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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 002865 
 
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 
FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    -------------------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Oklahoma 1995, Bingol 2003: See any difference? - Hurriyet 
Earthquake not destiny, but theft allowed by state - Aksam 
Child killers in Bingol - Vatan 
Crooked contractors stole lives of children - Milliyet 
State, once again, under rubble - Aksam 
Boarding school of death - Sabah 
Scores of children under rubble - Turkiye 
Student (12): Please save my schoolmates - Sabah 
Greece sends aid again - Milliyet 
Aldonas: Turks will be denied Iraqi jobs a lie  - Hurriyet 
Bush show in USS Lincoln - Milliyet 
Turkish, Greek Cypriots celebrate May Day together - 
Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Murder, not earthquake - Cumhuriyet 
Earthquake shows organized political murder by politicians, 
contractors - Radikal 
8-year old: Why did our school collapse? - Zaman 
Who killed these children? - Yeni Safak 
Mothers mourning, children weeping in Bingol - Yeni Safak 
Our neighbor Greece extends a helping hand - Zaman 
Greece sends 300,000 Euro in disaster aid - Cumhuriyet 
Powell threatens Syria again - Yeni Safak 
Bush ends `hot conflict' - Radikal 
ONW ends - Radikal 
Bloody welcome for Powell in Israel: 18 dead - Zaman 
TGS: AKP deliberately stirs tension - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
U.S. $1 billion grant for Turkey tied to loyalty to IMF 
program - Dunya 
Turkish businessmen want Iraqi natural gas to flow to Europe 
via Turkey - Finansal Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Earthquake: An 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey's 
southeastern town of Bingol early Thursday, claiming 83 
lives and injuring 499, papers report.  At least 29 students 
are reported dead, and 98 are still under the rubble where a 
dormitory building housing primary school children 
collapsed.  Initial reports said cries of children could be 
heard from beneath the shattered masonry.  All dailies were 
in furious agreement that the high death toll was the 
outcome of a crime committed by `politicians, bureaucrats 
and contractors' who have allowed unlawful construction. 
"Radikal" says the boarding school was constructed as an 
`election bribe' in 1994.  "Hurriyet" compares the 
`contractor's crime' that killed many primary school 
children to the 1995 bomb attack in Oklahoma which has 
claimed 168 lives.  In a striking front page layout, the 
paper displays photos of rescuers carrying children out of 
the rubble of the Oklahoma attack and Bingol quake, 
stressing that the results have been exactly the same.  The 
paper also reminds that Timothy McVeigh was executed in the 
States two years ago.  The theme equates the 
contractors/politician with terrorists - same results. 
Greece has been among the first countries to extend a 
helping hand to Turkey by sending 300,000 Euros and a 25 
strong rescue team to Turkey, reports note.  Broadcasters 
said on Friday morning that Cochairman of Turkey, U.S. 
Caucus, Robert Wexler has applied to the Congress to 
consider disaster aid for Turkey. 
 
 
Iraq: Dailies echo President Bush's remarks announcing the 
`end of major conflicts,' and the `beginning of 
reconstruction' in Iraq.  Reports cite "Newsweek" that Bush 
was intending to assign former State Department official 
Paul Bremer, a close friend of Secretary Rumsfeld, to 
administer post-war Iraq.  Papers also quote U.S. Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce Grant Aldonas as denying reports that 
 
SIPDIS 
Turkish companies would be given no deals in Iraq's 
reconstruction.  Aldonas said Turkish firms offering 
suitable prices with high quality service guarantees would 
stand a chance to grab a share as subcontractors, papers 
note.  Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Treasury John Snow said 
the American grant of $1 billion for Turkey would be 
conditioned to Ankara's adherence to the IMF economic 
program.  Ankara prefers the grant to be freed of IMF 
conditions. 
 
 
Turkish giants hopeful of Iraqi market: Turkey's leading 
business group, Koc Holding Group of Companies' owner Rahmi 
Koc said U.S. and British giants would extend business 
opportunities to Turkish companies in reconstruction of 
Iraq, "Milliyet" says.  Koc said his group would get some 
construction jobs through its partner the British Balfour 
Beatty Co.  He added that Ezcacibasi Corp., Turkey's leading 
pharmaceutical  firm could sell medicine to Iraq at lower 
prices than U.S. and UK. Firms. 
 
