ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002242

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 21, 2006

In Today's Papers


All papers: Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Bulent Arinc
said on the occasion of National Sovereignty Day (April 23)
that there is no regime problem in Turkey, but there is a
dispute over who controls the regime. Arinc claimed that
some state institutions are resisting reforms. The
parliament's functions are being restricted, Arinc charged,
citing as an example the exclusion of the parliament from
the preparation of the National Security Policy Document,
also known as "the secret constitution of Turkey." He said
it implied that a secret and antidemocratic body is ruling
Turkey. Arinc complained that it has been impossible to
eliminate a "problem-causing institution" such as the Higher
Education Council (YOK) due to reactions from the elitist
and anti-reform groups in Turkey. Referring to the
headscarf issue, the Parliament Speaker said secularism
needs to be redefined, that the state cannot ban one sector
of the society from exercising public rights that should be
valid for everyone.

Addressing the parliament the same day, the main opposition
CHP leader Deniz Baykal lashed out at the government for
politicizing state cadres, calling for the protection of the
republic and secularism. "The fact is that religious
exploitation backed by the government continues to prevail,
and it has become essential to protect the republic.
Democracy cannot be strengthened by destroying the
republic," Baykal stressed. The ruling AK Party Deputy
Chairman Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat said Arinc's speech was
"excellent" and "a real political manifesto." The CHP
lawmakers blamed Arinc for creating tensions.

General Ozkok: Turkish Troop Movement in the Southeast
Routine
All papers: The Chief of the Turkish General Staff (TGS,)
General Hilmi Ozkok, said at a reception held in Ankara that
Turkish troop movements on the borders with Iraq and Iran
were "routine." On the possibility of cross border
incursions into northern Iraq, Ozkok said Turkey would
avail itself of its rights if conditions required such a
military operation. Ozkok emphasized that the right to hot
pursuit of terrorists was determined by the UN Security
Council resolutions. Papers continued reporting over the
weekend that some 150,000 soldiers are being deployed in
southeast Turkey, near the Iraqi border ahead of major anti-
terror operations against the PKK in northern Iraq. On the
decision to disbar Ferhat Sarikaya, the Van Prosecutor who
drafted the Semdinli indictment that charged the Land Forces
Commander General Yasar Buyukanit for carrying out illegal
military operations in southeast Turkey, Ozkok said the
judiciary made a decision through its own free will, and
that it is out of the question that the military applied
pressure on the judiciary.

President Abbas in Ankara
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak
and others: Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas,
who arrived in Ankara on a state visit yesterday, said he
will discuss what Turkey can do to ease the enormous
economic hardships Palestinian people faced. Abbas will
meet with President Sezer, Parliament Speaker Arinc, Foreign
Minister Gul, and the main opposition leader Baykal on
Monday, and meet with Prime Minister Erdogan, Turkish
businessmen, and the press on Tuesday.
Sabah says that Abbas will sign an agreement for financial
aid to Palestine. The aid will be controlled by Abbas, not
by the Hamas government. Abbas might hold a meeting with

ANKARA 00002242 002 OF 003


Secretary Rice on Monday, Sabah says.

SIPDIS

Secretary Rice Due in Ankara

SIPDIS
All papers report over the weekend and today that during her
call on Ankara on Tuesday, Secretary Rice will discuss Iran,
but will not ask the Turks for AIR bases to use in
operations. Turks will tell Rice to wait and see the
outcome of diplomatic efforts regarding Iran, urging the
American side to seek legitimacy prior to a military
operation. Rice will urge Turkey to refrain from moves
aimed at easing international pressure on Tehran. Rice is
expected to say that the US was cooperating with Turkey by
sharing intelligence information, but that no military
action against the PKK would be possible for the time being.
Rice will also stress that Hamas is a terrorist
organization, but is expected to note that Turkey had given
the right messages to Hamas during the Palestinian group's
Ankara visit. Foreign Minister Gul is expected to tell
Secretary Rice that it was Turkey's responsibility to work

