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 002269
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
TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2003
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
-------
HEADLINES
MASS APPEAL
`Saddam myth' nearing end - Hurriyet
U.S. troops' `show of force' in the heart of Iraq - Aksam
Saddam's last days - Milliyet
U.S. troops' cigarette break in Saddam's palaces - Milliyet
Iraq's Information Minister As-Sahaf still `broadcasting
live' - Sabah
Civilians caught between two fires - Vatan
UN wants Iraqi oil revenues - Hurriyet
Wolfowitz: UN will have limited role in post-war Iraq -
Vatan
U.S. wants to try Saddam in U.S. and Iraq - Sabah
Wolfowitz: Syria helps Iraq - Turkiye
OPINION MAKERS
Century's disgrace: Mothers, children under fire -
Cumhuriyet
Invaders seize three presidential palaces in Baghdad -
Cumhuriyet
Americans settle in Baghdad - Radikal
Massacre in the heart of Baghdad - Yeni Safak
War of nerves in Baghdad - Yeni Safak
Americans' `show of force' in Baghdad of 6 m civilians -
Zaman
Blair, Bush disagree over UN role in post-war Iraq - Radikal
Syrian FM: Aftermath of Iraq war will bring chaos - Yeni
Safak
FINANCIAL JOURNALS
IMF's $4.2 billion `kiss of life' boosts markets - Dunya
AKP expected to replace Treasury U/S Oztrak - Finansal Forum
BRIEFING
Iraq: Mainstream papers believe the `myth of Saddam'
collapsed, and that the end of the Iraqi tyrant is near.
Saddam is said to have fled to his hometown Tikrit, thus
coalition forces are now headed there, papers say. Pro-
Islamic papers accuse Americans of `slaughtering' women and
children in Baghdad, and shooting at everything that moved.
"Zaman" accuses U.S. of making a `show of force' in a city
of six million civilians. Reports regard the Saddam statue
demolished by local people in Karbala, and U.S. troops
entering Saddam'a palaces as signs of psychological defeat
for the Iraqi regime. "Cumhuriyet" says that during the
Ankara visit of the Iranian Foreign Minister Kharrazi,
Turkey and Iran have agreed to stand against a sovereign
Kurdish state, and a post-war government manufactured by
foreign powers. Interests of neighboring countries should
be considered while Iraq's future is being restructured, the
two countries agreed. "Cumhuriyet" underlines the fact that
Ankara did not want to be seen forming a coalition with Iran
and Syria, and that Foreign Minister Gul would seek a
bilateral understanding with Syria during his visit to
Damascus on Sunday. Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shara told a
private Turkish TV channel on Monday that Rumsfeld and other
U.S. officials' allegations of the presence of WMD in Syria
were false. `They've invaded two-thirds of Iraq, but could
not find any WMD. Their accusation of Syria possessing WMD
is groundless, and indicate the mistake they've made in
Iraq,' Al-Shara said. Press commentaries are doubtful that
U.S. will fulfill its pledge to keep the Kurds away from
Mosul and Kirkuk, and draw attention to U.S. reluctance
about giving written guarantees. Foreign Minister Gul
denied on Monday reports about a Turkish dipnote to U.S. on
the issue. Dailies report talks between MFA and U.S. Ankara
Embassy continued regarding carriage of humanitarian aid and
logistical supply from Turkey to Northern Iraq, but that no
progress was recorded on the coordination mechanism for
monitoring developments in the region.
EDITORIAL OPINION: Post war scenarios
"Now the real war starts"
Serdar Turgut commented in mass appeal Aksam (4/8): "It
seems that the CIA's influence will prevail over the view of
other departments about Ahmad Chalabi. He will no longer be
viewed as the key figure in the restructuring of Iraq. In
the post-Saddam government, we should expect a group of
Americans serving as ministers in Iraq. The US is very
determined to implement its `new world order,' and the
formation of the new Iraqi government will demonstrate this
fact. According to the CIA, James Woolsey is the leading
name for the new Information Minister in Iraq. It is
interesting to see that certain elements within the
Washington administration do not even care about possible
uneasiness in the world concerning the appointment of a
former CIA chief as a minister in Iraq. . A recent report by
the Army War College clearly indicates that the US should
stay in the region for a long time in order to finish the
job. `Reconstructing Iraq: Insights, Challenges and the
Mission for Military Forces in a post-conflict scenario'
foresees no less than 135 major tasks to accomplish in Iraq
in the post-war period in order to prevent another crisis.
Turkey should be prepared for living with chaos in its
immediate neighborhood for a very long time."
"As Pandora's box opens"
Sedat Ergin wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (4/8): "The US
will eventually claim victory as expected, but the next
phase of the Iraq issue -- the restructuring -- will be even
more critical than the war itself. Iraq is made up of a
very complex set of ethnic groups and religious sects. We
cannot even give a precise figure of the ethnic diversity,
since there has been no census since 1985. . However, the
new Iraqi structure can only function if all of the Iraqi
elements reach a consensus. Yet finding a formula to
achieve such a consensus is certainly a very tough job. . It
is also possible to see many players assuming a role of
influence in the future Iraq, which could mean competition
and even conflict. . There is still a question yet to be
answered: To what extent will the people of Iraq accept the
US-imposed formula and move on with things? How will the
restructuring of Iraq be turned to the establishment of
democracy with political parties?"
PEARSON