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 008230 
 
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 14, 2002 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    ------- 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Saddam gives in, opens palaces - Hurriyet 
Saddam obeys, oil prices go down - Vatan 
Forza Turkey: Berlusconi promises support - Sabah 
Erdogan: We want a Catholic marriage with the EU - Milliyet 
AKP: Changes to Cyprus map won't bother us - Aksam 
Greek Cypriots approve UN Cyprus plan - Turkiye 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Erdogan's pledges might become key for EU accession - 
Radikal 
Erdogan makes EU pledges in Rome - Cumhuriyet 
Berlusconi supports Turkey for EU - Yeni Safak 
Ankara uneasy on Cyprus plan - Zaman 
Washington's Iraq preparation: CIA delegation at TGS - 
Cumhuriyet 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Businessmen happy with positive atmosphere in Rome - Dunya 
Turkish companies deny U.S. claims on atropine - Finansal 
Forum 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Cyprus: All eyes are turned to Turkish Cypriot leader 
Denktas after Greek Cypriot officials gave a positive 
initial reaction to the UN-sponsored Cyprus plan, papers 
report.  The plan demands that the two sides on the island 
conclude negotiations by February 28, 2003, and that the 
agreement be taken to referendum on March 30, 2003.  Papers 
report that Secretary Powell has found the first reaction 
from the two Cypriot communities encouraging.  Reports also 
note that if the plan is accepted, the land controlled by 
Turkish Cypriots will be reduced from 36 to 28.5 percent, 
and about 42,000 Turks will be displaced.  According to the 
plan, Varosha, Morphou and 20 villages will be given to 
Greek Cypriots within three years.  85,000 displaced Greek 
Cypriots will be given the right to return their homes in 
the north, and 114,000 Turks who were settled in Cyprus 
after 1974 will be given nationality rights.  Papers report 
that TGS Chief General Ozkok is due in Cyprus on Thursday to 
attend the 19th anniversary celebrations of the TRNC. 
 
 
EU: Papers report that German Chancellor Schroeder has found 
initial AKP statements on European affairs as promising, and 
he called for sustained reforms under the new Turkish 
government.  "Radikal" notes the reforms AKP leader Erdogan 
had promised to EU envoys in Ankara, adding that rapid 
parliamentary approval would earn Turkey a date for 
accession negotiations at the Copenhagen Summit.  All papers 
give front-page coverage to Erdogan's Rome visit, and his 
meeting with Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, during which 
Berlusconi promised to support Turkey's EU bid at the 
Copenhagen Summit.  Following a November 18 visit to Greece, 
Erdogan will tour Spain, England, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, 
Sweden, and France before the end of  November. 
Erdogan: Erdogan reportedly said that AKP would not press to 
change Article 109 of the Constitution that regulates the 
appointment of a Prime Minister, and added that he would not 
become deputy Prime Minister, but instead will wait for 
removal of his ban.  AKP seeks the support of CHP for 
constitutional reforms that would abolish political bans. 
According to papers, the CHP condition for such cooperation 
will be AKP support to reduce the time between regular 
elections from years to four.  This would prevent AKP  from 
using its current parliamentary majority to elect a new 
President in 2007.  Papers report that AKP deputy chairman 
Abdullah Gul was given the task of restructuring the cabinet 
with 23 ministers, including a Prime Minister with three 
deputies. 
 
 
Iraq: Having finished meetings in Ankara on Wednesday, the 
CIA delegation headed by Deputy CIA Director McLaughlin will 
proceed to Northern Iraq after stopping at Incirlik Airbase, 
reports say.  Papers report that MFA has launched an 
investigation regarding Iraqi efforts to purchase atropine 
from Turkey.  The Northern Iraqi Patriotic Union of 
Kurdistan (PUK) leader Talabani said on Wednesday on the all- 
news channel NTV that the Iraqi regime established after 
Saddam will be friendly to Turkey.  Talabani pledged 
guarantees for Turkomens, said they would be offered 10 
seats in the parliament, and added that the Kurds' 
provisional constitution could be modified according to 
Ankara's demands.  He noted that the U.S. had made no 
demands from the Kurds, and said he was unaware of the 
presence of CIA operatives in Northern Iraq. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
a)  NATO Summit 
b)  UN Plan on Cyprus 
 
 
"The Upcoming Prague Summit" 
Fikret Ertan wrote in Islamic-intellectual Zaman (11/14): 
"The NATO summit in Prague will be a breakthrough both in 
terms of the future of NATO and for the future of NATO- 
Europe relations.  . The official agenda consists of new 
threats, expansion, new relations, new military capabilities 
and the Balkans.  This by itself makes the summit a very 
important one.  . The EU plan for a European Army and the US 
plan for a rapid reaction force within the NATO structure 
are the two hot topics at the summit.  The debate will most 
likely be concentrated on these issues, both of which are 
immediate concerns for Turkey." 
 
 
"The UN plan is a death verdict for the TRNC" 
Columnist Hasan Unal argued in Islamic-intellectual Zaman 
(11/14): "The UN plan aims to liquidate the Turkish Republic 
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as a state and the Turkish 
Cypriots as a nation. . It might give the impression that it 
meets Turkish demands on constitutional issues, but in fact 
it provides an opportunity for founding a unitary Greek 
Cypriot state. . The plan also gives very limited, poor- 
quality land to the Turkish Cypriots.  . In short, the UN 
plan expects Turkish Cypriots to make vital concessions 
without meeting their ultimate demands. Cyprus will 
gradually become a Greek Cypriot island.  It is clear that 
security issues and guarantees, of which Turkey is part, 
will not be valid the moment Cyprus joins the EU." 
"Cyprus" 
Hadi Uluengin calls the UN plan a historic chance in mass 
appeal Hurriyet (11/14): "Clearly this is a unique chance 
for a Cyprus settlement and one definitely not to be missed. 
Creating excuses or making evasive remarks in order not to 
take advantage of  this chance would be a crucial mistake. 
Whichever side blocks this agreement will be judge harshly 
by history for its mistake. . The Annan plan is almost 
perfect.  Therefore, if one of the concerned parties rejects 
the plan and leads to the continuation of a no-settlement 
situation, it will be doomed to miss the opportunities 
coming with the new millennium."