TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - TURKEY AND IRAQ

UNCLAS TOKYO 004872 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, EAP/J, EAP/P, PM; USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - TURKEY AND IRAQ LEAD STORIES: Most Japanese dailies led with the cabinet approval and submission to the Diet on Wednesday evening of new legislation designed to extend the MSDF refueling operation in the Indian Ocean, predicting that an interruption of the mission is unavoidable given the strong opposition to the bill by the DPJ. ¶1. "Tension Mounting over Iraq" The conservative Sankei's Istanbul correspondent Murakami wrote (10/18): "Concern is mounting over the possibility of further destabilization in Iraq following the Turkish parliament's move to grant the country's army the authority to cross the border and attack PKK rebels based in northern Iraq. The Turkish people are supportive of a military offensive, as they have long suffered from terrorist acts by the PKK. If such terrorist acts continue, chances are high that the Turkish Army will launch a military operation even in the face of US opposition.... Dissatisfaction has been rising in Turkey over US forces' failure to crack down on PKK rebels in Iraq. Anti-American sentiment has also flared up in Turkey in response to the recent passage by the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee of a resolution terming the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks during World War I 'genocide.' Washington appears to be losing any leverage it had to persuade Ankara to refrain from launching a cross-border attack." ¶2. "Turkish Legislature Authorizes Cross-Border Operations" The Cairo-based reporter of the top- circulation, moderate Yomiuri reported (10/18): "It remains uncertain whether the Erdogan administration will launch a major cross-border offensive. Given that the Iraqi government has sent Vice President al-Hashimi to Ankara to urge a 'political settlement' and that the US, UN, and EU are all calling for self-restraint, Turkey would be isolated in the global community if it were to launch a military strike in Iraq. As an international ministerial for Iraq stabilization is scheduled to take place in November in Istanbul, Turkey should not take steps to complicate the Iraq situation at this juncture. An attack might also alienate the Kurds in Turkey who voted for the ruling party led by Prime Minister Erdogan in the July general election. Given the situation, it is possible that Ankara might be trying to use the possibility of initiating a cross- border operation to urge Iraq to take enhanced measures to contain PKK rebels." SCHIEFFER