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Viewing cable 03ANKARA3011, ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
03ANKARA3011 2003-05-08 11:59 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 003011 
 
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 
THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2003 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                    -------------------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Grossman: Turkey must decide, choose its side - Aksam 
`Hawkish' remarks from `dove' Grossman - Aksam 
U.S. bombs again: Turkey assumed airs - Turkiye 
Minister Cicek: U.S. should look at own mistakes - Sabah 
General Buyukanit: I can't understand Wolfowitz - Vatan 
TGS gives democracy lesson to Wolfowitz - Hurriyet 
Powell: Our friendship w/ Turkey will continue - Hurriyet 
Gen. Myers calls Gen. Ozkok: Leave the PKK to us - Milliyet 
`Hawk' diplomat Bremer to Iraq - Hurriyet 
Radical Shiite: U.S. must leave now, or driven out - 
Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Grossman goes blunt: Can't act as if nothing happened - 
Radikal 
Grossman supports Wolfowitz - Zaman 
American hawks, arrogant cowboys - Yeni Safak 
Government, military react to Wolfowitz - Zaman 
Gul: Forget the past, let's look at the future - Yeni Safak 
Baykal: Wolfowitz has gone too far - Cumhuriyet 
Gen. Buyukanit: We will not withdraw from N. Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
Bremer to administer Iraq - Radikal 
KDP invites Ankara to open consulate in Irbil - Zaman 
Erdogan to meet w/ Greek Cypriot leaders in Cyprus - Radikal 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Romania wants partnership w/ Turkey in Iraq - Dunya 
Greek Ambassador urges Turkish, Greek businessmen for joint 
effort in Iraq - Finansal Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Ankara's reaction to Wolfowitz remarks: Prime Minister 
Erdogan is quopted in all papers saying that he doesn't 
agree with Paul Wolfowitz that Turkey has made mistakes. 
Erdogan said Turkey expected no reward from anybody during 
the Iraq crisis, and stressed that there had been no 
disagreement between political decision makers in Ankara. 
Opposition party CHP's leader Baykal calls Wolfowitz unfair 
for criticizing the Turkish military leadership, and 
believes that the assessment reflected Wolfowitz's `personal 
disappointment.'  Foreign Minister Gul said that America's 
regarding Turkey as a mere aircraft carrier was wrong. 
Justice Minister Cicek (spokesman for the government) 
reminded the U.S. that it has not always fulfilled its 
pledges to Turkey, as lately seen in the First Gulf war. 
Dailies agree that Wolfowitz's assessment has drawn strong 
reaction from the government and military.  Second Chief of 
Staff, General Buyukanit said that military intervention in 
support of motions submitted to the parliament was against 
democratic practice.  Air Force Commander General Asparuk 
said the Incirlik AB was still active, and that closure was 
not on the agenda. 
 
 
Grossman: Reporting on a second CNN-Turk interview in 
Washington in two days, all papers write that "the 
Washington Administration's dove", U/S Grossman,  made a 
statement parallel to Wolfowitz's.  Grossman said that the 
U.S. did not cut ties with Ankara, but that the words of 
Wolfowitz, a friend of Turkey, must be taken into 
consideration.  `Turks believed that the U.S. would not be 
able to fight without them.  Maybe we should have explained 
better that that was not the case,' Grossman said.  Accounts 
in all papers noted Grossman's stressing that Washington now 
would look to see Ankara's support for the overall U.S. 
activities in Iraq.  Turkey must facilitate the passage and 
mission of NGOs and other organizations in Northern Iraq, 
and support U.S. troops in the region.  The U.S. will 
continue supporting Turkey's EU membership, Grossman said, 
and added that Washington wanted to continue exchange of 
views with Turkey regarding Central Asia, Iraq, and the 
region. 
 
 
Mainstream papers say that the `dove' ,Grossman, has echoed 
the views of `hawk' Wolfowitz.  Islamist "Yeni Safak," close 
to the ruling AKP, denounces on front page the `arrogant 
cowboys' for criticizing the peace-oriented policy pursued 
by Turkey.  "Turkiye" regards such exchange of messages 
between U.S. and Turkey as a `duel,' and believes Washington 
will take revenge by excluding Ankara from Iraq's rebuilding 
process.  A "Milliyet" column quotes Foreign Minister Gul as 
saying that Americans should respect democratically have 
taken its decisions, and that secret documents in state 
archives proved the extent of Turkish support to the U.S. 
during the Iraq campaign.  Gul stressed that Ankara has 
always attributed primary significance to ties with the U.S. 
`Wolfowitz and Grossman are friends of Turkey in Washington. 
We understand their disappointment, and we will see that it 
is removed,' Gul noted. 
 
