Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA5836
2003-09-15 14:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 151416Z Sep 03
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005836
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, SEPTEMBER 15, 2003
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER
THREE THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
-------------- -
HEADLINES
MASS APPEAL
Turkey-U.S. Joint Plan Against PKK - Sabah (9/13)
Amb. Edelman: "$8.5 billion Credit Does'nt Have Troop
Condition" -Hurriyet (9/13)
PM Erdogan Warns US on PKK/KADEK Issue - Milliyet(9/13)
The First Free Turkoman General Assembly in Iraq - Milliyet
(9/14)
Turkey-U.S Friendship at the Turkoman General Assembly-
Hurriyet (9/14)
Government Agrees With the Military's Opinion in New
Education Draft - Sabah
OPINION MAKERS
Action Plan Against PKK - Radikal (9/13)
No Immediate Operation Against KADEK - Cumhuriyet (9/14)
General Staff Closely Monitors Developments in Education -
Cumhuriyet
US Offers Iraq's Syrian Border to Turkish Troops -
Cumhuriyet
BRIEFING
Turkey-U.S. Talks on PKK/KADEK: Weekend papers report that
Turkish and US officials met on Friday to discuss PKK/KADEK
presence in Northern Iraq. In a statement after the seven-
hour long session, Lynn Pascoe, the head of the US
delegation, announced that both sides agreed on a joint
action plan against PKK/KADEK. However, in the Foreign
Ministry Statement, there was no reference to an action
plan. Saturday's "Cumhuriyet" notes that the parties had
agreed to continue talks about the details. Saturday's
"Sabah" reports that US forces in Northern Iraq will exert
pressure on PKK/KADEK militants in Northern Iraq to
surrender to Turkey. If the militants refuse to surrender,
then, Turkey and the US will carry out a joint operation
against the terrorist organization. Saturday's "Zaman"
reports that the details of the operation will be worked out
during talks in October and that the operation will be
carried out in November. Sunday's papers report that talks
between Turkish and US officials over PKK/KADEK did not
produce satisfactory results.
Ambassador Edelman Visits TOBB: Saturday's "Hurriyet"
covers Ambassador Edelman's visit to Rifat Hisarciklioglu,
the chairman of Turkish Union of Chambers and the Commodity
Exchanges. Responding to a question whether the $8.5
billion US credit had a troop deployment condition or not,
Ambassador Edelman was quoted as saying that `the credit,
first of all, depends on the success of Turkey's economic
program, and then on the cooperation in Iraq.
New Education Draft: Today's papers focus on the meeting of
Land Forces Commander General Aytac Yalman with the
president of the Higher Education Board (YOK) and eight
university presidents. "Radikal" reports that in a
statement yesterday the General Staff had confirmed the
reports of Yalman-YOK officials. The statement stressed
that the General Staff was aware of the meeting and that it
is natural for the military to follow the developments in
the education system. "Sabah" reports that the government
was receptive to the demands of the General Staff regarding
the new YOK draft.
EDITORIAL OPINION
"Through Sunni eyes"
Asli Aydintasbas observed in mass appeal Sabah (9/15): "A
week in Baghdad has shown me that things on the Eastern
Front are not that bad. . Shiites, Kurds and the Turkomen
are happy with the removal of Saddam. Turkey should not
base its policy on Sunnis alone when planning its relations
with Iraq in future. . There is an ongoing fight over
sovereignty between the Iraqi interim governing council and
the Americans. The commission entrusted with writing the
new Iraqi constitution is not working in line with the
Americans' preference. . Fallujah and neighboring areas,
the region being considered for Turkish troops is still
insecure. Attacks against U.S. soldiers in this area are
neither a sign of resistance by the Iraqis against
outsiders, nor assaults by Saddam's supporters. It is a
blood feud between the regional people and U.S. troops.
After each Iraqi is killed by the panicky Americans,
hundreds of Iraqis vow for vengeance. . American or Turkish
troops cannot work out a solution for Fallujah. The town
must be left to the Iraqis at once."
