ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007448 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, DECEMBER 4, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION HEADLINES MASS APPEALS NATO's terror forum shifted to Berlin from Istanbul - Hurriyet Minister Cicek: Islam does not approve terror - Turkiye US, Turkey bargain on troops to Kabul - Aksam US Senate denounces Istanbul bombings - Milliyet Denktas: Verheugen's remarks unfair - Hurriyet Ankara reacts, Verheugen steps back - Sabah Inflation below 20 percent - Milliyet OPINION MAKERS Gen. Pace discusses with Turks measures against the PKK - Cumhuriyet Istanbul bombings target stability in Turkey - Yeni Safak Simitis: EU urged Turkey to resolve Cyprus problem in 2004 - Radikal Denktas: Verheugen must be dreaming - Cumhuriyet Verheugen: Negotiations unlikely while Turkish troops in Cyprus - Zaman Greek press believes Turkey won the Loizidou case - Radikal Arabs to take Israeli security fence to The Hague - Yeni Safak BRIEFING General Peter Pace in Ankara: Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, reportedly said during meetings at the TGS in Ankara on Wednesday that the US is waiting for the deadline of the amnesty offered by Turkey for terror organization members before taking military action against the PKK/KADEK. The US has also asked Turkey for logistical and intelligence support for a new army headquarters in Afghanistan, papers report. Ankara is generally positive on the US request, but in exchange the Turks are demanding extensive military operations against the PKK in Northern Iraq. Justice Minister Cicek in US: Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek met with Deputy Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz, U/S of State Grossman, and State Department Coordinator for Counter-terrorism Ambassador Black during his official visit to Washington. Cicek said US officials expressed willingness for close cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. Responding to a question, Cicek said that such cooperation also covers military interventions against the PKK/KADEK in Northern Iraq. "Yeni Safak" expects Cicek to discuss with Attorney- General Aschroft the situation of the remaining Turkish detainees in Guantanamo. Alan Larson with Ambassador Ziyal: At a joint press conference with MFA U/S Ugur Ziyal following a meeting of the Turkish-US Economic Policy Council in Washington, US Assistant Secretary Alan Larson said the recent bombings in Istanbul would not affect foreign investment in Turkey. Larson added that Turkey could become a country to attract $10 billion foreign capital annually. Larson drew attention to the strategic partnership between US and Turkey, and voiced confidence that Turkey had the potential to playing a key role in Iraq's rebuilding. "Sabah" highlights that the US side urged Turkey to resolve outstanding problems faced by US companies and to improve the climate for foreign investors in Turkey. Turkish officials denounce Verheugen: Prime Minister Erdogan urged the EU to acknowledge the existence of two states on Cyprus, and noted that Turkey's EU membership drive would continue. Foreign Minister Gul rebuffed criticism by EU expansion commissioner Verheugen, and said that Turkish troops are kept on Cyprus in line with international agreements. Gul characterized Verheugen's remarks regarding the role of the Turkish military in politics as "unacceptable." Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas blamed Verheugen for attempting to damage the ground for compromise in Cyprus, and referred to Verheugen as "an elephant in a china shop." Meanwhile, Verheugen voiced hope that the Cyprus talks could be resumed if the opposition wins the Turkish Cypriot elections. EDITORIAL OPINION: Turkey-US-EU "Healing the wounds with the US" Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in the mass appeal Posta (12/4): "Bilateral relations between Turkey and the US are rapidly on the way to being healed. There are many things that can be attributed to the failure of the ruling AKP, but the government is also capable of realizing its mistakes and making efforts to correct them. The government is doing its best to put relations with the US back on track after they were derailed on March 1. For instance, Turkey has started thinking about sending troops to Afghanistan following the decision not to push for sending them to Iraq. The AKP is very attentive toward requests coming from the White House or Pentagon these days. The upcoming prime ministerial visit from Turkey to the US in January will help cap the recovery in bilateral relations." "Turkey Under Pressure" Tuncay Ozkan argued in the mass appeal Aksam (12/4): "The EU is asking us to sell out on Cyprus. The US is working for the establishment of a Kurdish state. Yet Turkey is blind to these efforts because of its internal political debates. We should wake up and see the reality that the EU and the US are working in harmony when it comes to their interests in Turkey. . The EU's Verheugen made some insane remarks about the Turkish Cypriot side. If similar remarks had come from Turkey about the EU, we would have been castigated. But thanks to our stumbling, confused politicians, the EU is working to determine the results of the Turkish Cypriot elections before our very eyes. . The US and the EU have the same goal on the Cyprus issue, and the EU is also supportive of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq just like the US. That is the main reason for the EU's silence about US rhetoric and actions in the region. We should also realize that both the EU and the US have reached an undisclosed agreement for the establishment of a Kurdish state under US supervision, and the establishment of a Cypriot state under EU supervision." EDELMAN