ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 003011 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 THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEALS Grossman: Turkey must decide, choose its side - Aksam `Hawkish' remarks from `dove' Grossman - Aksam U.S. bombs again: Turkey assumed airs - Turkiye Minister Cicek: U.S. should look at own mistakes - Sabah General Buyukanit: I can't understand Wolfowitz - Vatan TGS gives democracy lesson to Wolfowitz - Hurriyet Powell: Our friendship w/ Turkey will continue - Hurriyet Gen. Myers calls Gen. Ozkok: Leave the PKK to us - Milliyet `Hawk' diplomat Bremer to Iraq - Hurriyet Radical Shiite: U.S. must leave now, or driven out - Milliyet OPINION MAKERS Grossman goes blunt: Can't act as if nothing happened - Radikal Grossman supports Wolfowitz - Zaman American hawks, arrogant cowboys - Yeni Safak Government, military react to Wolfowitz - Zaman Gul: Forget the past, let's look at the future - Yeni Safak Baykal: Wolfowitz has gone too far - Cumhuriyet Gen. Buyukanit: We will not withdraw from N. Iraq - Cumhuriyet Bremer to administer Iraq - Radikal KDP invites Ankara to open consulate in Irbil - Zaman Erdogan to meet w/ Greek Cypriot leaders in Cyprus - Radikal FINANCIAL JOURNALS Romania wants partnership w/ Turkey in Iraq - Dunya Greek Ambassador urges Turkish, Greek businessmen for joint effort in Iraq - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Ankara's reaction to Wolfowitz remarks: Prime Minister Erdogan is quopted in all papers saying that he doesn't agree with Paul Wolfowitz that Turkey has made mistakes. Erdogan said Turkey expected no reward from anybody during the Iraq crisis, and stressed that there had been no disagreement between political decision makers in Ankara. Opposition party CHP's leader Baykal calls Wolfowitz unfair for criticizing the Turkish military leadership, and believes that the assessment reflected Wolfowitz's `personal disappointment.' Foreign Minister Gul said that America's regarding Turkey as a mere aircraft carrier was wrong. Justice Minister Cicek (spokesman for the government) reminded the U.S. that it has not always fulfilled its pledges to Turkey, as lately seen in the First Gulf war. Dailies agree that Wolfowitz's assessment has drawn strong reaction from the government and military. Second Chief of Staff, General Buyukanit said that military intervention in support of motions submitted to the parliament was against democratic practice. Air Force Commander General Asparuk said the Incirlik AB was still active, and that closure was not on the agenda. Grossman: Reporting on a second CNN-Turk interview in Washington in two days, all papers write that "the Washington Administration's dove", U/S Grossman, made a statement parallel to Wolfowitz's. Grossman said that the U.S. did not cut ties with Ankara, but that the words of Wolfowitz, a friend of Turkey, must be taken into consideration. `Turks believed that the U.S. would not be able to fight without them. Maybe we should have explained better that that was not the case,' Grossman said. Accounts in all papers noted Grossman's stressing that Washington now would look to see Ankara's support for the overall U.S. activities in Iraq. Turkey must facilitate the passage and mission of NGOs and other organizations in Northern Iraq, and support U.S. troops in the region. The U.S. will continue supporting Turkey's EU membership, Grossman said, and added that Washington wanted to continue exchange of views with Turkey regarding Central Asia, Iraq, and the region. Mainstream papers say that the `dove' ,Grossman, has echoed the views of `hawk' Wolfowitz. Islamist "Yeni Safak," close to the ruling AKP, denounces on front page the `arrogant cowboys' for criticizing the peace-oriented policy pursued by Turkey. "Turkiye" regards such exchange of messages between U.S. and Turkey as a `duel,' and believes Washington will take revenge by excluding Ankara from Iraq's rebuilding process. A "Milliyet" column quotes Foreign Minister Gul as saying that Americans should respect democratically have taken its decisions, and that secret documents in state archives proved the extent of Turkish support to the U.S. during the Iraq campaign. Gul stressed that Ankara has always attributed primary significance to ties with the U.S. `Wolfowitz and Grossman are friends of Turkey in Washington. We understand their disappointment, and we will see that it is removed,' Gul noted. IMF's Krueger in Ankara: IMF First Deputy Director Anne Krueger, in Ankara for meetings with economy officials, has conveyed to Deputy Prime Minister Abdllatif Sener the IMF's worry with the amnesty for electricity debts, social security fees, and diesel subventions. Sener defended the implementation by saying that they had declared no amnesty, but had just made new regulations for restructuring debt payments. Krueger noted that the fifth IMF inspection scheduled to begin on May 21 was very important for the credibility of Turkey. She urged