EDELMAN
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, SEPTEMBER 15, 2003
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER
THREE THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
-------------- -
HEADLINES
MASS APPEAL
Turkey-U.S. Joint Plan Against PKK - Sabah (9/13)
Amb. Edelman: "$8.5 billion Credit Does'nt Have Troop
Condition" -Hurriyet (9/13)
PM Erdogan Warns US on PKK/KADEK Issue - Milliyet(9/13)
The First Free Turkoman General Assembly in Iraq - Milliyet
(9/14)
Turkey-U.S Friendship at the Turkoman General Assembly-
Hurriyet (9/14)
Government Agrees With the Military's Opinion in New
Education Draft - Sabah
OPINION MAKERS
Action Plan Against PKK - Radikal (9/13)
No Immediate Operation Against KADEK - Cumhuriyet (9/14)
General Staff Closely Monitors Developments in Education -
Cumhuriyet
US Offers Iraq's Syrian Border to Turkish Troops -
Cumhuriyet
BRIEFING
Turkey-U.S. Talks on PKK/KADEK: Weekend papers report that
Turkish and US officials met on Friday to discuss PKK/KADEK
presence in Northern Iraq. In a statement after the seven-
hour long session, Lynn Pascoe, the head of the US
delegation, announced that both sides agreed on a joint
action plan against PKK/KADEK. However, in the Foreign
Ministry Statement, there was no reference to an action
plan. Saturday's "Cumhuriyet" notes that the parties had
agreed to continue talks about the details. Saturday's
"Sabah" reports that US forces in Northern Iraq will exert
pressure on PKK/KADEK militants in Northern Iraq to
surrender to Turkey. If the militants refuse to surrender,
then, Turkey and the US will carry out a joint operation
against the terrorist organization. Saturday's "Zaman"
reports that the details of the operation will be worked out
during talks in October and that the operation will be
carried out in November. Sunday's papers report that talks
between Turkish and US officials over PKK/KADEK did not
produce satisfactory results.
Ambassador Edelman Visits TOBB: Saturday's "Hurriyet"
covers Ambassador Edelman's visit to Rifat Hisarciklioglu,
the chairman of Turkish Union of Chambers and the Commodity
Exchanges. Responding to a question whether the $8.5
billion US credit had a troop deployment condition or not,
Ambassador Edelman was quoted as saying that `the credit,
first of all, depends on the success of Turkey's economic
program, and then on the cooperation in Iraq.
New Education Draft: Today's papers focus on the meeting of
Land Forces Commander General Aytac Yalman with the
president of the Higher Education Board (YOK) and eight
university presidents. "Radikal" reports that in a
statement yesterday the General Staff had confirmed the
reports of Yalman-YOK officials. The statement stressed
that the General Staff was aware of the meeting and that it
is natural for the military to follow the developments in
the education system. "Sabah" reports that the government
was receptive to the demands of the General Staff regarding
the new YOK draft.
EDITORIAL OPINION
"Through Sunni eyes"
Asli Aydintasbas observed in mass appeal Sabah (9/15): "A
week in Baghdad has shown me that things on the Eastern
Front are not that bad. . Shiites, Kurds and the Turkomen
are happy with the removal of Saddam. Turkey should not
base its policy on Sunnis alone when planning its relations
with Iraq in future. . There is an ongoing fight over
sovereignty between the Iraqi interim governing council and
the Americans. The commission entrusted with writing the
new Iraqi constitution is not working in line with the
Americans' preference. . Fallujah and neighboring areas,
the region being considered for Turkish troops is still
insecure. Attacks against U.S. soldiers in this area are
neither a sign of resistance by the Iraqis against
outsiders, nor assaults by Saddam's supporters. It is a
blood feud between the regional people and U.S. troops.
After each Iraqi is killed by the panicky Americans,
hundreds of Iraqis vow for vengeance. . American or Turkish
troops cannot work out a solution for Fallujah. The town
must be left to the Iraqis at once."
EDELMAN