Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA7070
2003-11-13 15:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007070
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
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2003
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER
THREE THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
HEADLINES
MASS APPEALS
Terror targets Italians in Nasiriye - Milliyet
Bush urges IGC to hurry on constitution - Milliyet
Bush seeking an alternative to IGC - Turkiye
Bloodbath in Iraq, Italy in shock - Turkey
CIA warns that Shiites might join Iraq resistance - Milliyet
Talabani wants interim Iraqi government fast - Vatan
OPINION MAKERS
Washington might dissolve the IGC - Cumhuriyet
Soros to give millions of dollars to Bush opponents -
Radikal
US considers `Afghan model' for Iraq - Zaman
CIA admits failure in Iraq - Yeni Safak
FM Gul: Turkey will protect Iraqi Kurds - Zaman
US sanctions on Syria - Radikal
Medact announces 55,000 civilian casualties in Iraq - Yeni
Safak
TRNC elections will be a vote of confidence - Cumhuriyet
BRIEFING
Cyprus: Prime Minister Erdogan will pay a visit to the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) November 15 to
meet with Denktas and opposition leaders. Papers claim that
Erdogan will give all sides in the TRNC the message that
negotiations should be resumed within the framework of the
Annan Plan no matter which party emerges victorious from the
Turkish Cypriot elections in December. "Zaman" says that
Ankara will offer to reduce gradually the number of Turkish
troops in Cyprus and, in exchange, Turkey would retain its
guarantor status on the island.
The Loizidu case: The Council of Europe warned Ankara to
abide by a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling
obliging Turkey to pay $900,000 in reparations to a Greek
Cypriot national, Titina Loizidu, for her loss of property
after the occupation of northern Cyprus by the Turks in
1974. Council of Europe officials reportedly said that
Turkey would face serious sanctions if the money is not paid
by November 19, and that such a refusal would constitute a
violation of the EU Copenhagen Criteria. Ankara has agreed
to pay the fee, but has asked that issues concerning
property rights in the lawsuit not be raised until the end
of 2005. Ankara is worried that the verdict could set a
precedent for thousands of similar applications who have
cases pending before the ECHR.
Kurds block hospital construction in Kirkuk: The city
council of Kirkuk rejected a Turkish proposal to build a
hospital in Kirkuk, "Zaman" reports. An AK Party lawmaker
in charge of the project, Turhan Comez, believes the refusal
was the result of opposition by Kurdish members of the
council. "Milliyet" reports that 9 Kurds serving on the
council voted against the proposal, while 6 non-Kurds voted
to support it and 8 members abstained.
PKK/KADEK militants in Turkey: "Cumhuriyet" claims that
KADEK has sent 2,500 militants to southern and eastern
provinces of Turkey from Iraq since March 2003. The
militants have been instructed to organize street protests
and to assassinate local government officials. Pro-Kurdish
DEHAP members have also intensified protest demonstrations,
the latest one being staged in major provinces to protest
the deteriorating health condition of jailed PKK leader
Abdullah Ocalan. The paper expects the militants to
intensify their activities in Turkey after December 4.
EDITORIAL OPINION: Elections 2004
"The Bush Fans"
Soli Ozel wrote in mass appeal Sabah (11/13): "The American
intellectual elite is concerned that the re-election of the
current administration in November 2004 would be a disaster
for the country. On the other hand, the Bush administration
is going through a period of internal conflict. Several
agencies, including the CIA, have stood up to defend
themselves against the criticism they have faced since the
Iraq war. The State Department, which stood against the war
from the start, is trying to regain control over foreign
policy in Washington. There is also a growing reaction
against several religious fundamentalist figures within the
administration. . As for the economy, the Bush
administration has created a 300 billion dollar budget
deficit in just three years. This poses a major problem for
the future of the US economy. The latest figures indicate
that one-third of US national income is controlled by
foreigners. That is another weakness for the American
economy. . The upcoming elections will tell us how the US
will shape its future as a superpower. The Bush
administration is characterized by religious fundamentalism
and an irresponsible foreign policy. The election defeat of
this administration seems to be not only in the US interest,
but also would benefit the whole world. The fact of the
matter is that now Democrats have a tough job to accomplish:
finding a good candidate to defeat Bush."