Turkey to carry out all pledges listed in the letter of intent. Finance Minister Kemal Unakitain voiced reaction to IMF criticism, saying that revenues raised by the government in the tax amnesty were much above the expectations of IMF. Krueger said that the government could reach the target of 5 percent growth and 20 percent inflation by sticking to the IMF-backed economic stabilization program. EDITORIAL OPINION: US-Turkey (Wolfowitz and Grossman remarks) "The meaning of Wolfowitz remarks" Cengiz Candar, who conducted the interview, wrote in conservative "Dunden Bugune-Tercuman" (5/8): "The reactions coming from the AKP leadership against the Wolfowitz comments are far from realistic. PM Erdogan's response, for instance, contains no truth at all. Seeing the AKP refusing to admit all of the bargains with the US during the process, one wonders if they are actually coming from `another planet.' . Turkey failed to evaluate the post September 11 situation and could not make the policy adjustments. This is exactly what Wolfowitz is telling us now by calling on Turkey to change its paradigms. Yet it seems none of the Turkish leaders, including the president and the opposition, are getting this message right." "That is the US" Sami Kohen wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (5/8): "It might be bitter in tone, but the Wolfowitz remarks -from one of the pro-Turkey figures in the US administration along with Grossman- as well as his messages should be taken seriously and evaluated in a cold-blooded manner. . Wolfowitz is asking Turkey to admit its mistakes and act accordingly. This may sound offensive but it does not mean asking Turkey to stand before the cameras and apologize. The advice to Ankara is to evaluate the situation, to note the areas and institutions where the mistakes have been made, and revise its policies accordingly. . There are some points in the Wolfowitz remarks, which deserve criticism as well. Such issues should be discussed via diplomacy rather than press. On this matter, we gladly note the mature and calm remarks from FM Gul. We wish the other Turkish officials were acting in the same fashion." "Reaction in the Mediterranean fashion" Ertugrul Ozkok wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (5/8): "Turkey acted with its emotions rather than intellect on the Iraq war, and it was a mistake. What we see now with both the Grossman and Wolfowitz remarks is no different than Turkey's stance, because they are not talking with their minds but talking with their emotions. In other words, the Americans too are acting like Mediterraneans. I think both Turkish and American approaches are wrong in that sense." "Apology!" Fehmi Koru argued in Islamic-intellectual Yeni Safak (5/8): "What we have been saying about the intentions of the war- mongering lobby in Washington is now happening. The US watched all the looters, but protected only the Ministry of Oil for instance. The hawks have started threatening Syria just as we predicted earlier. . now the hawks are asking Turkey to apologize. In fact, they are the very ones responsible for starting an illegitimate war with imperialistic aims and oil interests. It is they who should be thinking about making an apology to the whole world in the name of innocent lives of both Americans and Iraqis, for which they are fully responsible. "Why All the Anger?" Ilnur Cevik opined in Turkish Daily News (5/8): "Wolfowitz was blunt while Grossman was diplomatic. It is clear that Washington wants to open a new page in relations. But for this Ankara has to make a real effort to appease Washington and display genuine cooperation instead of beating about the bush. We feel instead of feeling indignation and saying Turkey made no mistakes during the events leading to the Iraqi war, Turkish leaders would be better advised to see their `mistakes' - which are numerous - and take lessons. But now the harm has been done and we have to discuss how to salvage whatever can be salvaged. It is clear that there are things to be `salvaged' in Turkish-U.S. relations but there is clearly the need for Ankara to make a real effort instead of complaining. Turkey has to fall into line with American requirements in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East instead of trying to play its own game with Syria and Iran. Turkey has to face the realities of northern Iraq and the emergence of the Kurds as a key element in Iraqi politics and cooperate with the US to make the Iraqi experiment in the Middle East a success. Defense Minister Gonul has just come back from Washington with valuable impressions. We are aware that he has serious concerns and will convey them to Prime Minister Erdogan. The government should couple its evaluations with the statements of Wolfowitz and Grossman and come up with a cool headed appraisal. But, of course, if the government wants to listen to some Islamic writers and to some of its advisors and write off Turkish-American ties then that is something else." PEARSON