ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002099

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
MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2006

In Today's Papers

Gul-Rice to Meet in Sofia
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told Hurriyet that in
response to Secretary Rice's get well wishes, he sent a
hand-written letter to her, inviting the US Secretary of
State to Turkey to discuss "problems here in the region."
Citing Greek papers, Sabah says Secretary Rice will visit
Turkey on April 25-27 before the NATO foreign ministers
meeting in Sofia to discuss Cyprus, Kosovo, and the
transfer of natural gas to Europe through Turkey and
Greece. Gul said that the 50-year-long Turkey-US ties
were "strong and deeply-rooted," and that the two
countries shared the same vision and values. "We share
with the United States values such as democracy,
transparency, freedom, and expansion of basic rights.
Together with the United States, we want such values to
prevail around the world," Gul maintained. He said there
were no problems in ties with the US. "Turkey is located
in the most critical geography in the world, so more
meetings between us and the US are required. Different
opinions on both sides will not change the course of our
relationship. Americans, too, have clashing views in
their government," Gul said.

Thousands of Iraqis Flee Country
Yeni Safak reports some 60,000 Iraqis have fled the
country for other countries including Jordan, Turkey and
Syria. Iraqi officials said 10,000 homes had been
destroyed across Iraq due to attacks by the US-led
coalition forces. More than 100,000 Iraqi civilians have
been killed since 2003, according to Iraqi Refugees
Ministry.

Iraq International Fair to be Held in Turkey
Hurriyet, Radikal: The Iraq International Fair will be
held in the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep from
June 7-11. State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said some 1,000
companies from Europe, Africa, AMERICA and Asia would
attend the fair, making Turkey the main center of trade
with Iraq. "Turkey's exports to Iraq were USD 2.7
billion in 2005. We want to get the biggest share in
Iraq's rebuilding," Tuzmen said.

Bahceli Warns Southeast Turkey against Provocations
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Zaman: Devlet Bahceli,
the leader of the extreme-right National Action Party
(MHP) warned his party members against "ethnic
provocations" at a party congress in the southern city of
Adana. Bahceli also called on the mainly Kurdish people
in the southeast to defend unity. "I ask our brothers in
southeast Turkey -- does the US love you more than us?
We must protect Turkey's unity. We will not give away
even an acre of Turkey," Bahceli stressed.

Commentary on the Iran Nuclear Stand-off

Washington-based Yasemin Congar writing in mainstream
Milliyet reports that according to a US military official
who served in Iraq, if a decision is taken to launch a
military operation, the US certainly "hopes to see Turkey
facilitate it," but that given the way Turkey voted in
the lead up to the Iraq war, "no plans will be shaped
based on the hope that Turkey will offer assistance."

In a column entitled, "Is Washington Bluffing?" Islamist-
oriented Zaman, Washington-based Ali Aslan says that the
relationship in the US between the military and civilian
authorities is "interesting to watch." Aslan points out
that the Bush administration made its own Iraq decisions

ANKARA 00002099 002 OF 002


"ignoring the worries expressed by military authorities"
and that a "similar situation is now seen on the Iran
issue." He concludes that the military "does not want the
use of force against Iran at this stage since its focus
is Iraq where troubles still continue. The military does
not want to see the same mistakes repeated."

TV News
(NTV, 8.00 a.m.)

Domestic News
- Seven members of Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP have
been detained in Nusaybin in southeast Turkey. The mayor
of Diyarbakir, the main city in the restive southeast,
said only dialogue can resolve the problems of his
region.

- Turkey will issue new passports in 2007 to prevent
forgery.

International News
- Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki said Iran will give
the Palestinian Authority USD 50 million.

- The Sunday Times electronic edition claimed Iran was
training 40,000 "suicide commandos" to strike American
and British targets around the world if Iranian nuclear
sites are attacked.

- US-led coalition forces killed seven Afghan civilians
in fighting with militants in eastern Afghanistan.

- Israeli and American sources rejected reports that
Israel would swap the imprisoned al-Fatah leader Marwan
Barghouti with Jonathan Pollard, former US Defense
Department official, who is in prison in the US for
spying for Israel.

Economy News
- The World Bank Turkey director Andrew Vorking said
Turkey needed a new reform package to boost employment.

- Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said nuclear plants
were the only alternative for pulling down energy costs
in Turkey. The head of Turkish nuclear agency TAEK said
the location to build Turkey's first nuclear plant had
not been fixed yet.

- Greek businessmen want to make joint investments with
Turkey in Central Asia.


Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at

http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON