ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005750

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
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2003


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


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


MASS APPEAL
Baghdad wants Turks to come under UN mandate - Hurriyet
Gul: Turkey can deploy 10,000 troops in Iraq - Vatan
Iraqi tribal chiefs invite Turkish troops - Sabah
Talabani: Kurds aim to establish a trade bridge with Turkey
- Turkiye
Bomb attack against U.S. HQ in Irbil - Hurriyet
Bush approves $8.5 billion loan for Turkey - Sabah
Rice: Turkey would make an outstanding contribution to
Iraq's stability - Aksam
Weston to Denktas: Go! - Milliyet
Weston: Peace will come if Denktas leaves - Vatan


OPINION MAKERS
Boucher elaborates on Bush remarks - Cumhuriyet
Iraqi tribes against Turkish troops in N. Iraq - Cumhuriyet
Arab League invites Iraq interim government - Cumhuriyet
Americans believe Iraq war enhanced terror threat - Zaman
Denktas drafting an alternative to Annan Plan - Yeni Safak
`Surprise' Cyprus plan by Denktas, Turkey - Zaman
Tough warning from Weston on Turkish Cypriot elections -
Radikal
First tranche of U.S. loan on September 20 - Yeni Safak
Yerevan scraps capital punishment - Radikal




BRIEFING


Denktas slams Weston on Cyprus remarks: Turkish Cypriot
leader Rauf Denktas said on Tuesday that he is working on a
new plan to solve the Cyprus problem. Denktas said the new
plan, which he predicted would be a `huge success,' had
Ankara's backing. Meanwhile, Denktas and the Turkish
Cypriot government denounced U.S. Cyprus Envoy Thomas Weston
for welcoming the decision of opposition parties to form an
election alliance. Weston also said he shares opposition
concerns about the possible importation of pro-Denktas
voters from the Turkish mainland. Denktas said that Weston
and the Turkish Cypriot opposition were plotting together
against his government, "Zaman" reports.


U.S. says Bush statement was misinterpreted: "Hurriyet"
quotes U.S. officials as saying that President Bush's remark
that Northern Iraq is `moving toward self-government' was
misinterpreted. Washington reiterated its support for
Iraq's teritorial integrity, and noted that the north of
Iraq had experienced self-government since the first Gulf
War. U.S. officials noted that Turkey had been actively
contributing to the protection of that region for years.


Turkish peacekeeping deployment in Iraq: Foreign Minister
Gul said on Tuesday that the GOT would make a decision about
the deployment of Turkish peacekeepers by late September.
The U.S. has presented Turkey various alternatives about the
possible location of Turkish troops, Gul added. Dailies
report that the U.S. is favorable toward the transit of
Turkish troops through Northern Iraq despite objection from
Kurdish groups. However, the U.S. does not agree on the
need for Turkey to establish military stations and logistic
supply centers along the transport corridor into Iraq. A
U.S. delegation will be in Ankara Thursday to discuss the
peacekeeping mission in Iraq and the PKK/KADEK presence in
Northern Iraq. Foreign Minister Gul said that the U.S.
delegation would come to Turkey next week.


Iraqi tribal chiefs in Ankara: Leaders of the Iraqi Tribal
Confederation of about 1000 clans told Foreign Minister Gul
on Tuesday that Turkey should deploy troops in Iraq under a
UN umbrella. The tribal chiefs warned Gul that Turkish
troops would only incite further conflict if they acted
together with the U.S. Gul assured the Iraqi chiefs that
Turkey would go to Iraq to establish peace, and would not
act as a police force. The Iraqis are positive about
Turkey's contribution to Iraq's stabilization. The tribal
chiefs will proceed to Istanbul for meetings with Turkish
businessmen.


Ahmad Chalabi due in Ankara: Ahmed Chalabi, current leader
of the Iraqi Governing Council, will soon visit Ankara as
the official guest of Prime Minister Erdogan to discuss a
possible Turkish troop deployment. Chalabi prefers that the
number of Turkish soldiers to be deployed in Iraq not exceed
10,000, "Radikal" reports.




Armenian minister says border with Turkey to be opened:
Armenian Defense Minister Serj Sarkisyan told an Armenian
newspaper that the Turkish-Armenian border would be opened
within a few months, "Hurriyet" reports. Sarkisyan said
that both countries would benefit from the opening of the
border crossing.




EDITORIAL OPINION:


a) State of the Union-Iraq
b) Middle East


"The Realities"
Sami Kohen analyzed in mass appeal Milliyet (9/10): "The
State of the Union address caused concerns in Ankara over
the Iraqi Kurds issue due to President Bush's mention of
`self government' of northern Iraq. . American diplomats
clarified to their Turkish counterparts that there is no
diversion from the US policy for territorial integrity of
Iraq, and Bush's remarks should not be misinterpreted. .
This incident should make us more aware of a reality as
well. Turkey failed to be capable of forming a long-term
strategy for Iraq instead of showing reaction to every
single remarks from or about northern Iraq. . There are red
lines drawn by Turkey, which already lost their practical
value. Turkey should revise its policy based on new
situations and establish a progressive policy as opposed to
the current `reaction-based ` policy."


"Peace is only a dream"
Irfan Sapmaz wrote in tabloid Star (9/10): "The settlement
of Palestine issue remains a far fetch dream especially
after the US intervention in the region. Israel felt more
encouraged in its aggressive policy against Palestine due to
Washington's approach to name every Palestinian groups as
terrorists. . The recent suicide attacks as well as Israel's
reprisals are not making the atmosphere any better.
Moreover the speculation about Israel's having around 300
nuclear warheads also leading to a conclusion for deep
pessimism for the achievement peace in Middle East."


EDELMAN