ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000087 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 FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL TOBB: $70 billion loss; U.S. envoy: $14 billion maximum - Milliyet U.S. envoy's Iraq promise: Your loss will be met - Turkiye 200 Turkish businessmen to Baghdad - Vatan Poll: Americans don't care about Iraq war - Posta Iranian daily: Saddam will leave without war - Turkiye Greek Cypriots welcome Erdogan's Denktas remarks - Sabah OPINION MAKERS Support promise in return for war - Cumhuriyet U.S. offers Turkey $4-15 billion - Radikal Syria Gul's first stop in Mideast tour - Radikal U.S. aims to settle in region, seize Iraqi oil - Yeni Safak Denktas: Cyprus not my personal issue - Zaman NYT: U.S. cultural hegemony weakening - Cumhuriyet FINANCIAL JOURNALS Pearson intervenes for bilateral trade - Dunya U.S. Ambassador: Turkey's economy won't be hurt - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Ambassador Pearson: Dailies cover Ambassador Robert Pearson's call on Turkish Union of Chambers (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu on Thursday. After the meeting, Amb. Pearson pledged support to all sectors in Turkey if Turkey's business community backs the U.S. in Iraq. Pearson drew attention to the limited trade volume between the two countries, and stressed that he would encourage American companies to cooperate with Turkish businesses. Pearson also noted that shoes, leather, and textile products could be included in the QIZ proposal. Ambassador Pearson added that Turkey and the U.S. could cooperate in reconstructing Iraq, papers report. Papers claim that TOBB Chairman Hisarciklioglu told Pearson that Turkey's losses from a war against Iraq would be $15-25 billion in the short term, and $70 billion over the next decade. Pearson's estimation was $4-15 billion, papers say. Pearson said this figure was derived from research in Istanbul, New York, and London stock exchanges, and promised reparation for Turkey's losses in a possible crisis with Iraq. Iraq: Prime Minister Gul will begin his Mideast tour with an official visit to Syria January 4, from where he will proceed to Jorda, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Dailies quote diplomatic sources as saying that Gul will voice Ankara's determination to act together with other countries in the region, and will urge joint action to force Iraq to abide by UN resolutions. Gul aims to shatter the impression created by the Arab press that Turkey is fueling war tensions in order to take control of Mosul and Kirkuk, papers note. Kursad Tuzmen, Turkey's State Minister for Foreign trade, is due in Baghdad on a trade mission with 200 businessmen. Ankara is striving to normalize its trade relations in the region, as Turkey has lost a considerable share because of the Gulf crisis and terrorism. Meanwhile, Northern Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Barzani is expected in Ankara this weekend for meetings with MFA, TGS, and Prime Ministry officials. Ankara-KDP ties and the latest Iraqi opposition meeting in London will be analyzed during the meetings. Cyprus: Papers characterize the disagreement between AKP leader Erdogan and Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas as growing. "Cumhuriyet" reports that Erdogan's criticism of Denktas is seen by Greek Cypriots as the end of the Denktas era in the Turkish sector. Denktas defended himself, saying he did not regard the Cyprus question as his personal issue, but that his views merely reflected the public opinion. After meeting with Denktas on Thursday, Turkish Cypriot opposition parties told reporters that they did not trust Denktas, and urged him to resign. An opinion poll conducted by the Guzelyurt (Morphou) Building Society showed 72 percent of Guzelyurt inhabitants are willing to leave their residences and soil to Greek Cypriots if a compromise is reached via the UN peace plan, reports "Radikal." Siirt elections: Turkey's High Election Board (YSK) announced on Thursday that because tough winter conditions in Siirt province could reduce voter turnout, the February 9 election should be postponed until March or April. AKP has drafted a bill to extend the time period of 60 days for new polls to 90 days from the date of the original election. Such a change will give the AKP and its leader time to consider whether or not Erdogan should take his chances by running for the parliament from Siirt. EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq "Last offers from the US" Murat Yetkin reveals the financial nature of the US-Turkey talks on Iraq in liberal-intellectual Radikal (1/3): "When Ambassador Pearson visited the Turkish Chambers of Commerce, both the Ambassador and Chairman Hisarciklioglu skillfully concealed from the press the real issues they discussed. . In fact, the visit was part of the US effort to get Turkey's views on the Iraq issue, to eliminate the financial concerns within the business community, and to provide a message prior to PM Gul's trip to the Middle East. . Ambassador Pearson made the following points during his talk with the business leaders: - The primary goal of the US is to solve the Iraqi issue without a military operation, through political means. For this reason, the US is making efforts to ensure that Iraq complies fully with UN resolutions. Other options will be worked out in case political efforts do not produce results. The request for support from Turkey and other countries are part of the preparations to cover all possible options. - Turkey's early commitment to support the US might prevent a war in the region. Baghdad could still be deterred if Turkey pledges support for the United States. - The US is aware that the Turkish economy will be affected negatively in the event of a military operation. The US wants to protect the Turkish economic reform program in the event of a conflict. In the case of war, Turkey's losses, based on calculations by international market analysts and investors, is estimated at 4-15 billion dollars. . Building confidence in the international markets for Turkey's benefit - something the United States is already working to achieve -- is one of the ways to minimize Turkey's losses. Secondly, a reserve fund could be established in order to minimize Turkey's short-run losses. . The amount of Turkish support for the US will determine the amounts of US financial support to Turkey. Deciding against cooperation with the US would put Turkey in the position of trying to deal with the potential looses on its own. In the case of a partial support, the nature of assistance package -civilian, military or both-will again play a determining role. - The US compensation package contains both credits and grants. The amounts will be discussed between the two countries. Initially, the US offered Turkey a certain amount in grants, but the Turkish side expressed a preference for low-interest loans. US patience for a definitive answer from Turkey is wearing thin, and the US has started to reveal elements of its bilateral meetings with Ankara via Turkish non-governmental organizations. . Washington has started to reveal its cards, and Ankara should act accordingly." PEARSON