ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007534 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 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2005 THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- -- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL Erdogan: TUSIAD Commits a Constitutional Crime - Hurriyet TUSIAD's Constitutional Crime - Aksam Erdogan: TUSIAD Commits Crime - Sabah Erdogan: TUSIAD Committed Crime - Sabah Accusing TUSIAD to the Judiciary - Milliyet Investigation of Rector Tezic - Bugun Bush's Effort to Counter Darwinism Did not Work - Hurriyet Response to TUSIAD - Star OPINION MAKERS AKP and CHP Alliance in Favor of Election Threshold - Radikal Fight Against TUSIAD - Cumhuriyet TUSIAD's Constitutional Crime - Yeni Safak BRIEFING PM Erdogan Harsh Reaction to Businessmen's Remarks: All papers cover extensively the harsh reaction from Prime Minister Erdogan as he not only refused to take advice from businessmen, but also accused them of committing a constitutional crime. At the Turkish Industrialist and Businessmen Association (TUSIAD) meeting, which Erdogan did not attend, business leaders Koc and Sabanci called for more progress on reforms and a reduction in the election threshold -- a major change to the electoral system. The business leaders also mentioned the ongoing court case filed against Van University Rector Askin as an example of undemocratic judicial practices. PM Erdogan said he was displeased to hear these comments, adding that businessmen should focus on economy not politics. Following his remarks, day time television news programs report that today (12/22) a prosecutor has begun an investigation into the remarks of the businessmen. Parliamentary Parties Say No to Lowering Election Threshold: In a response to recent comments by politicians and business leaders regarding the election threshold, both ruling the party AKP and the opposition CHP agreed that a change is not necessary. "Radikal" fronted the story proclaiming an alliance between AKP and CHP, while "Birgun" blasted the consensus by voicing the concerns of out-of-parliament parties. Israeli Army Chief in Turkey: Israeli Chief of General Staff Dan Halutz arrived in Ankara for two days of talks, several papers reported. "Radikal" characterized it as an important visit since General Halutz is making his first visit abroad. "Sabah" reported that during the visit Halutz will focus on defense bids of Turkey as well as the Iranian nuclear program. Turkish and Armenian Diplomats Met: A conference on Turkish- Armenian relations was held in Toronto, Canada reports "Hurriyet." The conference brought Turkish and Armenian diplomats together for the first time. One diplomat from the Turkish Embassy in Canada as well as the Armenian Ambassador to Canada attended this Zoryan Institute- ANKARA 00007534 002 OF 002 sponsored event, the report emphasized. EDITORIAL OPINION: IRAQ ELECTIONS "Who is the Actual Winner?" Sami Kohen commented in the mainstream daily "Milliyet" (12/22): "Iraqi elections didn't result as coalition members planned or neighboring countries, including Turkey, hoped. The expectations of the US and many other countries were for a democratic, secular, united and stable Iraq. Unfortunately, the result shows that not secular but fundamentalist powers will gain control. Now the main issue is what the impact of these developments will be on Iraqi reconstruction. The worst scenario is that some Sunni elements will boycott parliament or choose to use violence to gain power. This will lead to chaos, and maybe to disintegration. A good scenario would be for the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds to establish a coalition government, but this is too optimistic an expectation. There are some other coalition possibilities as well, but it is obvious that a radical fundamentalist majority in the parliament will control the administration. There is no doubt that Iran will be very happy about the rise of Shiite power in Iraq. In short, Iran is the party most benefiting most from the Iraqi elections and the US is the most disappointed." "Greater Middle East Project Dumped in the Trash in Iraq" Akif Emre wrote in the pro-government/Islamist oriented "Yeni Safak" (12/22): "As the election results start coming out of Iraq, concerns over Iraq's political future grow. Even US Ambassador to Baghdad Zalmay Khalilzad stressed that the chaotic situation in Iraq could be overcome only by cooperation among religious groups. However, the results show that the winners of the elections are parties with religious identities. Western observers already question why an already secular Iraq was occupied to establish an anti-secular administration. If the Greater Middle East Project cannot even reach its goals through elections imposed by force, then it has no future. Even though it looks like an assertive project, it seems that the GMEP has already been thrown onto the trash heap. There is another way to look at the elections: if from the beginning the US wanted a divided Iraq, the elections have been the best way to achieve this. They will now be able to answer neighboring countries that are unhappy with a divided Iraq, that it was the result of a democratic election and there's nothing to be done about it." WILSON