ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 007453 SIPDIS 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, DECEMBER 20, 2005 THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- -- Tuesday, December 20, 2005 HEADLINES MASS APPEAL Bush Confessed his Mistakes in Iraq - Sabah Bush Admits that there were no WMDs in Iraq - Vatan NATO: PKK is a Terrorist Organization - Milliyet A Blow from NATO to PKK - Turkiye US Ambassador Wilson: PKK is Threat to the Whole World - Turkiye NATO Control for All of Afghanistan - Hurriyet Government asks for Patience in Pamuk Case - Aksam Ambassador Wilson: Turkey Will Resolve Freedom of Expression Problems - Aksam Harsh Reaction from Government to Lagendijk - Hurriyet Folklore Costumes Cause Controversy - Milliyet CHP Leader Baykal Meets with President Sezer - Vatan CIA Seeks Turkish Teachers - Milliyet Ahmedinejad Bans Western Music in Iran - Sabah OPINION MAKERS Government Disagrees on Article 301 of Penal Code - Radikal Turkey Presses NATO to Include PKK on Terror List - Radikal TRNC (Northern Cyprus) Parliament Passes Property Law - Radikal Bush Admits that his Mistakes in Iraq War led to Terrible Losses - Cumhuriyet American Radar for Syrian Border - Radikal More Turkish Troops will be Deployed in Afghanistan - Zaman Warm Messages from US Ambassador to Businessmen - Yeni Safak BRIEFING NATO Secretary General Scheffer's Visit: Today's papers cover the NATO chief's visit to Ankara. "Hurriyet" reports that Scheffer, during his meetings yesterday, suggested that NATO control in Kabul and surrounding areas be expanded to cover the rest of Afghanistan, and asked PM Erdogan for Turkish support on this issue. "Radikal" reports that Turkey urged NATO to upgrade its terror list to include the PKK. "Sabah" says Scheffer stressed that he personally considers PKK a terrorist organization. However, unless all 26 members of NATO agree, it is not possible to upgrade the terror list. Article 301 Controversy: "Radikal" reports that the members of the government had a heated debate regarding the Turkish penal code. Chief EU negotiator Ali Babacan proposed that the government change article 301 of the penal code in order to remove all obstacles to freedom of expression. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, in return, rejected Babacan's proposal by saying that jurists should deal with judicial issues and economists should deal with economic issues. Meanwhile, regarding the Pamuk case, "Hurriyet" says that Justice Minister Cicek might not grant permission for the trial to continue, and in that case, the suit against Pamuk would be dropped. Government Reacts to Lagendijk Comments: "Cumhuriyet" reports that Government spokesman Cemil Cicek condemned Joost Lagendijk's comment that the Turkish military "enjoys' fighting the PKK as it keeps them at the center of attention. Cicek said that foreign visitors should be more respectful of Turkey's values. Lagendijk is co-chairman of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission. Ambassador Wilson in Istanbul: "Aksam" reports that US Ambassador Ross Wilson visited Topkapi Palace yesterday. Referring to the Pamuk case, the Ambassador commented that Turkish people will resolve problems regarding freedom of expression themselves. The US appreciates all the reforms PM Erdogan and his government implemented; however, Turkey has great difficulties ahead of it and more detailed reforms are needed to overcome these difficulties. "Turkiye" quotes Ambassador Wilson as saying that `The PKK presence in Northern Iraq is a threat not only for Turkey but for the whole world. We will fight against the PKK together with Turkey. The PKK is an important part of our counterterrorism efforts. "Yeni Safak" says that Ambassador Wilson came to Istanbul to meet with Turkish businesspeople at the Turkish-American Business Council. He delivered a genuine and warm message to the group, and promised more American investment in Turkey. EDITORIAL OPINION: Afghanistan; Iraq "NATO and Afghanistan in 2006" Fikret Ertan commented in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman" (12/20): "The year 2006 will be busy for both NATO and the United Sates. The Secretary General of NATO has been actively working to expand the power of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) by increasing the number of military personnel. The required number is around 7,000 and Secretary General Scheffer is knocking on every NATO SIPDIS member's door for this reason. NATO presence is going to be expanded in 2006 and the US `Operation Lasting Freedom' will also continue in Afghanistan. There are about 20,000 American soldiers engaged in this operation currently stationed in Afghanistan, but the US wants to reduce its presence and delegate more to ISAF and NATO. So far these efforts have not been very successful. Unlike the US presence, the ISAF-NATO force will not be a combatant force. ISAF likes to define its responsibility as assisting Afghani forces with stability and security. However, there is still an unanswered question here: What will happen if and when ISAF forces encounter Taliban and Al-Qaeda elements? There is also a potential area for some confusion in terms of overall command structure as both ISAF and the US forces will engage in activities under separate commands. In any case the year 2006 will be a very important year for Afghanistan and the Afghanistan-NATO relationship." "Is It the End or the Beginning?" Haluk Ulman observed in economic-political "Dunya" (12/20): "Is it really possible to achieve internal peace and order in Iraq in the aftermath of the elections? I believe it is too early to be optimistic. Along with the Sunni-led insurgency, Iraq is also suffering from the lack of a national identity. Elections were held on either ethnic -- Arab and Kurd -- or religious -- Shiite or Sunni -- premises. This signals a very dangerous division in the country which makes unity almost impossible. Within each group there are divisions as well. Shiites are divided into four groups while Sunnis into two. The Kurds seem to be the only unified group. The parties of Talabani and Barzani managed to form a unified list covering a total of eight groups. Kurds also enjoy the full support of the US as well as certain privileges as defined in the constitution. From now on the Kurds will focus on expanding their territory to include oil-rich Mosul. All of these are sufficient indicators for potential chaos not only in Iraq but in the entire region. Nothing has ended in Iraq. In fact things are just beginning. And it will continue to be a headache for all of us, including the US, in the days to come." WILSON