Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA3401
2003-05-23 13:18:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

Tags:  OPRC KMDR TU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003401

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, MAY 23, 2003

THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:


HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
--------------


HEADLINES


MASS APPEAL
UN decides U.S., UK to control Iraqi oil - Aksam
Saddam gone, fighting in UN over - Aksam
Chirac expected to attack Bush at G-8 Summit - Miliiyet
U.S. kicks France out of Red Flag military exercise - Sabah
Propaganda in Kurdish excluded from the EU package -
Hurriyet
Denktas: I'll never sign Annan's Cyprus plan - Hurriyet
Cenbank could not halt diving Dollar - Vatan
Greek Cypriots' Hagia Sophia joy - Milliyet
Government: Everything's fine with IMF - Turkiye


OPINION MAKERS
Sanctions lifted: U.S. can sell Iraqi oil as it pleased -
Radikal
UN endorses Iraq's occupation: Sanctions removed -
Cumhuriyet
U.S. Embassy: No hidden agreement on Iraq - Yeni Safak
Government's EU reforms revolutionary - Yeni Safak
ARMENIAn Genocide bill to U.S. House - Zaman
Greek Cypriots in Turkey after 40 years - Radikal
Kazakhstan wants to get into BTC pipeline - Cumhuriyet


FINANCIAL JOURNALS
Diving Dollar deliberate U.S. policy to hurt Europe -
Finansal Forum
U.S. got it: Iraqi sanctions removed - Dunya
Turkey, Kazakhstan 10-year economic cooperation agreement -
Dunya




BRIEFING


Iraqi sanctions: U.S. has made various concession to France,
Germany and Russia, and managed to get UN sanctions on Iraq
lifted, dailies report, adding that Iraqi oil will soon
begin to flow through the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline to
Turkey. Iraqi oil revenues previously controlled by the UN
will be transferred to the Iraqi Development Fund, papers
note. Foreign Minister Gul hailed the `historic' decision
adopted by the UN. U.S. Ambassador to Ankara, Robert
Pearson said on TV on Friday that it would be in Turkey's
interest if Ankara pursued an Iraq policy parallel to the
American one. Ambassador Pearson stressed that Turkey would
play a role in the U.S. projects of bringing democracy to
Iraq, and peace to the Middle East. Pearson reminded
viewers that the U.S. has been working with Turkey to
provide natural gas, food and water in Iraq's rebuilding
process. Ambassador Pearson also noted that Iran and Syria
should accept the new reality in Iraq.


Iraq: U.S. Embassy Ankara has released a statement denying
the former Prime Minister Ecevit's claim last week of a
`hidden agreement' between the U.S. and Kurdish nationalists
living outside Turkey, "Milliyet" reports. The paper quote
the press release as saying that the `U.S. has worked
clearly and openly to ensure the maintenance of the
territorial integrity of Iraq and will continue to do so,'
the statement said. "Radikal" notices a `slight
improvement' in Turkey-U.S. ties as seen in the `first high-
level visit' by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lynn
Pascoe's meetings with the MFA and government officials on
Thursday. Pascoe has expressed disappointment with Turkey's
reluctance to cooperate with the U.S. in war with Iraq.
Turkish officials explained it as a by a `democratic reflex'
of the regime, Radikal says. A "Milliyet" op-ed believes
Turkey's interests require good relations with the new Iraq
and the Iraqi Kurds. Bearing in mind the Arab region's
enmity of Israel and the Jews, U.S. cannot discard Turkey,
the commentator thinks. The column also stresses that some
`miscalculation' by Ankara had a damaging effect on Turkey,
U.S. ties.


EU reforms; IMF: The latest EU harmonization laws reform
package brings some significant changes, papers report: The
National Security Council (NSC) will not be represented any
more in a censor's board checking the content of films and
songs. Article 8 of the Law on the Struggle Against
Terrorism, which bans propaganda violating the integrity of
the state, will be scrapped. The European Court of Human
Rights (ECHR) decisions will be taken into account as
grounds for retrials, and the powers of State Security
Courts (DGMs) will be curtailed. However, some reforms
considered earlier by the government are not included in the
package: Propaganda in Kurdish will not be allowed during
elections, and NSC will continue to be represented at the
media watchdog Radio and Television High Council (RTUK),
reports underline. Meanwhile, State Minister Babacan said
that completion of the fifth IMF review might be delayed due
to the scheduled timetable of the Parliament. The IMF team
will leave Turkey on May 31, and IMF's Riza Moghadam is
expected to replace Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen, papers
report.


Greek Cypriots visit Turkey after 40 years: A 40-year taboo
ends and 270 Greek Cypriots on board six buses came through
the Greek, Turkish border on Thursday to Istanbul after the
GOT decision to allow Greek Cypriots into Turkey without
visas, all dailies report. Papers say Greek Cypriot
visitors were surprised by the warm reception given to them
in Turkey. Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas said
that the emerging oil pipelines from the Caucasus to Turkey
have added to the geo-strategic importance of Cyprus, which,
he believes, is a trump card in Turkey's hands. Denktas
claimed the UN plan for Cyprus was designed to provide
legitimacy to the Greek Cypriots' EU accession, and that he
would never sign it.




EDITORIAL OPINION: Genocide resolution on the Congressional
agenda
"A litmus test at the Congress for Turkish-American
Friendship"
Fatih Altayli warns against the Judiciary Committee-approved
resolution in mass appeal Hurriyet (5/23): "The US House of
Representatives is being manipulated by the ARMENIAn lobby.
The recent draft resolution, which was sent to the floor, is
skillfully crafted to disguise the real goal: to have the US
Congress approve the ARMENIAn genocide claims. . Turkish-
American relations have gone through a similar case during
the Clinton era. It was the time of much better relations
between the two countries, and Clinton intervened at the
last minute to prevent a similar resolution from adopted by
the Congress. It remains to be seen whether President Bush
is going to take the same move this time. It is also
possible President Bush might use the same argument, just
like the Turkish leaders Gul and Erdogan did during the
parliamentary rejection of the motion on the Iraq war, i.e.
"such things happen in a functioning democracy". . Thus the
whole issue will be like a litmus test vis--vis the Turkish-
American relationship and its future prospects."


"Turkey needs the Pentagon's support"
Zeynep Gurcanli wrote in tabloid Star (5/23): "The draft at
the Congressional agenda has a reference to the genocide
against Jews, therefore the Jewish lobby did not take any
action in support of Turkey. State Department tried to
block the draft or at least to omit the expression `ARMENIAn
genocide' yet failed. In the past, a similar draft was
prevented from receiving Congressional approval following
the Pentagon's intervention. At that time, the Pentagon
listed the facts about military sales to Turkey and used
this argument before the congressmen by underlying that the
US should avoid moves that could harm its loyal ally. .
However, the basis for this argument has collapsed when the
motion allowing US troops in Turkey was rejected by the
Turkish Parliament. The hawks in the Pentagon were deeply
disappointed with the attitude of Turkey. For this reason,
Turkey will now be deprived of Pentagon support in a very
critical time. And the fact of the matter is that for
Turkey there will be very hard times ahead if they must deal
with mojor issues in the absence of Pentagon's support."


PEARSON