SIPDIS
for a peaceful settlement on the crisis with Iran, stressing
that Turkey has been telling Tehran that its policies are
wrong. Gul will defend the meetings Turks held with Hamas,
saying that they were necessary to block the radical group
from further radicalization. Gul will also stress that
Turkey's patience was running out on the PKK, and that all
options for eliminating the terrorist threat would be
considered if the US does not take the necessary measures to
crush the terrorist organization. The Turks and Americans
are expected discuss Iraq and Cyprus as well. Turkey
appreciates US efforts to help ease the isolation of the
Turkish Cypriots, but expects Washington to do more, say
papers.

Tufan Turenc, commenting in Hurriyet has low expectations
for the visit: "It is very unlikely that there will be a
tangible result from the Rice visit. The US and Turkey
currently have different agenda priorities. The Bush
administration is obsessively dealing with Iran as an
immediate priority. From Turkey's angle, the US has no
chance of gaining sympathy from Turkish people unless it
keeps its promises regarding the PKK. The US should either
solve the PKK problem on its own or should let Turkey handle
it. This is the clear fact that the US administration
should face."

Washington-based Ali Aslan, writing Islamist-opinion maker
Zaman, wants Secretary Rice to bring the issues of human
rights and democracy back to the agenda with Turkey:
"Washington has always pursued a double standard when it
comes to controversial figures. Washington expresses
discontent when certain countries' behavior serves its
interests, and keeps a strategic silence when it does not.
This policy has also been applied to Turkey. The anti-
democratic structure was ignored by Washington during the
entire cold war era. The Bush administration is still
maintaining a strategic silence on Turkey's internal affairs
related to undemocratic practices. Let's hope that Dr.
Rice, during her Ankara visit, brings up human rights and
democracy issues which have been off the bilateral agenda
for a long time. "

Washington-based Milliyet columnist Yasemin Congar believes
that the Rice visit will provide an opportunity for Ankara
and Washington to "enhance the bilateral dialogue about the
future of Iraq and also will create a chance to harmonize
bilateral rhetoric on the Iran issue." However, Congar warns
"Rice should not be expected to express support for Turkey's
intention to conduct a cross border operation in northern
Iraq. She is not going to give a green light for that.
Even though the US has been more vocal regarding

ANKARA 00002242 003 OF 003


comprehensive cooperation against PKK, this does not mean a
brand new radical step will be taken. The US will not
approve a cross border operation by Turkey in Iraq which
would take place despite Baghdad and Barzani's opposition."

TV News
(NTV, 8.00 a.m.)

Domestic News
- More than 600 barrels containing toxic waste have been
removed from ground in Tuzla near Istanbul.

- Six terror suspects, including a foreigner, have been
captured in the southeastern city of Gaziantep. The
suspects, believed to have links with al-Qaida, were
reportedly preparing for bomb attacks in the city.

International News
- Shiite Hawad al-Maliki has been appointed the new prime
minister in Iraq, ending months of sectarian disagreement in
the formation of a new cabinet. President Bush said he told
Iraq's new leaders that they had a responsibility to unite
the country and that the new government was an important US
milestone. "Democracy in Iraq will set a powerful example
for people and for the world who are desperate for freedom,"
Bush said.

- Time Magazine claims ahead of this week's UN Security
Council deadline for Tehran to suspend its nuclear program,
US officials have been busy planning political and economic
sanctions on Iran.

- Osama bin Ladin, in a new audiotape aired by al-Jazeera,
called on Muslim fighters to go to Sudan to fight against
"crusader thieves".

- Greek President Papoulias said Turkey's EU accession might
be blocked if Ankara declines to abide by the European
criteria.

- Turkish businessman Muhammed Fethi is reported to have
been killed in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. The
report has not yet been confirmed by the Turkish embassy in
Baghdad or by the Foreign Ministry in Ankara.


Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at

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

WILSON