ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002741 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 28, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL FM Gul: Turkish special teams in coordination with U.S. military - Turkiye Barzani: No need for Americans to stay - Hurriyet Barzani to U.S.: Leave when you are done - Turkiye U.S. troops order peshmerge to leave Mosul - Milliyet Americans disarming peshmerge - Aksam Saddam's family in Syria - Hurriyet Tarik Aziz sold Saddam for a luxurious residence in England - Sabah Americans quietly help the poor in Batman - Hurriyet Turkey's Baghdad embassy to reopen in May - Sabah 4/27 Historic Easter in Cyprus - Vatan Greek Cypriots rush North for Easter - Milliyet Bush: Al-Sahaf was wonderful, a classic - Aksam 4/26 OPINION MAKERS Rumsfeld to `inspect' Baghdad - Cumhuriyet Iraqi exiles preparing to return, help the new administration - Radikal 4/27 Iraqi civilians toughening against U.S. troops - Zaman 4/27 Traces of chemical weapons in Iraq's north - Yeni Safak Greek Cypriots ignore administration, go North - Zaman 4/26 Thousands of Greek Cypriots attend mass in North - Cumhuriyet Greek Cypriots amazed by Turks' hospitality - Zaman 4/27 Easter joy in Cyprus - Radikal Turks welcome Greeks in North with flowers, family photos - Cumhuriyet 4/27 Council of Europe: Free passage a historic step in Cyprus - Radikal 4/26 People, money flowing to North Cyprus - Cumhuriyet 4/26 Bush did not mention `Genocide' - Milliyet 4/26 FINANCIAL JOURNALS Turkish firms invested $1 billion in Balkan countries in 2002 - Dunya Government to pardon illegally-built tourist facilities - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Iraq: Weekend papers carry Foreign Minister Gul's denial of reports that a Turkish special forces unit was expelled from Northern Iraq for providing weapons to the Turkomen. Gul said that special teams have merely accompanied humanitarian aid convoys, and added that the misunderstanding over the issue had been worked out with Americans. However, Saturday's "Hurriyet" says that Ankara, upset that the Americans leaked the issue to the press, is expected to retaliate by disclosing some CIA operatives in Turkey. Saturday's papers also carry a `correction' by Boucher and Wolfowitz of Jay Garner's remarks about Kirkuk being a `Kurdish city.' Monday's papers report that U.S. forces in Northern Iraq have ordered Kurdish peshmerge in Mosul and Kirkuk to cease armed patrols or face possible force by coalition units. KDP leader Barzani reiterated his call for U.S. forces to leave Iraq once an interim government is formed. Monday's "Hurriyet" reports that U.S. and Dutch troops that who had been in Batman to set up Patriot systems during the war distributed 7 tons of humanitarian aid to poor families before leaving town. Batman's poor families voiced their appreciation to the press, saying it was considerate of the Americans and the Dutch to do the distribution quietly. President Bush's Armenian Day message: President Bush followed recent practice by refraining from use of the word `genocide' in his message to commemorate the Armenian Day, Saturdays' papers report. Bush praised the dialogue between Turkish and Armenian groups in an effort to research their common history. Congressman Wexler in Turkey: Congressman Robert Wexler attended the Turkey- U.S. Business Council meeting in Istanbul on Sunday. Wexler said during meetings with Turkish businessmen that the economy, not politics, should be given priority in Iraq's rebuilding process. Wexler was positive about Turkish businessmen having a role in Iraq's reconstruction. Wexler later proceeded to Ankara, where he will hold meetings with Turkey's political leaders on Monday. Cyprus: 15,000 Turkish Cypriots have made day trips to the south, and about 45,000 Greek Cypriots visited the north during the first five days of unrestricted travel on the island, all dailies report. Greeks who visited the Turkish sector for the first time after leaving their homes in 1974 were `astounded' by the Turks' hospitality. Turks visiting the Greek sector were also given a warm welcome. The unexpectedly high number of Greek Cypriots traveling to the north has given a considerable boost to the ailing tourism industry in the Turkish sector. Weekend papers report that in an effort to preempt the Greek Cypriot administration's effort to facilitate bilateral trade, the Turkish Cypriot government is preparing to implement new measures to boost bilateral commercial activities. The Turkish administration is considering allowing overnight stay for Greeks visiting the north on weekends. Papers expect free trade to begin between the two sides on the island. EDITORIAL OPINION: Post Saddam governance "Future of Iraq and Shiites" Yasemin Congar wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (4/28): "Washington plans for a transition democratic regime in Iraq to begin functioning by the end of May. The Bush administration is aware that time is short, but is not pessimistic about achieving the goal. . Regarding the ongoing worry about an Iranian-type radicalism in Iraq, US officials are not singing with a single voice. Secretary Rumsfeld clearly said that the US will not allow an Iranian- type of regime in Iraq. Yet State Department officials acknowledge that the US continues to be in dialogue with the Shiites, and note that the Tehran-based Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution of Iraq (SCIRI) could play a positive role in the transition process. Their message is `an Islamic-based regime in Iraq is a possibility if the majority of Iraqi people support it.' . When I mentioned all of this to a US diplomat, the response was as follows: `It is up to the Iraqis to decide. We will not let a new dictatorship emerge, but we are not going to impose a model either. Yet I don't think that Iraq will adopt a Turkey- style secular model.'" "Turkey-Iran and the Turkmen" Asli Aydintasbas wrote in mass appeal Sabah (4/28): "The Turkish foreign policy mechanism has become isolated on the Iraq issue. Even today, Turkish foreign policy makers continue to produce `worried' statements instead of producing new policies in the light of colossal developments in our immediate neighborhood. . For instance, Jay Garner talked about Kirkuk as being a Kurdish city, and received a harsh reaction from Ankara, which resulted in Ambassador Pearson being summoned to the Foreign Ministry. Ankara is right to react, and Garner's statement is certainly unpleasant. However, Turkey has also failed to present an active policy on the Kirkuk issue, contenting itself instead with declaring `red lines.' . While Turkey fails to be an active player in the game, Iran continues to push the limits. During the Iraqi opposition meeting in Erbil, the Iranian presence was significant with its agents, journalists, and an official delegation. Iranian influence is a fact, not only in the Shiite areas in the southern Iraq, but also in the north and in Baghdad. ... There was even an indirect negotiation between Iran and the US in order to give final shape to the statement at the Erbil meeting. Iran is certainly one of the major players during the transition period of Iraq, and will remain so in the upcoming administration. Meanwhile, Turkey is simply not seen at all." PEARSON