ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000116 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 FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2006 THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- -- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL Sharon Fights for Life - Milliyet Bulldozer's Last Fight - Hurriyet Gul: We Pray for Sharon - Hurriyet Gul: I Share Israelis' Grievances - Aksam Sharon's Exit from Politics Opens a New Page in Middle East - Vatan Ahmadinejad: I Hope Sharon Dies - Vatan Erakat: Sharon's Death Will Bring More Bloodshed - Sabah Stage Left to `Bibi' after Sharon - Hurriyet Jack Straw to Visit Turkish Cyprus - Sabah Karzai Appreciates Turkey's Fight against Terror, Fundamentalism - Milliyet Bloodiest Day in Iraq after Elections:150 Killed - Tercuman OPINION MAKERS Sharons Last War - Yeni Safak Gul: Sharon Took Bold Steps Forward for Peace - Radikal US, EU Concerned Over Sharon's Condition - Radikal Sharon in Coma, Radical Jews Celebrate - Zaman Gul's Israel Visit Overcast by Sharon's Illness - Zaman Gul: Middle East Peace Process Must Continue - Yeni Safak Heavy Death Toll in Iraq: 181 Killed in Attacks - Cumhuriyet Gitmo Inmates Will be Moved to Afghanistan - Cumhuriyet BRIEFING Gul Visits Israel for Erez Industrial Zone Agreement: Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and his Israeli counterpart Silvan Shalom signed in Jerusalem a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the reestablishment of Erez Industrial Zone, Turkish papers report. At the signing ceremony, Gul wished Sharon a quick recovery, stressing that the Israeli PM took some bold steps on the way to lasting peace. 'I share the Israeli people's grievances. We hope that the current term will be quiet for both sides and that the process of peace will continue without obstacles,' Gul said. Gul noted that the project on Erez Industrial Zone will contribute to security in the region, and added: 'I expect investors from all around the world to come to Erez. Exports from this zone will enter the European Union and United States without customs fees. This is a great opportunity.' The Erez zone will be administered by the Turkish Union of Chambers (TOBB.) Sharon's grave health condition required the cancellation of the scheduled meeting between Gul and the Israeli acting PM Ehud Olmert. Papers report that Gul had conveyed to Shalom Palestinian demands regarding January 25 elections, and the concerns over an Israeli archaeological project near the Holy Mosque in Jerusalem. Gul, in response to Shalom's worries that Hamas may win the polls in Palestine, said that democracy should be given a chance in the efforts to bring an end to violence in the region, say reports. Shalom reportedly said to Gul that Iran's nuclear aspirations harmed the stability in the region, and warned the Turkish FM that a possible visit by Iran's Ahmadinejad to Turkey could harm the ties between Turkey and Israel. ANKARA 00000116 002 OF 004 Gul on Iraq: A commentary in "Radikal" says that Foreign Minister Gul said Iraq will be the top issue of discussion during the prospective visits to Turkey by British Foreign Secretary Straw and US Secretary of State Rice. 'Despite SIPDIS the impression, based on our latest efforts, that we have ties only with the Sunnis in Iraq, Turkey has maintained contact with all groups there. In the coming days, important figures from Iraq will pay visits to Turkey. Turkey supports a broad coalition government in Iraq,' Gul said. Turkish Security Meeting Discusses Iraq, Iran, Cyprus: At a meeting on Monday, government leaders and top army officials discussed scenarios that might unfold after a possible pullout of US troops from Iraq, "Milliyet" reports. Turkish officials agreed that a premature US pullout may open the path to the partition of Iraq. With regard to US pressures on Iran, the gathering stressed that Turkey ought to stick to its `balanced and impartial' policies in the region. On Greek Cyprus, Prime Minister Erdogan noted that Greek Cypriots will not be given access to Turkish ports and airports before they agree to end the isolation of northern Cyprus. The military encouraged the government to stick to its positions, and make no concessions. "Aksam" reports that at the meeting, the military and the government agreed to set up a joint commission to handle the proposed changes to Turkey's anti-terror bill. The military insists on broader authority in the fight against terrorism, while Erdogan says that Turkey must stick to EU criteria. "Milliyet" reports the military as complaining that fundamentalist activities continued, and that illegal Koran courses continued to operate. The military also warned the government that recent alcohol bans introduced by AKP municipalities in several cities harmed the image of Turkey. Ankara Sets Up New Anti-Terror General Directorate: "Aksam" reports that a general directorate for combating terrorism is to be set up under the Prime Ministry. The new general directorate will carry out the secretarial tasks of the High Board for Combating Terrorism chaired by Foreign Minister Gul. The directorate will establish coordination among state institutions in connection with domestic and foreign security affairs, carry out research into issues related to domestic and foreign security, and coordinate efforts in cases of emergency rule o marshal law. Karzai Visits Ankara: Visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with Prime Minister Erdogan and the Chief of the Turkish General Staff (TGS) Hilmi Ozkok in Ankara on Thursday. Karzai earlier met President Sezer, and signed a protocol on establishment of the Turkish international cooperation and development agency TIKA in Afghanistan. Karzai also met with Parliament Speaker Arinc, NATO's senior civilian representative