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 002898 
 
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, MAY 5, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    -------------------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
`Belated' condolences by President Bush - Hurriyet 
Earthquake victims, furious, clash with police - Hurriyet 
5/3 
Rumsfeld took a 4.5 hour rest in Incirlik AB - Hurriyet 
Rumsfeld stopped over Incirlik without a `Hello' to Ankara - 
Hurriyet 5/4 
Powell brings five conditions for Damascus - Aksam 
Bush: We'll eventually find Iraqi WMD - Sabah 
Iraqi Shiites: Americans must leave - Sabah 
U.S. to erase Iraq's international debt - Aksam 
A Turkish FM in Rhodes after 15 years - Turkiye 
EU signals 2004 for Turkey - Sabah 
Gul: Turkey might recognize Greek Cypriot administration - 
Milliyet 5/4 
Gul shook hands with Greek Cypriot counterpart - Aksam 5/4 
Blair's Iraq policy brings Labour defeat in local election - 
Vatan 5/3 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Washington closely follows Damascus - Zaman 
Powell: Syria closed some anti-Israeli groups' offices - 
Zaman 5/4 
Damascus gives a reluctant promise to Powell - Radikal 5/4 
36 Turkish firms to Iraq's rebuilding meeting in U.S. - 
Zaman 5/4 
Britain haven for fundamentalist terror - Cumhuriyet 
EU friendship in Mediterranean - Radikal 5/4 
Nicosia uneasy with Greek Cypriots flowing north - Radikal 
De Soto: I'm a true fan of Denktas - Zaman 
TOBB warns AKP for governance mistakes - Cumhuriyet 5/4 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Turkey can become distribution center for natural gas to 
Europe - Dunya 
IMF cripples Turkey's earthquake budget  - Finansal Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Bingol earthquake: Weekend papers praise the swift action 
taken by rescue teams in Bingol earthquake, but strongly 
criticize the government's inefficiency in crisis 
management.  The provincial governor was the focus of 
protests that turned into riots on Friday by locals 
complaining of slow food and tent distribution in the 
disaster area, papers report.  Officials stated that rescue 
operations in the wreckage have come to an end. The 
earthquake struck the eastern province of Bingol early on 
Thursday, killing at least 167, including 84 boys and one 
teacher at the state-run school.  The government promised a 
full investigation into allegations that the school 
dormitory had been shoddily built by corrupt contractors. 
Monday papers carry President Bush's earthquake message to 
Turkey, in which the President offered American nation's 
condolences and stressed that U.S. was ready to help Turkey 
by all means. 
 
 
Iraq: Sunday's "Hurriyet" says in a front-page commentary 
that Secretary Rumsfeld, after his thank-you visit to Gulf 
countries, changed planes at the Incirlik Air Base before 
proceeding to London.  Hurriyet notes that Rumsfeld, still 
angry with Ankara for parliamentary rejection of the March 1 
permission to deploy US ground troops in Turkey, has 
refrained from meeting with the Turkish officials.  The 
commentary sees serious trouble in U.S., Turkey relations, 
and emphasizes that the State Department was trying to 
balance the `emotional' reaction of the DOD.  A Monday op-ed 
in "Hurriyet" hopes that Washington will not start a `blood 
feud' over Ankara's refusal to open the Northern Front.  It 
also advises Turkey to implement `pragmatic policies' after 
the war, as has been seen in the changing attitude of 
France.  Foreign Minister Gul said to "Sabah" on the Greek 
island of Rhodes on Sunday that Secretary Rumsfeld had not 
called him while in Incirlik.  `However, our contacts with 
American officials continue,' Gul noted.  Monday's 
broadcasters report an ongoing debate between the `hawkish' 
Pentagon and `moderate' State Department regarding whether 
Turkish companies should be given a share from Iraq's 
rebuilding.  Sunday papers say Secretary Powell has softened 
his tone during his Syria visit, but urged President Assad 
to close the offices of fundamentalist, anti-Israeli terror 
groups in Damascus. 
 
 
Washington conference for rebuilding Iraq: 34 Turkish 
companies will participate in the strategic May 5 Washington 
meetings for the reconstruction of Iraq, weekend papers 
report.  Turkey's Union of Chambers (TOBB) and many 
construction firms are to join the meetings.  Local media 
reports that Turkish companies have technical equipment and 
price advantages in the international attempt for grabbing a 
share in Iraq's rebuilding. 
 
 
EU foreign ministers' Rhodes meeting: EU foreign ministers, 
among them the Turkish and Greek Cypriot ministers Gul and 
Yakovu, came together in the Greek island of Rhodes over the 
weekend.  Papers quote Gul voicing hope after the meetings 
that the EU accession talks with Turkey could be given a 
start in 2004.  Greek and Greek Cypriot foreign ministers 
Papandreou and Yakou gave a warm welcome to Gul.  The group 
made a boat tour to Turkey's coastal town of Kas on 
Saturday, winning applause from residents.  Papandreou and 
Gul said they had decided both states should simultaneously 
present the UN with accords they had ratified banning 
landmines on the border between the two countries, reports 
note.  "Our common borders must be respected, but they must 
be borders of peace and collaboration," Papandreou said. 
Gul urged the removal of international sanctions on Turkish 
Cypriots, and vowed for some new `openings' by Ankara, among 
them recognition of the Greek Cypriot state, Sunday papers 
report.  Papers hail the EU foreign ministers' `goodwill 
gesture' of coming to Kas, giving a message just before the 
tourism season that Turkey was a safe country. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
 
a) Middle East 
b) US-Turkey-Syria 
 
 
"The Roadmap" 
Soli Ozel wrote in mass appeal Sabah (5/4): "The roadmap did 
not receive opposition from the Palestinian side, yet Israel 
has already expressed reservations on 12 points and asked 
for US facilitative help on this.  . It is also a known fact 
that Ariel Sharon wants the possible Palestine state to only 
have 42 percent of the occupied lands.  The litmus test for 
the Middle East roadmap is whether or not the US is going to 
put pressure on Israel.  In case President Bush ignores the 
need for pressuring Israel on the eve of presidential 
elections, violence will continue to be the destiny of the 
region." 
 
 
"Ankara and Damascus" 
Yasemin Congar opined from Washington in mass appeal 
Milliyet (5/5): "Both the Ankara and Damascus visits by 
Secretary Powell have something in common:  They resulted 
 
SIPDIS 
from Powell's personal initiative and justification. 
Powell made the decision personally as well as suddenly, and 
he made all the efforts to persuade the administration of 
the urgency of the visits.  Powell managed to convince the 
White House, and thus the two visits took place.  However, 
signs from the Pentagon tell us that the US Defense side is 
not unhappy only about the Damascus visit, but the Ankara 
visit as well.  . When Secretary Powell visited Ankara, it 
was interpreted as a strong message to underline the US 
position on northern Iraq and to underline the bilateral 
ties with Turkey.  Yet the way the decision mechanism worked 
on the visit indicates that the Bush administration is still 
preserving a certain degree of disappointment.  Given that 
fact, one can understand even better the reason for 
Secretary Rumsfeld's avoiding contact with Ankara even 
 
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though he came to Incirlik airbase." 
 
 
PEARSON