 
IMF's Krueger in Ankara: IMF First Deputy Director Anne 
Krueger, in Ankara for meetings with economy officials, has 
conveyed to Deputy Prime Minister Abdllatif Sener the IMF's 
worry with the amnesty for electricity debts, social 
security fees, and diesel subventions.  Sener defended the 
implementation by saying that they had declared no amnesty, 
but had just made new regulations for restructuring debt 
payments.  Krueger noted that the fifth IMF inspection 
scheduled to begin on May 21 was very important for the 
credibility of Turkey. She urged Turkey to carry out all 
pledges listed in the letter of intent.  Finance Minister 
Kemal Unakitain voiced reaction to IMF criticism, saying 
that revenues raised by the government in the tax amnesty 
were much above the expectations of IMF.  Krueger said that 
the government could reach the target of 5 percent growth 
and 20 percent inflation by sticking to the IMF-backed 
economic stabilization program. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
US-Turkey (Wolfowitz and Grossman remarks) 
 
 
"The meaning of Wolfowitz remarks" 
Cengiz Candar, who conducted the interview, wrote in 
conservative "Dunden Bugune-Tercuman" (5/8): "The reactions 
coming from the AKP leadership against the Wolfowitz 
comments are far from realistic.  PM Erdogan's response, for 
instance, contains no truth at all.  Seeing the AKP refusing 
to admit all of the bargains with the US during the process, 
one wonders if they are actually coming from `another 
planet.'  . Turkey failed to evaluate the post September 11 
situation and could not make the policy adjustments.  This 
is exactly what Wolfowitz is telling us now by calling on 
Turkey to change its paradigms.  Yet it seems none of the 
Turkish leaders, including the president and the opposition, 
are getting this message right." 
 
 
"That is the US" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (5/8): "It might be 
bitter in tone, but the Wolfowitz remarks -from one of the 
pro-Turkey figures in the US administration along with 
Grossman- as well as his messages should be taken seriously 
and evaluated in a cold-blooded manner. . Wolfowitz is 
asking Turkey to admit its mistakes and act accordingly. 
This may sound offensive but it does not mean asking Turkey 
to stand before the cameras and apologize.  The advice to 
Ankara is to evaluate the situation, to note the areas and 
institutions where the mistakes have been made, and revise 
its policies accordingly. . There are some points in the 
Wolfowitz remarks, which deserve criticism as well.  Such 
issues should be discussed via diplomacy rather than press. 
On this matter, we gladly note the mature and calm remarks 
from FM Gul.  We wish the other Turkish officials were 
acting in the same fashion." 
 
 
"Reaction in the Mediterranean fashion" 
Ertugrul Ozkok wrote in mass appeal Hurriyet (5/8): "Turkey 
acted with its emotions rather than intellect on the Iraq 
war, and it was a mistake.  What we see now with both the 
Grossman and Wolfowitz remarks is no different than Turkey's 
stance, because they are not talking with their minds but 
talking with their emotions.  In other words, the Americans 
too are acting like Mediterraneans.  I think both Turkish 
and American approaches are wrong in that sense." 
 
 
"Apology!" 
Fehmi Koru argued in Islamic-intellectual Yeni Safak (5/8): 
"What we have been saying about the intentions of the war- 
mongering lobby in Washington is now happening.  The US 
watched all the looters, but protected only the Ministry of 
Oil for instance.  The hawks have started threatening Syria 
just as we predicted earlier.  . now the hawks are asking 
Turkey to apologize.  In fact, they are the very ones 
responsible for starting an illegitimate war with 
imperialistic aims and oil interests.  It is they who should 
be thinking about making an apology to the whole world in 
the name of innocent lives of both Americans and Iraqis, for 
which they are fully responsible. 
 
 
"Why All the Anger?" 
Ilnur Cevik opined in Turkish Daily News (5/8): "Wolfowitz 
was blunt while Grossman was diplomatic.  It is clear that 
Washington wants to open a new page in relations.  But for 
this Ankara has to make a real effort to appease Washington 
and display genuine cooperation instead of beating about the 
bush.  We feel instead of feeling indignation and saying 
Turkey made no mistakes during the events leading to the 
Iraqi war, Turkish leaders would be better advised to see 
their `mistakes' - which are numerous  - and take lessons. 
But now the harm has been done and we have to discuss how to 
salvage whatever can be salvaged.  It is clear that there 
are things to be `salvaged' in Turkish-U.S. relations but 
there is clearly the need for Ankara to make a real effort 
instead of complaining.  Turkey has to fall into line with 
American requirements in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle 
East instead of trying to play its own game with Syria and 
Iran.  Turkey has to face the realities of northern Iraq and 
the emergence of the Kurds as a key element in Iraqi 
politics and cooperate with the US to make the Iraqi 
experiment in the Middle East a success.  Defense Minister 
Gonul has just come back from Washington with valuable 
impressions.  We are aware that he has serious concerns and 
will convey them to Prime Minister Erdogan.  The government 
should couple its evaluations with the statements of 
Wolfowitz and Grossman and come up with a cool headed 
appraisal.  But, of course, if the government wants to 
listen to some Islamic writers and to some of its advisors 
and write off Turkish-American ties then that is something 
else." 
 
 
PEARSON