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 002568 
 
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 
MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    -------------------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
FM Gul: Turkey ready to contribute to peacekeeping in Iraq - 
Hurriyet 
Talabani: No pressure on Turkomen - Milliyet 
NYT: U.S. to establish four bases in Iraq - Sabah 
Pentagon: Iraq to replace Incirlik - Vatan 
Bush: Syria got the message - Turkiye 
Simitis to Ankara: Choose Cyprus or the EU - Hurriyet 4/20 
Simitis: Time not on Turkey's side - Milliyet 4/20 
Simitis: Annan plan a common ground for Cyprus solution - 
Sabah 4/20 
Simitis' `Enosis' gaffe - Vatan 4/20 
Gul: Enosis aspiration proves our doubts - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
U.S., EU companies line up for Iraq contracts - Cumhuriyet 
Saudi Arabia: Invaders must not use Iraqi oil - Cumhuriyet 
4/20 
U.S. looking to market Iraqi oil via Israel - Radikal 
Labor MPs to Blair: Where are WMD? - Zaman 4/20 
Sunnis, Shiites protest U.S., Saddam in Baghdad - Radikal 
4/20 
`Liberated' Sunnis, Shiites furious at U.S. - Radikal 4/19 
Baghdadians: No to U.S., Yes to Sharia - Milliyet 4/19 
Looting continues in Baghdad - Cumhuriyet 4/19 
Turkomen: Ankara prevented Kurds from massacring us -- Zaman 
Gul: Enosis remarks won't help peace - Yeni  Safak 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Babacan: Foreign investors interested in Turkey - Dunya 
Ankara to provide loan for Turkish Cypriot entrepreneurs - 
Finansal Forum 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Iraq: Foreign Minister Gul said that Ankara will react 
positively to a U.S. call for cooperation in the 
reconstruction of Iraq, and was ready to contribute to 
international peacekeeping efforts by deploying troops in 
the region, papers report.  Foreign ministers of Iraq's 
neighbors met at a summit meeting in Riyadh.  The final 
declaration of the summit, which originally carried strongly- 
worded accusations against the U.S. and UK, was softened 
through Foreign Minister Gul's efforts.  Iran was the only 
regional country to support Turkey's thesis for the 
establishment of a democratic regime in Iraq.  The summit 
declaration urged coalition forces to leave Iraq as soon as 
possible.  Gul reportedly said he has received a message in 
support of the meeting from Secretary Powell.  Monday's 
papers report that access to Kirkuk is still controlled by 
PUK peshmerges, who force Arabs out of their homes to 
facilitate the return of Kurds.  Prime Minister Erdogan said 
on Sunday that he saw no negative development in Northern 
Iraq regarding Turkey's `red lines.'  PUK leader Talabani 
denied reports of atrocities against the Turkomen, and said 
he had informed Turkish liaison officers in the region about 
the good relations between Kurds and Turks.  Talabani 
claimed that the Turkomen Front could not get even ten 
percent of the vote in an election in Kirkuk, a town of 
700,000.  The U.S. will close its bases in Saudi Arabia and 
move troops from bases in Saudi Arabia and Turkey to four 
new airbases in Iraq, Monday papers report.  Commentators 
speculate that the significance of Incirlik airbase is 
gradually fading for the U.S.. 
 
 
Cyprus: Greek Prime Minister Simitis said during his visit 
to the Greek Cypriot sector that Greece has reached its goal 
of `Enosis' (integration between Cyprus and Greece) goal. 
Foreign Minister Gul said such remarks, if they were really 
said, were verification of Turkey's worries about Cyprus. 
Weekend papers cover in detail Simitis' visit to the Greek 
Cypriot sector.  Simitis was the first Greek head of 
government to visit Cyprus since 1974.  Addressing the Greek 
Cypriot parliament, Simitis said that Greeks and Turks on 
Cyprus should join the EU together, which, he believes, 
would lead to drastic changes in Greek-Turkish relations. 
Athens has abandoned its policy of blocking Turkey's EU 
membership drive, and Ankara should respond to this gesture 
by recognizing Southern Cyprus.  Simitis also reportedly 
issued a warning that Turkey would have to choose between EU 
membership and Cyprus.  Simitis later held a meeting with 
Turkish Cypriot opposition leaders, who reportedly told 
Simitis that the Annan plan for Cyprus should be preserved 
as a ground for solution efforts.  Sunday's papers speculate 
that the meeting was the initial move in an effort to 
discard Denktas. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Rebuilding Iraq 
 
 
"Turkey's share" 
Asli Aydintasbas wrote from Washington in mass appeal Sabah 
(4/21): "According to US officials, Turkey will have very 
good opportunities in the Iraqi rebuilding process, 
particularly in the construction and food sectors.  It seems 
that the Washington administration now has begun to focus on 
the rebuilding program, and Turkey will be one of the main 
countries to benefit from this process. . While the plans 
for Iraqi rebuilding are underway, the Bush administration 
has also decided to close the `Syria file' after issuing 
strong warnings to Damascus.  A source close to the 
Washington administration said that `the message was well 
taken' by Syrian authorities.  . It seems that the Syrian 
administration reaffirmed its cooperation with the US, and 
declared that it is not going to become a haven for former 
members of Saddam's regime. Therefore, Washington has closed 
the file at least for the time being, which also ended 
concerns in both the Arab world and Europe that Syria was to 
be the next on the list." 
 
 
"Things for the US to accomplish in Iraq" 
Fikret Bila wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (4/19): "Toppling 
Saddam's regime is a mission accomplished for the coalition. 
However, the demonstrations after Friday prayers show that 
the serious mission is about to begin, and the US is not 
very sure how to replace the regime.  With the exception of 
Kurdish groups, there is no social or political movement in 
Iraq that supports the invasion. . The people of Iraq are 
certainly happy to see that the regime is gone, but will not 
be happy about a puppet regime manipulated by the US.  The 
US is not going to be successful if it takes only Kurds into 
the reshaping of Iraq's political structure. The Washington 
administration seems to realize this fact.  On the other 
hand, US and UK forces can only pursue power via weapons, 
and it looks as if eventually there will be a new Iraqi 
regime established by the use of force.  This is because 
going to elections at this early stage would be a pointless 
effort.  The war for the US has now moved to the political 
front, which is tougher than the military action itself." 
 
 
 
 
PEARSON