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 003052 
 
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 9, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    -------------------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
U.S.: We are hurt. However, we will continue to cooperate- 
Hurriyet 
Bush gives guarantee to Sezer for Iraq's Integrity-Hurriyet 
U.S. is against PKK-Kadek-Hurriyet 
Defense Minister Gonul criticizes Military for AWACS sale- 
Aksam 
The New PKK Step-Sabah 
Denktas: We will explain the situation to Erdogan today- 
Sabah 
Defense Minister Gonul: If the Military did not want it, 
AWACS would not be purchased-Milliyet 
Integrity promise from Bush to Sezer-Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Powell: Turkey was not asked to apologise-Radikal 
A Heavy Cyprus Agenda for Erdogan-Radikal 
Advise to AKP from IMF-Radikal 
AWACS crisis between the government and the TGS-Cumhuriyet 
Perle speaks like Wolfowitz-Yeni Safak 
Amb.Pearson: Turkish-U.S. relations need mending-Zaman 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Perle: Inexperienced government in Turkey is the cause of 
the crisis-Finansal Forum 
Erdogan: IMF trusts our determination-Dunya 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Turkey-U.S.A Relations:  After the harsh criticizes of A/S 
Wolfowitz and U/S Grossman, more criticism comes from the 
former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle, today's papers 
report.  Speaking at `Forum Istanbul 2003', Perle stressed 
that Turkey missed big opportunities in Iraq and the 
relations between Turkey and the US was damaged but 
continues.  Mending Turco-American bilateral ties depended 
on Turkey's cooperation on Syria and Iran policy.  "Zaman" 
reports that US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher 
in turn stressed that Richard Perle is a private citizen and 
he does not speak for the U.S. Government.  "Zaman" also 
reports (inaccurately - Ed.)US Ambassador Robert Pearson 
saying that `the ties between Turkey and the US would not be 
the same anymore after the crisis faced during the Iraq war. 
The article further alleges that the Ambassador said that 
Turkey had disappointed the US with its stance during the 
war and that relations between the two countries needed 
mending.'  "Hurriyet" and "Milliyet" report that President 
Bush, in order to ease the tension between the two 
countries, gave a guarantee to President Sezer on Iraq's 
integrity, during his condolence call after the Bingol 
earthquake. 
 
 
PKK: "Sabah" reports that Turkey and the US decide to take 
new steps against the PKK.  While US issues a call to 
surrender to PKK militants, Turkey, as it was discussed at 
the last NSC meeting, debates on a "repentance plan" 
(limited amnesty) for PKK militants.  "Hurriyet" columnist 
Sedat Ergin writes that `The PKK-KADEK is in the US' 
terrorist organizations list, among others.  He adds that if 
Turkey had not rejected the motion for cooperation with the 
US, Turkish army would be given the right to fight against 
PKK in Northern Iraq.  The refusal of the motion left the 
control of 5.000 PKK-KADEK militants to fellow Kurds, 
Barzani and Talabani.  It is clear that Turkey has not given 
any intelligence reports to the US about the PKK and the 
Turkish side complains that so far US had given Ankara no 
details about its plan on this issue.  The US might issue a 
call for surrender to the militants, and Turkey might pass 
the repentance law.  In this case PKK militants will have to 
choose between taking advantage of the repentance law and 
incurring US reactions. The PKK-KADEK issue will become a 
new test for Turco-American relations.  Mass appeal 
Milliyet's Fikret Bila noted the intention as well as the 
efforts for alternate solutions to the PKK/KADEK issue, in 
Turkey's military and civilian authority.  One of the ideas 
is to announce a `repentance law' to have the PKK militants 
to put down their arms and give in. 
 
 
AWACS: All papers report that Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul 
denied the press reports that Turkey had bought AWACS just 
to please US.  He said that the government had decided to 
approve the purchase because the General Staff had indicated 
that it needed the AWACS systems. 
 
 
IMF:  "Radikal" covers the meetings with IMF deputy director 
Ann Krueger and the Turkish government officials.  Krueger 
warned the officials on two issues; the money collected in a 
recent tax amnesty campaign has to be used for debt 
repayments and Turkey should avoid the changes in the public 
tender law.  Krueger warned the government against the 
bureaucratic reshuffle and added that the government should 
carry out reforms in social security. 
 
 
Cyprus:  All papers and TV channels cover Prime Minister 
Erdogan's visit to Cyprus today.  He is expected to 
undertake new moves on the Cyprus issue.  "Zaman" describes 
the visit as "critical" and NTV reports that Erdogan's visit 
can trigger the tensions with TRNC President Denktas by 
issuing a message for resuming Cyprus talks. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  US-Turkey 
 
 
"Wolfowitz pushed the heads out of the sand" 
Mass appeal daily Hurriyet's Fatih Altayli notes that 
Wolfowitz was forced to be blunt on Turkey (5/9): "Both the 
Wolfowitz and Grossman remarks came as no surprise.  These 
views reflect the press commentaries in the near past 
because, from the very beginning, Americans did not conceal 
their thoughts.  The comments were  necessary for putting 
the bilateral relations back into track.  Yet the Turkish 
side deliberately ignored or avoided the facts.  Foreign 
Minister Gul, for instance, did nothing but repeat the same 
line as `our relations with the US are going well.'  When 
pressed, he acknowledged the differences about Turkey within 
Pentagon and State Department, but he ended his statement 
with an optimistic tone.  Now Wolfowitz is applying `shock 
therapy' in order to stop the never-ending `putting heads in 
the sand' policy." 
 
 
"The way to repair the damage" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (5/9): "Both sides 
have made mistakes in the course of the Iraq war.  And it 
should be for the experts and concerned officials to work on 
the mistakes and make sure they will not happen again.  Yet 
in the meantime, both sides should refrain from making 
provocative remarks and sending messages via the media.  If 
this happens to be the case, then the damage will be easier 
to repair. . The way out of the crisis is to take lessons 
from the past and move on together. . There are some areas, 
which make the cooperation easy, such as Iraq's economic 
restructuring.  Yet there are some other areas, which seem 
to be tough on reaching consensus, such as policies on Syria 
and Iran.  The best way is, regardless of tough or easy 
issues, to ensure a good way of communication.  And it is 
better to discuss projects rather than focusing on polemical 
rhetoric." 
 
 
"Turkey has to decide" 
Erdal Guven argued in liberal-intellectual Radikal (5/9): 
"There is no need to fool ourselves.  Turkey has never been 
a strategic partner of the US in genuine terms.  The US has 
two strategic partners, UK and Israel, and that's all. . 
This does not necessarily mean that the US cannot engage in 
strategic cooperation or cannot form strategic alliances 
with the others, including Turkey.  A strategic alliance 
with Turkey is regional and multi-faceted.  But the Iraq 
issue caused mistrust, and the bilateral relations are going 
through a trust test right now. . Actually Wolfowitz is 
clearly telling us that `you have made a mistake but it can 
be made up.'  Thus the decision is to us." 
 
 
PEARSON