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 003257 
 
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 16, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    -------------------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Springtime again in Turkey, U.S. relations - Turkiye 
Bush vows support for Cyprus, Erdogan for Israel - Sabah 
EU sanctions on TRNC to be removed - Hurriyet 
Athens, Ankara cooperation to lift sanctions on TRNC - Aksam 
Verheugen: 2007 not likely for Turkey's EU accession - Vatan 
Videotape shows execution with bomb in Saddam's Iraq - 
Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
U.S. issues warm messages for Turkey - Radikal 
U.S. has warned Saudis beforehand - Radikal 
Rumsfeld: Al-Qaida in Iran - Cumhuriyet 
Shiites rally against U.S. in Baghdad - Yeni Safak 
Mass grave of thousands of Kurds near Baghdad - Cumhuriyet 
U.S.: PKK terror not our priority - Cumhuriyet 
Israel unhappy with Mideast roadmap - Zaman 
Putin considers amnesty for Chechen fighters - Zaman 
Parliament of Europe to increase financial aid to Turkey's 
Human Rights Assoc. - Zaman 
Greek tourists to Turkey increase by 42 percent - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
TOBB: Turkish Trade Center in Washington this year - 
Finansal Forum 
Turkey insists on QIZ with U.S. - Dunya 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
U.S. -Turkey ties warming: Dailies believe strain between 
U.S. and Turkey to be gradually reduced, particularly after 
the `warm' exchange of messages between President Bush and 
Prime Minister Erdogan.  The Turkish leader called the 
President the other day to offer condolences for the Riyadh 
bombings. According to all papers Bush said that the U.S. 
would cooperate with Turkey in Iraq's rebuilding and asked 
for support for the Mideast road map, while Erdogan, 
agreeing, vowed to send Foreign Minister Gul to Israel.  The 
rapprochement was further strengthened when National 
Security Advisor Rice stressed the strategic alliance 
between the two countries, reports note.  U.S. officials 
bear in mind Turkey's concern over the security situation in 
Northern Iraq, and vowed to eliminate the terrorist threat 
in the region.  Nevertheless, papers report that the U.S. 
has told Ankara that the struggle against PKK/KADEK terror 
was not among immediate American priorities.  Meanwhile, 
"Yeni Safak" reports Deputy SecDefense Wolfowitz would pay a 
`make up' visit to Turkish peacekeeping troops during his 
trip to Bosnia Herzegovina on Friday. 
Deputy Treasury Secretary John Taylor: Most dailies and TV 
news report that Deputy Secretary of Treasury Taylor said 
that negotiation over the $1 billion grant for Turkey will 
be discussed immediately after the conclusion of the 5th IMF 
review.  Taylor noted Turkey's situation would be taken up 
at the upcoming G-8 finance ministers' meeting in France. 
Taylor is reported to have said that Iraq's reconstruction 
process will create job opportunities for Turkish 
companies,. 
 
 
Minister Babacan to Bilderberg meetings: "Hurriyet" reports 
State Minister for economy, Ali Babacan would attend the 
Bilderberg meetings in Paris on Friday.  The paper reminds 
readers that Islamists have always fired strong criticism at 
political figures such as ANAP's former leader Mesut Yilmaz 
and social democrat Erdal Inonu participating at the `summit 
of Zionists.'  Paul Wolfowitz will be the `surprise' guest 
at the meetings, according to Hurriyet.  Meanwhile, the 
ruling AKP deputies and cabinet members will gather at a 
resort in Antalya on Friday for a three-day consultation 
process before the party congress in August, papers report. 
Commentators point to growing disagreement among the members 
of AKP, which they regard as a `patchwork' instead of a 
disciplined political party.  On the other hand, papers 
report Foreign Minister Gul as saying that AKP would apply 
for membership to the Christian Democrat Party's wing of the 
Parliament of Europe (ironic for an "Islamist" party). 
 
 
Edelman  - U.S. envoy to Ankara: A "Sabah" editorial says 
Eric Edelman, advisor to Dick Cheney, and an expert on the 
Middle East and Russia, will be assigned as U.S. Ambassador 
to Ankara later this summer.  Edelman is among the 
`Preventive War' theoreticians like Wolfowitz and Khalilzad. 
The article opines that Washington is sending a `hawk' to 
Ankara to contribute to the restructuring of the Middle 
East. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
a) Aftermath of Riyadh Bombings 
b) Turkish-Kurdish Issues 
 
 
"Return of Al Qaida" 
Erdal Guven commented in liberal-intellectual Radikal 
(5/16): "Despite all the indications and speculations about 
`Al Qaida is finished', the recent Riyadh bombings seems to 
prove what American expert Peter Bergen was saying.  Bergen, 
a known Al Qaida expert believes that the organization is 
more of an ideology than a network.  . Al Qaida is not only 
targeting the US, but also the pro-American regimes in the 
region.  Thus it comes as no surprise that Saudi Arabia 
becomes a frequent target. . There is a lesson to learn from 
the Riyadh bombings. Al Qaida, as an ideology, is not going 
to be flexible in negotiation, for making concessions or 
reconciliation.  Yet the antidote for Al Qaida will come 
through the rapid implementation of political, economic and 
social reforms in all of the Arab regimes, particularly the 
Saudi regime. Otherwise the termionation of Al Qaida will 
remain an impossible goal. . In the meantime, the big 
picture, i.e. Palestine-Israel issue, must not be ignored. 
If the issue remains unsettled, we will see the return of Al 
Qaida many times." 
"Cold war in northern Iraq" 
Zeynep Gurcanli noted in tabloid Star (5/16): "Washington 
stated the need for humanitarian aid in Iraq and invited 
Turkish NGOs to become involved.  Ankara welcomed this 
message and began working for cooperation with the US. 
However, the Kurdish groups in northern Iraq are very much 
occupied in finding ways of getting Turkey out of the area. 
The Kurdish Parliament in the area recently adopted a 
decision to call for the dissolution of the `Peace 
Monitoring Force' which protected Kurdish groups since 1996. 
. This group was initiated by Turkey and kept 800 Turkish 
soldiers on duty.  Assyrians and Turkomans also served in 
this group.  It remains to be seen what would be 
Washington's reaction to this unanimous decision by the 
Kurdish parliament.  At the moment, Ankara is asking 
Washington for the continuation of the mission, while the 
Kurdish groups are pressuring for the dissolution.   It 
seems the `cold war' in northern Iraq is to continue, at 
least for the foreseeable future." 
 
 
PEARSON