Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA6266
2003-10-06 14:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

Tags:  OPRC KMDR TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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 006266

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, OCTOBER 6, 2003


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


HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION


HEADLINES


MASS APPEAL
Another suicide attack in Israel: 18 dead - Sabah 10/5
First Israeli assault on Syria in 30 years - Millliyet
Israel bombs camp 15 km from Damascus - Hurriyet
Israel takes revenge on Syria - Sabah
Americans will find PKK, Turks will strike - Hurriyet
10/4
Annan tough on new U.S. resolution on Iraq - Milliyet
10/4
President Bush, the Poet - Milliyet 10/5


OPINION MAKERS
Palestinian suicide bomber breaks Haifa peace - Radikal
Woman suicide bomber strikes in Haifa, 20 dead - Zaman
10/5
Bloody message to Syria - Cumhuriyet
Gen. Sanchez: Our fight in Iraq might take years -
Radikal 10/4
CIA's Kay: No WMD in Iraq - Radikal 10/4
Talabani extends olive branch, says Turkish support
significant - Zaman
Saddam's soldiers protest for wages - Zaman 10/5
Bush-style serenade for Laura - Radikal 10/5
Chechnya's single-option election - Cumhuriyet 10/5
629 bodies exhumed from mass grave in Bosnia - Zaman
10/4




BRIEFING


Turkish peacekeepers to Iraq: The Council of Ministers
will decide on Monday on the deployment of Turkish
peacekeepers in Iraq, and will submit a related motion
to the parliament later this week. Prime Minister
Erdogan, Foreign Minister Gul, and State Minister
Babacan are expected to brief AK Party lawmakers on the
issue on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Gul said the motion
would not specify the destination and size of the
Turkish troop contingent to be deployed in Iraq. Prime
Minister Erdogan said his government would not wait to
see a related UNSC resolution before deploying soldiers
in Iraq. Dailies expect the government to ask for a
`permission' rather than an `authority' from the
parliament in order to avoid a possible veto by
President Sezer. Meanwhile, papers report that mass
demonstrations by NGOs and labor unions against Turkey
sending soldiers to Iraq will be held in major Turkish
provinces this week.


U.S., Turkey action plan against PKK/KADEK: According
to information based on `reliable sources,' Saturday's
"Hurriyet" reports that the U.S. will provide Turkey
with information regarding the hideouts of PKK
militants in Northern Iraq, and then allow Turkish

special forces to launch operations against the
terrorists. The U.S. will then try in various ways to
convince PKK members to return to Turkey in line with
the provisions of the amnesty law. Diplomatic sources
told "Hurriyet" that the action plan for fighting the
PKK/KADEK is based on the U.S. action plan to fight the
Al-Qaeda terror network.


U.S. Embassy denies allegation of F-16 trouble with
Turkey: The U.S. Embassy in Ankara denied press
reports claiming that the U.S. had withheld necessary
technology in the sale of SPEWS electronic warfare
systems for Turkey's F-16 program. The U.S. is proud
of its long-standing cooperation with Turkey on its F-
16 program, a U.S. Embassy statement stressed, and
added that U.S. companies are working closely with
Turkey to complete the transfer of electronic warfare
systems.


Turkey, Israel agree on sale of Manavgat water:
Weekend papers report that Turkey and Israel have
reached a framework agreement regarding the sale of
Manavgat water to Israel. Israeli Energy Minister
Joseph Paritzkty told the Turkish press that the two
countries had agreed on the price and amount of water
to be sold, and that a deal would be signed soon.
However, Turkey's Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said that
uncertainty over the price issue continues.


Denktas warns he could veto election outcome: Turkish
Cypriot leader Denktas said that he could veto the
outcome of elections if the opposition emerges
victorious in the general election to be held in North
Cyprus in December. `I will use all my powers to
prevent developments which would harm Turkish Cypriot
interests, and will withdraw and fight together with my
people if I fail,' Denktas said.


AKP seeks extensive changes to constitution: The AK
Party has prepared a package to change about 50
provisions of Turkey's Constitution, papers report.
The president's term in office will be restricted to
five years, general elections will be held every four
years instead of five, and the justice minister and his
undersecretary will be excluded from the high board of
judges and prosecutors in order to ensure the
independence of judiciary.


EDITORIAL OPINION: US Elections


"Democrats Joyous, Bush is Unhappy"
Ali Aslan wrote in the Islamist-intellectual Zaman
(10/6): "President Bush is rapidly losing his
popularity, which reached a peak after 9/11, and began
declining in the post-war period. Bush's Iraq policy
is supported by less than 50 percent of the American
people. .. In the midst of controversy about weapons
of mass destruction, even more controversial issues
will be coming onto the agenda. It seems the scandal
involving Joseph Wilson will become even more painful
for Washington than the WMD debate. . Recent
developments in the nation's capital are enough to make
Democrats very happy. It remains to be seen how and if
the Bush administration will manage to overcome the
domestic political issues brought on by the Iraq war."


"Americans are tired of politicians"
Zafer Atay wrote in the economic-politic Dunya (10/6):
"The US has entered a pre-election period.
Schwarzeneger seems to be the strong name for the
upcoming California elections, and Wesley Clark of the
Democratic Party seems to be strong for the 2004
presidential elections. . Clark has no political
background, yet he has already gained great popularity
among the voters. Americans are enthusiastic about
Clark's views on the Iraq war, in which he criticizes
the Bush administration for managing the war very
badly. . American political history is full of
successful leaders with no professional political
background. Ronald Reagan, Bill Bradley and Jesse
Ventura are only a few examples of many. Wesley Clark
might also be included in this list one day."


EDELMAN