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
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2003
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER
THREE THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
HEADLINES
MASS APPEALS
Terror targets Italians in Nasiriye - Milliyet
Bush urges IGC to hurry on constitution - Milliyet
Bush seeking an alternative to IGC - Turkiye
Bloodbath in Iraq, Italy in shock - Turkey
CIA warns that Shiites might join Iraq resistance - Milliyet
Talabani wants interim Iraqi government fast - Vatan
OPINION MAKERS
Washington might dissolve the IGC - Cumhuriyet
Soros to give millions of dollars to Bush opponents -
Radikal
US considers `Afghan model' for Iraq - Zaman
CIA admits failure in Iraq - Yeni Safak
FM Gul: Turkey will protect Iraqi Kurds - Zaman
US sanctions on Syria - Radikal
Medact announces 55,000 civilian casualties in Iraq - Yeni
Safak
TRNC elections will be a vote of confidence - Cumhuriyet
BRIEFING
Cyprus: Prime Minister Erdogan will pay a visit to the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) November 15 to
meet with Denktas and opposition leaders. Papers claim that
Erdogan will give all sides in the TRNC the message that
negotiations should be resumed within the framework of the
Annan Plan no matter which party emerges victorious from the
Turkish Cypriot elections in December. "Zaman" says that
Ankara will offer to reduce gradually the number of Turkish
troops in Cyprus and, in exchange, Turkey would retain its
guarantor status on the island.
The Loizidu case: The Council of Europe warned Ankara to
abide by a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling
obliging Turkey to pay $900,000 in reparations to a Greek
Cypriot national, Titina Loizidu, for her loss of property
after the occupation of northern Cyprus by the Turks in
1974. Council of Europe officials reportedly said that
Turkey would face serious sanctions if the money is not paid
by November 19, and that such a refusal would constitute a
violation of the EU Copenhagen Criteria. Ankara has agreed
to pay the fee, but has asked that issues concerning
property rights in the lawsuit not be raised until the end
of 2005. Ankara is worried that the verdict could set a
precedent for thousands of similar applications who have
cases pending before the ECHR.
Kurds block hospital construction in Kirkuk: The city
council of Kirkuk rejected a Turkish proposal to build a
hospital in Kirkuk, "Zaman" reports. An AK Party lawmaker
in charge of the project, Turhan Comez, believes the refusal
was the result of opposition by Kurdish members of the
council. "Milliyet" reports that 9 Kurds serving on the
council voted against the proposal, while 6 non-Kurds voted
to support it and 8 members abstained.
PKK/KADEK militants in Turkey: "Cumhuriyet" claims that
KADEK has sent 2,500 militants to southern and eastern
provinces of Turkey from Iraq since March 2003. The
militants have been instructed to organize street protests
and to assassinate local government officials. Pro-Kurdish
DEHAP members have also intensified protest demonstrations,
the latest one being staged in major provinces to protest
the deteriorating health condition of jailed PKK leader
Abdullah Ocalan. The paper expects the militants to
intensify their activities in Turkey after December 4.
EDITORIAL OPINION: Elections 2004
"The Bush Fans"
Soli Ozel wrote in mass appeal Sabah (11/13): "The American
intellectual elite is concerned that the re-election of the
current administration in November 2004 would be a disaster
for the country. On the other hand, the Bush administration
is going through a period of internal conflict. Several
agencies, including the CIA, have stood up to defend
themselves against the criticism they have faced since the
Iraq war. The State Department, which stood against the war
from the start, is trying to regain control over foreign
policy in Washington. There is also a growing reaction
against several religious fundamentalist figures within the
administration. . As for the economy, the Bush
administration has created a 300 billion dollar budget
deficit in just three years. This poses a major problem for
the future of the US economy. The latest figures indicate
that one-third of US national income is controlled by
foreigners. That is another weakness for the American
economy. . The upcoming elections will tell us how the US
will shape its future as a superpower. The Bush
administration is characterized by religious fundamentalism
and an irresponsible foreign policy. The election defeat of
this administration seems to be not only in the US interest,
but also would benefit the whole world. The fact of the
matter is that now Democrats have a tough job to accomplish:
finding a good candidate to defeat Bush."
EDELMAN