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 002503 
 
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, APRIL 17, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                         ------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Commander Franks in Baghdad - Hurriyet 
Bush signs grant for Turkey - Milliyet 
Talabani wants Diyarbakir - Vatan 
Barzani: Turkey's nonpresence in N. Iraq a victory for Kurds 
- Aksam 
Turkey's EU drive now tougher - Turkiye 
Verheugen: Chance exists for Cyprus solution - Sabah 
Sad photo: EU expanding, Ankara missing - Sabah 
EU expansion takes painful start- Aksam 
Gul: Greek Cypriots can't block our EU drive - Hurriyet 
Greek Cypriots in EU; are you happy, Mr. Denktas? - Vatan 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Ankara warns Talabani: You'll regret entering Kirkuk - 
Cumhuriyet 
Ankara launches effort for share of Iraq's reconstruction - 
Radikal 
Iraqi people won't accept U.S. invasion - Yeni Safak 
Arabs want all Mideast countries to disarm  - Yeni Safak 
Turkey missing in EU family photo - Radikal 
Denktas blocks solution, blames Turkey - Yeni Safak 
Prodi: Division of Cyprus temporary - Zaman 
Simitis blames Ankara for division of Cyprus - Cumhuriyet 
Door still open for Cyprus - Zaman 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
British Imperial Tobacco investing in Turkey - Dunya 
Rumsfeld: Iraqi pipeline to Syria will be closed - Finansal 
Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Iraq: Ankara criticized Northern Iraqi Kurdish leaders 
Barzani and Talabani for declaring Turkey's decision of not 
going into Northern Iraq as a victory for them.  Barzani 
told an Italian daily that the KDP won a victory by keeping 
Turkish troops out of Northern Iraq.  Barzani reiterated 
Kurdish aspirations for a federal Iraq, and warned that the 
long-term presence of coalition forces in the country could 
be interpreted as an invasion.  The MFA denounced PUK leader 
Talabani for threatening to bring Diyarbakir and other 
Kurdish-majority Turkish cities to the agenda if Turkey 
continues to pursue its aspirations for Kirkuk.  A Turkish 
diplomat is quoted as tying such controversial statements by 
Kurdish leaders to the absence of a democratic culture in 
Iraq.  The diplomat noted that Ankara, in an attempt to 
avoid provocation, is closely following developments, and he 
warned the Kurds not to try Turkey's patience.  He added 
that Talabani could pay a dear price if he continued 
opportunist moves such as attempting to assign a governor in 
Kirkuk.  Kurdish representatives in Turkey complained to the 
press that the Turkomen are constantly misinforming Ankara 
about developments in Northern Iraq.  Meanwhile, papers 
report that the expected head of the interim Iraq 
administration, Jay Garner, met with the Turkish envoy to 
Kuwait to discuss the situation of the Turkomen and Turkey's 
role in the reconstruction of Iraq. 
 
 
Cyprus/EU: Dailies carry on the front page the `family 
photograph' of new EU members including the Greek Cypriots 
after accession documents were signed in Athens.  Papers 
criticize Foreign Minister Gul for boycotting the ceremony, 
which indicated an `acknowledgement of the biggest 
diplomatic defeat for Turkey.'  Greek Cypriot leader 
Papadopoulos attacked Turkey, saying that `artificial walls 
and borders drawn by violence have prevented the Turkish 
Cypriots from attending the Athens meeting.'  Greek Prime 
Minister Simitis said Europe has been united for 13 years 
since the collapse of the Berlin Wall, and blamed Turkey for 
the ongoing disagreement on Cyprus.  `The line dividing 
Nicosia is separating Ankara from Brussels,' Simitis said. 
Some mainstream papers believe Turkish Cypriots could still 
join the EU if they work out a compromise with Greek 
Cypriots before April 2004, but see it as unlikely for the 
Greeks and Greek Cypriots to give a green light to Turkey's 
membership.  Most papers, including the Islamist "Yeni 
Safak," regard Denktas as the main obstacle that has 
deprived Turkish Cypriots of the opportunity to join the EU. 
Papers cite the Greek Cypriot press as applauding Denktas 
for rejecting the Annan plan for Cyprus, thus facilitating 
the Greek Cypriots' EU entry.  The MFA and Denktas 
criticized the signing of the accession protocol between the 
EU and the Greek Cypriots, charging that it was a violation 
of international treaties.  Denktas also strongly criticized 
the Turkish Cypriot opposition parties who have accepted an 
invitation by Greek Prime Minister Simitis for talks in the 
Greek Cypriot sector.  However, Prime Minister Erdogan and 
Foreign Minister Gul are upset with Denktas for attempting 
to `dictate' to Ankara that Gul should not attend the EU's 
Athens summit.  Erdogan believed that the UN peace plan for 
Cyprus had a chance for success, but that Denktas blocked 
the negotiations. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:   Post war scenarios 
 
 
"Who is next?" 
Soli Ozel noted in mass appeal Sabah (4/17): "Despite the 
strong warnings, a US military operation against Syria is 
unlikely.  The Bush administration is currently going 
through the list of measures in an orderly fashion, and at 
the same time calling on the Damascus regime to `read 
correctly' the consequences of the Iraq war.  Washington 
clearly is asking the Syrian administration to end support 
for terrorism and to work for a lasting settlement with 
Israel.  The policies pursued by Syria will shape future 
developments in the region.  .. Another important factor to 
watch carefully is US policy about the Israel-Palestine 
issue in the Bush administration's new Middle East plan. . 
Considering the approaches to the Middle East `road map' 
from both the US and Israel, we can draw a pessimistic 
conclusion.  The way Washington sees the road map tells us 
that the Israeli administration will not face any pressure 
for peace, at least in the near future.  In other words, 
peace and stability in the region are still far in the 
distance." 
 
 
 
 
"Transformation" 
Hasan Cemal observed in mass appeal Milliyet (4/17): "The 
situation in the Middle East up to now has not done Turkey 
any good at all.  Thus we have to think rationally and 
realize the following facts.  It is for the Turkey's good 
and serves Turkey's interests that Iraq becomes a free 
country with an emerging democracy.  It is absolutely the 
best for Turkey when and if Syria is freed from the Baath 
dictatorship and its support for terrorist organizations is 
ended. . A peace between Palestine and Israel can also be 
made possible if the US exerts enough pressure on Sharon, 
especially after the normalization process of Iraq and 
Syria.  Such a development might have positive effects for 
change in Lebanon as well as in Iran. . The current 
situation in the Middle East is in the process of a 
transformation.  It means a certain amount of instability. 
Yet the current situation was also inherently unstable. 
Therefore, Turkey should refrain from siding with the status 
quo and instead encourage the change which in fact will 
serve Turkey's own interests." 
 
 
PEARSON