 
U.S. Istanbul Consulate compound for lease: "Hurriyet" says 
that the U.S. Consulate building in Istanbul would be sold 
or rented after the Consulate staff moves to its newly built 
compound in Istinye.  There are many private companies and 
institutions interested in the historical complex, but 
contrary to press reports ("Milliyet" focusing on a group of 
anti-war intellectuals protesting accepting a donation from 
America in light of the looting of cultural treasures in 
Iraq) on Thursday, Americans were not planning to donate it 
to the Istanbul Arts and Culture Foundation, and that the 
decision would be made by the U.S. State Department, the 
paper underlines. 
 
 
ONW `nearing end': Operation Northern Watch (ONW) 
reconnaissance flights  operated from Incirlik AB to 
Northern Iraq since the First Gulf War in 1991.  ONW was 
"deactivated" with a ceremony held at the base on Thursday. 
In attendance were Turkey's Air Force Commander Gen. Cumhur 
Asparuk and U.S. EUCOM Vice Commander Gen. Charles Wald, 
"Radikal" reports.  Gen. Wald reportedly said 1400 of the 
14,500 troops will remain in the base, indicating Incirlik 
will go back to its pre-1991 status. 
 
 
`Kurds at the table, Turkomans excluded': "Cumhuriyet" 
reports that the Turkomans were left out of the group 
convoked by the U.S. in Baghdad to establish an interim 
government for Iraq.  Iraqi Turkoman Front (ITF) complained 
that the Turkoman have been offered one seat instead of the 
expected six at the committee set up for Kirkuk's 
administration.  Cumhuriyet worte that the ITC complained 
that Kurds have occupied many Turkoman zones including 
Kirkuk, attempting to annex it to the illegal Kurdish 
administration set up in Irbil and Sulaimanija. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
 
a) Middle East Roadmap 
b)   Restructuring Iraq 
 
 
"Middle East peace" 
Erdal Guven wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal (5/2): 
"The US is very determined not to see a repeat of any 9/11 
type events. Thus the roadmap for the Middle East is one of 
efforts to prevent this from happening.  The Bush 
administration formed a Palestine leadership, which is 
supposed to comprehend as well as implement the peace plan. 
The naming of a new Palestinian PM as well as the isolation 
of Arafat are all part of this effort. . However, Arafat's 
isolation is not sufficient to bring peace because there are 
some other important obstacles, such as Palestinian 
fundamentalist organizations and right wing Israeli 
political parties. . The concerned parties that are supposed 
to take action based on the roadmap are not providing strong 
hopes for the future either.  Mahmoud Abbas is regarded as a 
US puppet and is not viewed as a strong leader by the 
Palestinians.  As for Sharon, there is no need even to 
repeat the list of question marks about him. . The plan 
draws a basic framework, yet it fails to provide guidance 
for the settlement of the major issues, such as the 
Jerusalem issue, ultimate borders and the fate of 
Palestinian refugees.  The peace in the Middle East is once 
again is a very tough mission to accomplish." 
 
 
"What type of regime in Iraq?" 
Sami Kohen noted in mass appeal Milliyet (5/2): "As declared 
by President Bush, the military operation part of the Iraq 
war has ended.  It is now time to rebuild Iraq.  The US won 
this war rather easily. However as Americans also 
acknowledge, winning the peace might be a more difficult 
mission to achieve.  In this new period, the US has set 
three main targets for success.  The first is to establish 
peace and security in Iraq.  The second is to revitalize 
Iraq's economy and infrastructure.  The third is to 
revitalize Iraq's political system, in other words, to 
establish a democratic regime, which will unite the people 
of Iraq. . Regarding the very last part of the mission, 
which is the most difficult one, we keep hearing different 
tunes from the US officials.  Is Washington really going to 
accept an Islamic regime in Iraq if it turns out to be the 
choice of the masses?  That is the main issue to answer. 
Jay Garner is saying that the US will not impose any type of 
regime and will respect the people's decision.  However, 
some other US administration officials, including Secretary 
Rumsfeld, state that the US will not allow an Iranian style 
regime in Iraq." 
 
 
PEARSON