Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ANKARA3507
2004-06-21 16:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT,

Tags:  OPRC KMDR TU 
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This 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 003507

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, JUNE 21, 2004

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

HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Ambassador Edelman: No imminent operation against the PKK -
Hurriyet 6/19
Saudi police may have helped Al-Qaida - Milliyet
US operation against Zarkawi, 22 killed - Hurriyet 6/20
Al-Qaida kills American hostage - Sabah 6/20
Al-Qaida decapitates American engineer - Milliyet 6/19
Turkish truck driver killed in Iraq - Milliyet 6/20

OPINION MAKERS
Barzani: Turkey approves federal status for Kurds - Referans
6/20
NYT: Kurds moving toward southern Iraq - Radikal
NYT: Kurds forcing Arabs out of northern Iraq - Yeni Safak
US troops kill Turkish truck driver in Baghdad - Cumhuriyet
Iraqi PM asks for international help to fight terror -
Cumhuriyet
Saddam will be handed over to new Iraqi government - Yeni
Safak
Al-Qaida leader Mukrin killed - Cumhuriyet 6/20
US jetfighters hit Fallujah, 22 killed - Radikal 6/20
US jetfighters hit two homes in Fallujah, 24 dead - Zaman
6/20


BRIEFING

Iraq: Ankara has determined a new Iraq policy for the
period following the transfer of authority to the new Iraqi
government on June 30, writes "Sabah." In a meeting with
the KDP leader Barzani in Erbil on June 9, Turkey's Special
Iraq Representative Osman Koruturk said Ankara would not
oppose a federal structure in Iraq. Koruturk also asked for
Barzani's help against the activities of the PKK/Kongra-Gel.
Turkey wants good relations with Barzani and Talabani,
Kurdish leaders regarded as "tribal leaders" by Ankara until
recently. Ankara has also dropped its recognition of Kirkuk
as a Turkmen town, but insists that the natural resources of
Kirkuk should be shared fairly. Barzani later hosted the US
Deputy Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz on June 17. Wolfowitz
was relieved to hear the new Turkish policy with regard to a
federal Iraq. Ankara has not reacted to recent Barzani
statements on a federal Iraq. However, the Kurds would
seemingly prefer a "confederation," claims "Sabah." Kurds
have advanced below the 36th parallel, as far as Mosul, the
last stronghold of the Arabs, the paper says.

Ambassador Edelman roundtable with Turkish press: US
Ambassador to Ankara, Eric Edelman, said at a roundtable
meeting with Turkish media representatives last Friday that
no military operation should be expected against the PKK in
the near future, weekend papers report. The PKK issue will
be under the responsibility of the new Iraqi government
following the transfer of authority in Iraq June 30, Edelman
noted. Edelman asserted that the US would not enter into
negotiations with the PKK or its affiliates. Ambassador
Edelman also said that during his visit to Ankara in late
June, President Bush would discuss with Turkish leaders
Cyprus, Iraq, the NATO Summit and Turkey-EU relations. The
US continues cooperation with Turkey in cutting the
financial resources of the PKK and preventing the militants'
infiltration into Turkish territory, Edelman added.
Incirlik Air Base could play a key role within the global
restructuring of US forces, Edelman said without elaborating
further. Responding to a question, Ambassador Edelman noted
that the US was not seeking a rewriting of or changes to the
1980 Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement with Turkey.

Civilian chief for NSC: Turkey's prime ministry, MFA and
the TGS are working to name a civilian to chair the National
Security Council (NSC),papers report. Turkey's permanent
representative to the UN, Ambassador Umit Pamir, and
Ankara's special Iraq envoy, Ambassador Osman Koruturk, are
the leading candidates for the post. Government and the
military favor Ambassador Pamir, according to papers.


EDITORIAL OPINION

"Bush Comes to Turkey"
Yasemin Congar opined in the mass appeal Milliyet(6/21):
"The public opinion in Turkey is that the visit of US
President Bush to Turkey is unlikely to be a successful one,
mainly for two reasons. First, Bush's Iraq policies became
very unpopular among Turkish people, and secondly, his
support of the Likud government of Israel drew negative
reactions from the Turkish people. Moreover, his failure to
meet Turkish expectations in bilateral issues, such as not
starting a military operation against PKK in Northern Iraq,
not allowing Turkomans to have representatives in the Iraqi
administration, and attaching conditions to the $8.5 billion
loan offered to Turkey by the US. However, despite all
these troubles, the visit is very important. In general,
the US always acts as a good friend to Turkey. Despite
these crises, bilateral relations advanced noticeably. With
Washington's support, the IMF program helped Turkey to start
a process of economic transformation. The Bush
administration has always extended powerful support to
Turkey's EU entry bid. Therefore, Turkey should push the
criticism and being prejudiced about the visit to the side,
and try to benefit from it as much as we can."

EDELMAN