ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006019

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 24, 2003

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


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


MASS APPEAL
AKP wants parliamentary authorization on Iraq - Hurriyet
Gul: U.S. must solve the PKK problem at once - Vatan
Perle: No need for Turkish troops in Iraq - Milliyet
Annan, other UN members duel with Bush - Sabah
Bush three points behind Democrat Wesley Clark - Sabah
Bernard Lewis: Turkey should choose between U.S. and Europe
- Aksam
Chalabi against more foreign troops in Iraq - Turkiye
Gul: In current form, Annan Plan will bring catastrophe to
Cyprus - Hurriyet


OPINION MAKERS
Erdogan aims to bypass parliament on Iraq - Cumhuriyet
Perle: We can do without Turkey in Iraq - Radikal
U.S., UN duel - Radikal
Annan: `Preventive attack' might turn into law of the jungle
- Yeni Safak
Powell gaffe: `U.S. a Judeo-Christian country' - Yeni Safak
Gen. Clark: Six countries in line after Iraq - Cumhuriyet
Gen. Clark: Bush will attack 6 Muslim countries - Yeni Safak
Iraq censures Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabija - Yeni Safak
Iraq, freed by U.S., silences free media - Zaman
British believe war on Iraq illegitimate - Cumhuriyet
Israel agrees with U.S. on `security wall' - Zaman




BRIEFING


FM Gul in New York: Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said to
the press in New York that Ankara expects to hear clear
messages from the U.S. regarding the elimination of the
PKK/KADEK threat in Northern Iraq. Gul stressed that the
GOT does not want another failed effort to enact a motion
for the deployment of Turkish peacekeepers in Iraq. Gul
said that a UN resolution in support of an Iraqi
peacekeeping mission would be highly useful. He also noted
that the $8.5 billion loan offered by the U.S. would not
affect Turkey's decision on the Iraqi stabilization mission.


GOT to request parliamentary authority for Iraq: The GOT is
considering requesting authorization from the parliament for
deploying peacekeepers in Iraq before the AK Party congress
on October 12. Papers believe that the government will
submit a motion to parliament on October 8 or 9. The AK
Party leadership is confident that the motion will be
approved.


Turkey might send 10,000 troops to Iraq: Dailies expect
Turkey to deploy 10,000 troops in Iraq, and an additional
5,000 soldiers from other countries to be put under Turkey's
command. Diplomatic sources said the Turks could be
deployed to the north of Baghdad, in the mainly Kurdish
Salahaddin province, or in parts of the Al-Anbar region.
Ankara prefers to stay away from Fallujah and Tikrit, the
most troublesome zones of the Al-Anbar region, where the
U.S. has lost 30 soldiers thus far.


Ambassador Edelman calls on ANAP: U.S. Ambassador Eric
Edelman said after meeting with the Motherland Party (ANAP)
leadership in Ankara on Tuesday that the U.S. has not put
new conditions on the release of the $8.5 billion loan for
Turkey. Edelman reminded that the conditions which had been
set by the Congress were the continued implementation of
Turkey's economic recovery program within the framework of
its IMF agreement, and cooperation with the U.S. on Iraq.
FM Gul meets Israeli counterpart: In a meeting with his
Israeli counterpart, Silvan Shalom, in New York on Tuesday,
Foreign Minister Gul warned that the Middle East peace
process would be damaged if Israel sends Arafat into exile.
Gul told Shalom that Israel should improve the living
conditions of the Palestinian people, adding that Turkey
does not approve of the excessive use of power. He also
noted that Turkey's Energy Minister, Hilmi Guler, would
visit Israel next week to finalize a deal on the sale of
Turkish water to Israel.


GOT aims to change administrative structure: According to a
draft discussed by the cabinet earlier this week,
responsibility for all government services -- including
justice, defense, intelligence, security, finance, customs,
education, land registry, religion, and social security --
will be transferred to local administrations. The
appointment of doctors, teachers and imams (preachers) will
also be handled by local administrations. "Cumhuriyet" is
concerned that the ruling AK Party will attempt to
politicize the bureaucracy.




EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq




"Sending Turkish Troops to Iraq"
Nuri Elibol wrote in conservative-mass appeal Turkiye
(9/24): "Turkey's military engagement in Iraq contains both
advantages and risks. The government will have to make an
assessment of the pros and cons, and reach a final decision
accordingly. There are two main factors that will directly
influence the decision-making process -- the US response on
the PKK/KADEK issue, and the language of the expected UNSC
resolution. Things will be a lot easier for the Turkish
government action if the US can come up with satisfactory
assurances about the PKK/KADEK and if the UN resolution
establishes an international force under a UN umbrella."


"New Situation in Iraq"
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal Milliyet (9/24): "The
situation in Iraq has changed in the post-war era as Turkey
once again discusses whether to send troops there. Compared
to the situation before the war, the current conditions in
Iraq are riskier for Turkey, and the advantages are less
obvious. In the event of a Turkish military presence in
Iraq, the Turks will not be in charge of Northern Iraq, and
Turkish troops will work under more restrictive terms and
conditions than in a war-time situation. . There is one
crucial aspect for Turkey, which is the elimination of the
PKK in northern Iraq. The resolution of this issue depends
on the stance of the US. If the Bush administration does
not adopt a determined and transparent policy on this issue,
sending Turkish soldiers to Iraq will once again be a tough
decision for both the government and the parliament."


EDELMAN