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Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report

Published: Fri 10 Oct 2003 02:05 PM
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
101405Z Oct 03
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006385
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, OCTOBER 10, 2003
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER
THREE THEMES:
HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
HEADLINES
MASS APPEAL
Mayor of Fallujah vows to resist Turks in Iraq -
Millliyet
U.S. confident it can convince IGC on Turkish
peacekeepers - Sabah
Barzani warns of civil war if Kurds' denied a
federation - Hurriyet
Turkey prefers north of Baghdad for peacekeeping -
Turkiye
U.S. delegations in Ankara to thank GOT - Milliyet
Greece, Turkey cancel military exercises - Hurriyet
OPINION MAKERS
Fallujah objects to Turkish troops- Radikal
Barzani warns U.S., Turkey - Cumhuriyet
Erdogan: We're not going to Iraq as police force -
Cumhuriyet
Iraqi FM Zebari: Turkish troops to be deployed away
from Kurds - Yeni Safak
Suicide attack on Iraqi police - Radikal
U.S. can't break IGC resistance against Turkish troops
- Zaman
Suicide attack rocks Baghdad: 10 dead - Zaman
Gul, Papandreou announce cancellation of military
exercises - Cumhuriyet
BRIEFING
Turkish peacekeepers to Iraq: In an effort to bypass
the Kurdish region controlled by the KDP for passage of
Turkish troops into Iraq, Ankara wants to open a new
border crossing in Ovakoy, southeast of the Habur gate.
Ovakoy is 15 km away from the Habur border crossing and
12 km away from Silopi, where Ankara is planning to set
up a military logistics center. The U.S. Ambassador to
Ankara, Eric Edelman, and MFA U/S Ambassador Ugur Ziyal
discussed the issue on Thursday. The U.S. is positive
about the new Turkish initiative, "Hurriyet" claims.
If Ovakoy is opened, Turkish troops will use the Fays
Khabur-Ain Zallah-Mosul route to reach their
destination in the Sunni zone of Iraq.
Security in Iraq: Papers note the increasing terrorist
attacks against civilian figures in Iraq, including the
assassination of a Spanish diplomat yesterday. Anti-
Turkish sentiment within Iraqi Kurdish groups continues
as well, as expressed most recently in a statement by
KDP leader Barzani. Papers note that not only Kurdish
figures, but also others in the Iraqi Governing Council
do not want the Turkish army to be in charge anywhere
in Iraq. These reports, however, were combined with
reports of U.S. assurances by Secretary Rumsfeld and
Secretary Powell that the Iraqis can be persuaded on
SIPDIS
the need for Turkish troops.
Congressional Delegations in Ankara: Papers and
television stations carried the visits to Ankara by two
Congressional delegations. Reports highlighted the
visits of delegations headed by Congressmen Saxton and
Senator McConnell, describing them as "the first
contact with Washington following the parliamentary
authorization for the deployment of Turkish troops in
Iraq."
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq-Turkish forces to Iraq
"The Difficult Thing in Iraq"
Hasan Cemal commented in the mass appeal "Milliyet" :
"Stability and order in Iraq is something that Turkey,
Iraq, and the Middle East all need. Could Arabs
possibly say otherwise? Could the Kurds want chaos in
Iraq? I don't think so. No one benefits from chaos --
neither Arabs nor Kurds. It is possible that their
historical memory may disturb Arabs. However, what is
important here is to establish order and the stability
in Iraq as soon as possible, and for Turkey to play a
constructive role in this process. Iraq is important
for Turkey and Turkey is important for Iraq. A new
Iraq means an end to occupation and the development of
an independent, sovereign, peaceful neighbor with its
own natural resources -- a stable Iraq open to
democracy. This will open a new door. Now Turkey has
the key to this door in its hand. Turkey must use this
key carefully, without antagonizing the Arabs or the
Kurds. Turkey must see the complete picture, the
greater Middle East, and the sensitivity on the issue
of coordination with the US. It must consider the
balances between the US and the EU in a way that will
give some meaning to its own geopolitical position, and
then use this key. The motion passed the parliament
easily. However, things are more difficult now, and
the situation requires more skill."
EDELMAN
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