. and UK, was softened through Foreign Minister Gul's efforts. Iran was the only regional country to support Turkey's thesis for the establishment of a democratic regime in Iraq. The summit declaration urged coalition forces to leave Iraq as soon as possible. Gul reportedly said he has received a message in support of the meeting from Secretary Powell. Monday's papers report that access to Kirkuk is still controlled by PUK peshmerges, who force Arabs out of their homes to facilitate the return of Kurds. Prime Minister Erdogan said on Sunday that he saw no negative development in Northern Iraq regarding Turkey's `red lines.' PUK leader Talabani denied reports of atrocities against the Turkomen, and said he had informed Turkish liaison officers in the region about the good relations between Kurds and Turks. Talabani claimed that the Turkomen Front could not get even ten percent of the vote in an election in Kirkuk, a town of 700,000. The U.S. will close its bases in Saudi Arabia and move troops from bases in Saudi Arabia and Turkey to four new airbases in Iraq, Monday papers report. Commentators speculate that the significance of Incirlik airbase is gradually fading for the U.S.. Cyprus: Greek Prime Minister Simitis said during his visit to the Greek Cypriot sector that Greece has reached its goal of `Enosis' (integration between Cyprus and Greece) goal. Foreign Minister Gul said such remarks, if they were really said, were verification of Turkey's worries about Cyprus. Weekend papers cover in detail Simitis' visit to the Greek Cypriot sector. Simitis was the first Greek head of government to visit Cyprus since 1974. Addressing the Greek Cypriot parliament, Simitis said that Greeks and Turks on Cyprus should join the EU together, which, he believes, would lead to drastic changes in Greek-Turkish relations. Athens has abandoned its policy of blocking Turkey's EU membership drive, and Ankara should respond to this gesture by recognizing Southern Cyprus. Simitis also reportedly issued a warning that Turkey would have to choose between EU membership and Cyprus. Simitis later held a meeting with Turkish Cypriot opposition leaders, who reportedly told Simitis that the Annan plan for Cyprus should be preserved as a ground for solution efforts. Sunday's papers speculate that the meeting was the initial move in an effort to discard Denktas. EDITORIAL OPINION: Rebuilding Iraq "Turkey's share" Asli Aydintasbas wrote from Washington in mass appeal Sabah (4/21): "According to US officials, Turkey will have very good opportunities in the Iraqi rebuilding process, particularly in the construction and food sectors. It seems that the Washington administration now has begun to focus on the rebuilding program, and Turkey will be one of the main countries to benefit from this process. . While the plans for Iraqi rebuilding are underway, the Bush administration has also decided to close the `Syria file' after issuing strong warnings to Damascus. A source close to the Washington administration said that `the message was well taken' by Syrian authorities. . It seems that the Syrian administration reaffirmed its cooperation with the US, and declared that it is not going to become a haven for former members of Saddam's regime. Therefore, Washington has closed the file at least for the time being, which also ended concerns in both the Arab world and Europe that Syria was to be the next on the list." "Things for the US to accomplish in Iraq" Fikret Bila wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (4/19): "Toppling Saddam's regime is a mission accomplished for the coalition. However, the demonstrations after Friday prayers show that the serious mission is about to begin, and the US is not very sure how to replace the regime. With the exception of Kurdish groups, there is no social or political movement in Iraq that supports the invasion. . The people of Iraq are certainly happy to see that the regime is gone, but will not be happy about a puppet regime manipulated by the US. The US is not going to be successful if it takes only Kurds into the reshaping of Iraq's political structure. The Washington administration seems to realize this fact. On the other hand, US and UK forces can only pursue power via weapons, and it looks as if eventually there will be a new Iraqi regime established by the use of force. This is because going to elections at this early stage would be a pointless effort. The war for the US has now moved to the political front, which is tougher than the military action itself." PEARSON