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 000914 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                         ------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Cheney to Gul: Hurry up! - Vatan 
Brits planning to divide Iraq into three - Milliyet 
`War cabinet' of 10 ministers - Aksam 
Early response from Saddam: No Al-Qaeda connection - Turkiye 
Erdogan asks AKP deputies to approve war - Sabah 
Erdogan, Gul say `War' - Vatan 
U.S. to send AWACS, Patriots - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Cheney calls Gul: Direct pressure from White House - 
Cumhuriyet 
Cheney: Time is short - Radikal 
Erdogan the warmonger - Cumhuriyet 
Surprise Northern Iraqi meeting in Ankara - Radikal 
Erdogan: Iraq crisis at critical level - Zaman 
40 Nobel prize holder Americans against Iraq war - Zaman 
Those deciding war will bear responsibility - Yeni Safak 
Cyprus envoy brings new maps - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Lion's share in U.S. budget goes to fight against terror - 
Dunya 
Powell's upcoming UNSC address rockets gold prices - 
Finansal Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Iraq: Dailies give extensive front-page coverage to the 
phone conversation between Vice President Cheney and Prime 
Minister Gul on Tuesday.  Cheney urged Gul to secure swift 
parliamentary approval for the deployment of U.S. troops in 
Turkey.  Gul said that the issue would be discussed in 
parliament on February 18.  Gul told Cheney that the issue 
of modernization of Turkish bases and ports would be 
approved by the parliament before February 11, the Sacrifice 
Holiday.  "Radikal" believes that U.S. and Turkish officials 
are about to reach an agreement on the legal framework of 
cooperation regarding Iraq.  Meanwhile, President Bush's 
Iraq advisor, Zalmay Khalilzad, arrived in Ankara for talks 
with Northern Iraqi Kurdish groups and Turkoman 
representatives on Thursday.  MFA officials will also attend 
the meetings to explain Turkey's expectations concerning 
regional ethnic groups.  Secretary Powell's address to the 
UNSC on Wednesday might speed Ankara's Iraq decision, 
according to press reports.  Prime Minister Gul is expected 
to address AKP deputies right after Powell's speech to urge 
them to approve the drafts for cooperation with the U.S. 
Gul will also explain to cabinet members at the council of 
ministers meeting today the necessity to cooperate with the 
U.S.-led international effort in order to protect Turkey's 
interests.  Speaking to his party group on Tuesday, AKP 
leader Erdogan said that a parliamentary decision approving 
Turkey's involvement in a war could contribute to peace. 
`We might not be allowed to influence developments later if 
we stay out of the calculations in the beginning,' Erdogan 
said.  "Zaman" estimates that about 50 AKP deputies will 
vote against the bill to allow modernization of Turkish 
bases.  The paper expects the bill to be approved with the 
votes of at least 300 AKP deputies.  A "Yeni Safak" 
commentary carries a January public opinion poll by the ANAR 
company which shows 94 percent of Turks opposed to U.S. 
intervention in Iraq.  78 percent of respondents are against 
Turkey's involvement in a war either by sending troops or 
opening Turkish bases to the United States.  "Hurriyet" 
claims that the U.S. will send early warning AWACS planes 
and Patriot defense missile systems to Turkey from U.S. 
bases in the Netherlands next week. 
 
 
Parliamentary Speaker on by-elections: Commenting on the 
Siirt elections on March 9 in which AKP leader Erdogan will 
have an opportunity to run for parliament, Parliamentary 
Speaker Arinc noted that the Constitution has a clause which 
authorizes parliament to postpone elections for up to a 
year. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq 
"Being emotional is not helpful when war is inevitable" 
Mehmet Barlas commented in mass appeal Aksam (2/5): "Turkey 
is clearly under US pressure for a clear decision on Iraq. 
Reports also note that the US has already formulated a `Plan 
B' in the absence of Turkey's permission for the deployment 
of US troops for a northern front. . The latest comment by 
AKP leader Erdogan was realistic, as he was defending 
Turkey's involvement in what has become an inevitable war. 
This message was especially meant for the AKP deputies. 
They better think about the cost of being left out in the 
post-war period.  That requires a cool-headed thinking, an 
analysis free from anger and emotionalism.  Belated 
decisions are sometimes regarded as if they never existed." 
 
 
"Bush should ask for Congressional authorization for Turkey" 
Sedat Ergin wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (2/5): "The most 
critical part of the ongoing US-Turkey bargaining is about 
the nature of the US commitment to address Turkey's losses 
during the coming war.  The issue centers on whether US 
promises will turn into binding commitments.  It remains to 
be seen whether President Bush will seek Congressional 
approval for compensation plan for Turkey.  . The Egypt case 
stands as a good example.  During the Gulf war, the US 
administration obtained an authorization from Congress to 
eliminate Egypt's FMS debt in order to entice the Egyptians 
to participate in the international coalition against Iraq." 
"The northern front issue" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (2/5): "Turkey 
should take into account US plans to open the northern front 
at all costs.  By permitting the transit movement of US 
troops from Turkey, Ankara will actually have a chance to 
control northern Iraq together with Washington. Refusal to 
cooperate, on the other hand, will create huge troubles for 
Turkey. .A military source from Washington says that the 
operation could be launched at the beginning of March, and 
that the US needs two or three weeks for site preparations. 
The Turkish government will fall short of US expectations by 
delaying its decision until the end of the holiday. .A 
source close to the government says that the government 
wanted to exhaust all peaceful means before sending to 
parliament a decision for the deployment of US troops in 
Turkey." 
 
 
PEARSON