ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000263 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 FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL U.S. site surveyors subject to Turkish law - Milliyet U.S., British press increase pressure on Turkey - Sabah Blix: No weapons in Iraq - Hurriyet Military fully backs Denktas - Vatan Military to government: Decide fast [on Iraq] - Aksam Turkey, Turkmenistan to pursue joint energy policy - Turkiye OPINION MAKERS Inspectors find Iraqi cooperation insufficient - Zaman Barzani receives warning, takes U-turn - Radikal Anti-war actions gaining pace in Europe - Yeni Safak Gen. Ozkok: Turkish army target of fundamentalists - Cumhuriyet FINANCIAL JOURNALS Turkish trade mission landing in Iraq under shadow of war - Dunya Turkish businessmen, full of hope, to Baghdad - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Iraq: Papers report that the U.S. and Turkey have sorted out a compromise regarding the `modus operandi' for site surveys. According to the agreement, some Turks will join the U.S. teams of experts, and the U.S. will pay reparation for any damage caused by Americans during the surveys in Diyarbakir, Malatya, Incirlik, and Batman airbases, as well as ports in Mersin and Iskenderun. The agreement reached between Turkey and the U.S. is valid only for 150 specialists, whereas TGS wanted a broader agreement which would also cover the status of U.S. troops to be sent to Turkey. Dailies report that the site surveys will begin on January 16, and that the U.S. expects work on base upgrades to take a minimum of 45 days. "Zaman" reports that Turkey's Ambassador to Washington met with U/S of State Grossman and U.S. Ambassador Pearson on Monday in Washington. Grossman stressed that Turkish reluctance regarding the deployment of U.S. troops damaged the spirit of the strategic partnership, and warned that Congress could block the economic assistance package for Turkey. Washington blames both the AKP administration and the TGS for the delay, Zaman claims. Now the U.S. Administration is hoping that Gen. Myers will get good news from Turkey during his upcoming visit to Ankarea. Dailies report that Deputy Chief of TGS Gen. Buyukanit urged the government to take a swift decision on Iraq. Buyukanit stressed that it would be difficult to maintain peace as long as Saddam Hussein remains in power. Papers report the U.S. Ankara Embassy DCM calling on parliament on Thursday to invite the parliamentary defense, foreign affairs, budget and human rights commissions to a briefing by U.S. Ambassador Pearson on Iraq. Meanwhile, visiting KDP leader Barzani met with MFA U/S Ziyal on Thursday. Speaking to journalists the same day, Barzani stressed that there is no need for a Turkish military presence in Northern Iraq, and noted that Kurds would not welcome unilateral Turkish action in the region. Barzani issued calls for friendship and cooperation with Turkey, papers report. Tiff between military, Prime Minister: When asked about criticism by TGS Chief Gen. Ozkok for the reserve placed by Prime Minister Gul on the TGS decision to expel some fundamentalist officers from the army, Gul said that he would refrain from discussing the issue via the press. Bearing political responsibility in such a critical time, Gul said, `I prefer to discuss the issue and express my views openly in different channels rather than via the media.' Babacan on economy: State Minister for Treasury Ali Babacan acknowledged that the AKP government has had trouble communicating its intentions to the markets and media. This failure has led to groundless press reports such as those indicating that the IMF visit may be canceled. Babacan said that the ambiguity seen in the markets stems largely from the Iraq crisis. However, TV reports on Thursday cited JP Morgan as blaming controversial remarks by Turkish officials, rather than the Iraq issue, as the reason for the markets' unease. The IMF, puzzled by conflicting statements coming from the government, is sending deputy IMF director Anne Krueger to Turkey for talks next week. A Merrill-Lynch report claims that the IMF is most interested in examining Turkey's 2003 budget. EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq "No bread without sweat" Ferai Tinc wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (1/10): "Not only Washington, but also the Turkish military is waiting for the AKP government's decision, and the sooner the better. The Chief of Turkey's Chief of General Staff, General Buyukanit, commented that `whether positive or negative, an urgent decision is a must.' In the meantime, Washington is also sending direct or indirect messages to Ankara requesting a Turkish response to demands presented some six months ago. . The Turkish military emphasizes the importance of a second front in the north, and its determinative role for shaping the operational structure of an operation. If Turkey agrees to cooperate with the US on a second front, it is quite possible that it will eliminate the need for war by boosting the effectiveness of a deterrent threat against Saddam. In this regard, Turkish General Buyukanit says that `it is necessary to cooperate with the US to create a deterrent.' Buyukanit added that this requires a political decision to be taken in Ankara." "Military waits for a political decision" Sami Kohen wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (1/10): "The military authority has commented about the plan for a second front in the north. Chief of General Staff Gen. Ozkok outlined his approach by underlining the two aspects of the issue: military and political. From the military standpoint, the General says that a second front in the north will serve to shorten the duration of the operation and will minimize losses. . The Turkish military is sending signals to the government by using every opportunity to say that a political decision is urgently required in order to move ahead with military planning. The military evaluates the situation and expects more pressure from the Bush administration, particularly during the visit of General Myers." PEARSON