in Afghanistan Hikmet Cetin, and Defense Minister Gonul at lunch in the parliament. Karzai is the first Afghan president to visit Turkey since 1957. Turkish Companies Display Wide Interest in Northern Iraq: "Neu-Isenburg Kurdish Info,' an electronic newsletter supportive of the Kurdish cause, reported that 600 Turkish firms have applied to do business in northern Iraq. The businesses currently carried out by 200 Turkish companies amounted to USD 2 billion. Among those companies with the most business connections is the Turkish military pension fund OYAK. OYAK, using subcontractors in an effort to hide its identity, provides northern Iraq with cement, construction materials and paper. The Kurdistan flag flies over the storage facilities of OYAK in the region, and maps of Greater Kurdistan and photographs of the President of the ANKARA 00000116 003 OF 004 Kurdistan Regional Government Barzani hang on the walls OYAK offices. Kurdish customs officer Bedirxan Benistani said that OYAK was donating cement and construction materials into Kurdistan, and that OYAK paid USD 720,000 in customs tariffs ever year. Benistani added that OYAK was still negotiating with Kurdish officials for more investments in the region. Turkish companies work in sectors ranging from food, construction and infrastructure to furniture and household electronic goods. Intense interest by Turkish firms has led to an increase in the number of joint ventures among Turks and Kurds. These firms have their central offices in the Turkish cities of Mersin, Ankara and Gaziantep, from where they delegate their commercial activities in northern Iraq. In an effort to ease their work in the region, Turkish companies place ads on Kurdish radio and in newspapers every day. Turks pay the local municipalities hundreds of thousands of dollars every year for the ads and the billboards in Kurdish cities, and they write all their official correspondence, trade contracts plus commercials for the goods in Kurdish. Businessman Mehmet Ismail, an official for the `southern Kurdistan government,' said that the Turkish companies were making a major contribution to the economy of Kurdistan. Underlining that some 95 percent of Kurdistan was full of Turkish products, Ismail said that the firms with the greatest share of the market in Southern Kurdistan were Ulker, Arcelik, Cevikler and OYAK. Ismail said that the tax paid by these companies was making a major contribution to the Kurdish economy. New Bird Flu Cases in Turkish Provinces: Turkish Health Ministry on Thursday announced that 27 people are currently under treatment in suspected bird flu cases across eastern Turkey. New bird flu outbreaks have been discovered in the central Turkish province of Yozgat, the southeastern province of Sanliurfa, and in the eastern provinces of Erzurum, Igdir and Agri. All provinces have been put under quarantine. Wild animal hunting in the eastern parts of Turkey has been banned until further notice. Health Minister Recep Akdag said that all necessary measures were being taken to prevent the virus from spreading, and called on local people in the eastern provinces to avoid contact with suspect poultry. A spokesman of the European Commission said that delegations of veterinarians from the commission and the World Health Organization (WHO) were sent to Turkey on Thursday. EDITORIAL OPINION "If Sharon Dies" Ismet Berkan observed in the liberal-intellectual "Radikal" (1/6): "Prime Minister Sharon's ingenious political plan to expand Israel a little, withdraw from Palestinian territory and build a security wall on its borders, leaving Palestine outside the wall, was unacceptable to the Palestinians but, because it meant that Israel wouldn't occupy any more of their territory, they did not object to it. However, Sharon's Likud party did not like this plan and announced early elections. Sharon resigned from the party to establish a new party. The first surveys showed that the people of Israel, who have had enough of endless war and terrorism, were already showing strong support for Sharon's new party. Sadly, just a few months before the elections, Sharon has been taken seriously ill. Now, Israel is at a very interesting turning-point in history. Sharon wasn't the Palestinians' favorite politician, but now even they are praying for Sharon's well being. Because, if Sharon dies, there will be uncertainty in the region. Indeed, some ANKARA 00000116 004 OF 004 interesting days lay ahead in the Middle East." "What Happens after Sharon?" Sami Kohen commented in the mainstream daily "Milliyet" (1/6): "In order to answer this question, first we need to know who will take over after Sharon. Sharon is gravely ill and even if he survives, one thing is definite: his political career is over. This means that the `Sharon era is over'. Now a period of uncertainty is starting for Israel and the Middle East. This uncertainty will continue until the end of elections in March. As an Israeli diplomat says `the election results depend on who takes Sharon's place'. There are few nominees of course. Sharon's deputy Ehud Omert is a well-known politician but not very popular. The Defense and Transportation ministers' names are mentioned as well, but the Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni, is a more likely candidate. If the Likud party wins the elections, the chairman of the party, Benjamin Netanyahu, will become Prime Minister. If Netanyahu becomes Prime Minister, Israel's Palestine policy will get tougher and there will be new tensions in the region. If we add the Palestinian elections to this picture, it is clear that a new era, full of concerns and uncertainties, is going to start in the region." Note: Due the Turkish holidays and Martin Luther King Day, the next edition of the Turkish Media Reaction will be January 17, 2006. WILSON