This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 008007 
 
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 7, 2002 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    ------- 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Bush's Republicans make history - Hurriyet 
Saddam emerges from U.S. ballot box - Sabah 
Erdogan steps back on `Belgian model' - Aksam 
Erdogan promises Europe to end torture - Milliyet 
Erdogan to Die Welt: We are conservative democrats -- 
Turkiye 
Bush's Ramadan message: Islam a religion of peace - Turkiye 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Erdogan: Did not propose Belgian model for Cyprus - Radikal 
MFA `fine tunes' Erdogan on Cyprus - Cumhuriyet 
Ecevit cabinet's sad farewell meeting - Cumhuriyet 
Gen. Ozkok: Iraq resolution without war - Yeni Safak 
Bush takes control of Congress - Zaman 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
AKP to diminish number of cabinet ministers - Dunya 
IMF delegation awaits invitation for program negotiations - 
Finansal Forum 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Erdogan: AKP leader Erdogan said he would not present 
President Sezer with a list of party candidates for Prime 
Minister during their meeting today.  Sezer will wait for 
the official announcement of poll results and for the oath 
ceremony to decide about a new Prime Minister, papers say. 
The two are expected to discuss the Cyprus problem, and 
President Sezer will ask Erdogan and CHP leader Baykal to 
make a joint statement about Cyprus, reports claim.  Dailies 
note AKP officials were busy drafting formulas for 
constitutional changes that would lift the political ban on 
Erdogan.  If AKP fails to do so, Abdullah Gul will become 
the Prime Minister, and Erdogan will become a super minister 
with wide authority, "Cumhuriyet" claims.  Papers also 
report an `action plan' by AKP, which will reduce the number 
of state ministries from 17 to 3, with a total of 23 
ministers in the cabinet. 
 
 
Erdogan, EU, Cyprus: Papers report that EU accession is the 
top issue on the AKP agenda.  After receiving a briefing 
from MFA on key international issues, Erdogan met with the 
ambassadors of 15 EU countries on Wednesday evening. 
Erdogan outlined for the EU envoys AKP priorities: ending 
torture, ensuring freedom of expression, scrapping 
investigations against religious foundations, and 
implemention of regulations on Kurdish language broadcasts 
and education.  The EU ambassadors voiced optimism after 
meeting Erdogan, and EU Turkey representative Ambassador 
Kretschmer issued a statement of cooperation, papers say. 
Erdogan is expected to visit the Turkish Republic of 
Northern Cyprus on November 15 before going to Athens on 
November 18.  After the MFA briefed Erdogan and his staff on 
Wednesday, the AKP official for foreign relations, retired 
ambassador Yasar Yakis, said the Belgian model could not be 
applied in Cyprus.  "Radikal" believes AKP was forced by the 
MFA to make `adjustments' to its earlier remarks on Cyprus. 
MFA Spokesman Buluc said on Wednesday that Turkey was 
against  the Belgian model for Cyprus, and that Ankara 
supported the views of Denktas.  MFA officials will 
accompany Erdogan on his visit to Greece, even tough MFA 
Spokesman Buluc has said Erdogan would go there as party 
leader, not as a representative of Turkey, "Radikal" adds. 
 
 
General Ozkok in U.S.: Dailies report that TGS Chief General 
Ozkok has started a tour of U.S. military facilities after 
meeting with Vive President Cheney, National Security 
Advisor Rice and Secreatary Powell the other day.  A senior 
U.S. official is quoted as saying that the Americans were 
impressed by Gen. Ozkok's determination regarding Turkey's 
integration with the EU and Turkey's place in the West.  The 
official reportedly said the U.S. has not yet made a 
decision on Iraq.  Papers claim the U.S. has prepared a 
financial support package for Turkey, and is confident that 
Ankara will support a possible action against Iraq. 
 
 
U.S. wraps up aid package for Turkey: Papers and 
broadcasters report the U.S. Congress was busy preparing a 
package of direct and indirect military and economic aid for 
Turkey.  Sources close to the Washington Administration 
reportedly said the package would amount to $4-6 billion. 
Reuters reported that the U.S. Eximbank might extend a $4.2 
billion military loan to Turkey.  However, legal obstacles 
must be lifted to enable  Eximbank to extend credit for 
military sales, reports note. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Turkish Elections 
 
 
"The West and the AKP" 
Hadi Uluengin wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (11/7): "The AKP 
has an enormous chance because its government is going to 
take charge with significant support from the Western, 
Christian if you will, world.  . The Copenhagen summit is 
likely to set a date for Turkey unless AKP makes a crucial 
mistake.  The EU, contrary to common opinion, will not 
pursue a completely negative attitude against the AKP.  On 
the contrary, Turkey will be treated with more care because 
it might serve as an alternative model to the conflict of 
civilizations.  Therefore, the results of November 3 provide 
a historic chance to the AKP which could benefit both Turkey 
and all of humanity." 
 
 
"Cast Aside the Old Molds" 
Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in mass appeal/sensational Posta 
(11/7): "The AKP will not be able to change the secular 
system.  If and when they attempt any such thing, we would 
confront them, defending the system.  . We should act with 
self-confidence and try not to live in fear.  If these guys 
have bad intentions, if they want to deceive us, we will 
find that out soon enough. . As ANAP did in 1993, AKP will 
now start drawing the line it is going to follow.  This is 
because they know that the pro-Islamic votes do not amount 
to more than 10 to 15 percent, that a large part of the 
votes they received came from different directions. Will 
they want to be a party of the center and rule the country 
for years?  Or will they take a radical stance, unable to 
withstand the pro-Islamic pressure exerted by a minority 
that forms part of their grassroots?  If they choose the 
second path, they will end up as losers."