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 003401 
 
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 23, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    -------------------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
UN decides U.S., UK to control Iraqi oil - Aksam 
Saddam gone, fighting in UN over - Aksam 
Chirac expected to attack Bush at G-8 Summit - Miliiyet 
U.S. kicks France out of Red Flag military exercise - Sabah 
Propaganda in Kurdish excluded from the EU package - 
Hurriyet 
Denktas: I'll never sign Annan's Cyprus plan - Hurriyet 
Cenbank could not halt diving Dollar - Vatan 
Greek Cypriots' Hagia Sophia joy - Milliyet 
Government: Everything's fine with IMF - Turkiye 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Sanctions lifted: U.S. can sell Iraqi oil as it pleased - 
Radikal 
UN endorses Iraq's occupation: Sanctions removed - 
Cumhuriyet 
U.S. Embassy: No hidden agreement on Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Government's EU reforms revolutionary - Yeni Safak 
Armenian Genocide bill to U.S. House - Zaman 
Greek Cypriots in Turkey after 40 years - Radikal 
Kazakhstan wants to get into BTC pipeline - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Diving Dollar deliberate U.S. policy to hurt Europe - 
Finansal Forum 
U.S. got it: Iraqi sanctions removed - Dunya 
Turkey, Kazakhstan 10-year economic cooperation agreement - 
Dunya 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Iraqi sanctions: U.S. has made various concession to France, 
Germany and Russia, and managed to get UN sanctions on Iraq 
lifted, dailies report, adding that Iraqi oil will soon 
begin to flow through the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline to 
Turkey.  Iraqi oil revenues previously controlled by the UN 
will be transferred to the Iraqi Development Fund, papers 
note.  Foreign Minister Gul hailed the `historic' decision 
adopted by the UN.  U.S. Ambassador to Ankara, Robert 
Pearson said on TV on Friday that it would be in Turkey's 
interest if Ankara pursued an Iraq policy parallel to the 
American one.  Ambassador Pearson stressed that Turkey would 
play a role in the U.S. projects of bringing democracy to 
Iraq, and peace to the Middle East.  Pearson reminded 
viewers that the U.S. has been working with Turkey to 
provide natural gas, food and water in Iraq's rebuilding 
process. Ambassador Pearson also noted that Iran and Syria 
should accept the new reality in Iraq. 
 
 
Iraq: U.S. Embassy Ankara has released a statement denying 
the former Prime Minister Ecevit's claim last week of a 
`hidden agreement' between the U.S. and Kurdish nationalists 
living outside Turkey, "Milliyet" reports.  The paper quote 
the press release as saying that the `U.S. has worked 
clearly and openly to ensure the maintenance of the 
territorial integrity of Iraq and will continue to do so,' 
the statement said.  "Radikal" notices a `slight 
improvement' in Turkey-U.S. ties as seen in the `first high- 
level visit' by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lynn 
Pascoe's meetings with the MFA and government officials on 
Thursday.  Pascoe has expressed disappointment with Turkey's 
reluctance to cooperate with the U.S. in war with Iraq. 
Turkish officials explained it as a by a `democratic reflex' 
of the regime, Radikal says.  A "Milliyet" op-ed believes 
Turkey's interests require good relations with the new Iraq 
and the Iraqi Kurds.  Bearing in mind the Arab region's 
enmity of Israel and the Jews, U.S. cannot discard Turkey, 
the commentator thinks.  The column also stresses that some 
`miscalculation' by Ankara had a damaging effect on Turkey, 
U.S. ties. 
 
 
EU reforms; IMF:  The latest EU harmonization laws reform 
package  brings some significant changes, papers report: The 
National Security Council (NSC) will not be represented any 
more in a censor's board checking the content of films and 
songs.  Article 8 of the Law on the Struggle Against 
Terrorism, which bans propaganda violating the integrity of 
the state, will be scrapped.  The European Court of Human 
Rights (ECHR) decisions will be taken into account as 
grounds for retrials, and the powers of State Security 
Courts (DGMs) will be curtailed.  However, some reforms 
considered earlier by the government are not included in the 
package: Propaganda in Kurdish will not be allowed during 
elections, and NSC will continue to be represented at the 
media watchdog Radio and Television High Council (RTUK), 
reports underline.  Meanwhile, State Minister Babacan said 
that completion of the fifth IMF review might be delayed due 
to the scheduled timetable of the Parliament.  The IMF team 
will leave Turkey on May 31, and IMF's Riza Moghadam is 
expected to replace Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen, papers 
report. 
 
 
Greek Cypriots visit Turkey after 40 years: A 40-year taboo 
ends and 270 Greek Cypriots on board six buses came through 
the Greek, Turkish border on Thursday to Istanbul after the 
GOT decision to allow Greek Cypriots into Turkey without 
visas, all dailies report.  Papers say Greek Cypriot 
visitors were surprised by the warm reception given to them 
in Turkey.  Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas said 
that the emerging oil pipelines from the Caucasus to Turkey 
have added to the geo-strategic importance of Cyprus, which, 
he believes, is a trump card in Turkey's hands.  Denktas 
claimed the UN plan for Cyprus was designed to provide 
legitimacy to the Greek Cypriots' EU accession, and that he 
would never sign it. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Genocide resolution on the Congressional 
agenda 
"A litmus test at the Congress for Turkish-American 
Friendship" 
Fatih Altayli warns against the Judiciary Committee-approved 
resolution in mass appeal Hurriyet (5/23): "The US House of 
Representatives is being manipulated by the Armenian lobby. 
The recent draft resolution, which was sent to the floor, is 
skillfully crafted to disguise the real goal: to have the US 
Congress approve the Armenian genocide claims. .  Turkish- 
American relations have gone through a similar case during 
the Clinton era.  It was the time of much better relations 
between the two countries, and Clinton intervened at the 
last minute to prevent a similar resolution from adopted by 
the Congress.  It remains to be seen whether President Bush 
is going to take the same move this time.  It is also 
possible President Bush might use the same argument, just 
like the Turkish leaders Gul and Erdogan did during the 
parliamentary rejection of the motion on the Iraq war, i.e. 
"such things happen in a functioning democracy".  . Thus the 
whole issue will be like a litmus test vis--vis the Turkish- 
American relationship and its future prospects." 
 
 
"Turkey needs the Pentagon's support" 
Zeynep Gurcanli wrote in tabloid Star (5/23): "The draft at 
the Congressional agenda has a reference to the genocide 
against Jews, therefore the Jewish lobby did not take any 
action in support of Turkey.  State Department tried to 
block the draft or at least to omit the expression `Armenian 
genocide' yet failed.  In the past, a similar draft was 
prevented from receiving Congressional approval following 
the Pentagon's intervention.  At that time, the Pentagon 
listed the facts about military sales to Turkey and used 
this argument before the congressmen by underlying that the 
US should avoid moves that could harm its loyal ally. . 
However, the basis for this argument has collapsed when the 
motion allowing US troops in Turkey was rejected by the 
Turkish Parliament. The hawks in the Pentagon were deeply 
disappointed with the attitude of Turkey.  For this reason, 
Turkey will now be deprived of Pentagon support in a very 
critical time.  And the fact of the matter is that for 
Turkey there will be very hard times ahead if they must deal 
with mojor issues in the absence of Pentagon's support." 
 
 
PEARSON