ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002411

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, MAY 2, 2006


In Today's Papers

Turkish Troop Movements on Iraq Border; Biden Remarks on
Iraq
Hurriyet, Sabah, Vatan, Radikal, Zaman, Yeni Safak and
others: Iraq's President Jalal Talabani said in a statement
that cross-border military incursions into northern Iraq
would be "unacceptable," emphasizing that the recent visit
of US secretaries Rice and Rumsfeld to Baghad was a
manifestation of the will that its neighbors should not
interfere in Iraq's internal affairs. The northern Iraqi
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Ankara representation
denied Turkish troops have crossed into northern Iraq,
saying that Turkish military operations were held inside
Turkey near the border with Iraq. The regional President of
Kurdistan, Massud Barzani said Kurds were not seeking
independence, and that they wanted better ties with Ankara.
Barzani complained that Ankara had distanced itself from the
regional administration of Kurdistan. Vatan says during her
visit to Ankara late last month, Turks have told Secretary
Rice to make clear to Barzani that the status of Kirkuk
cannot be changed by relocating 300,000 Kurd to the oil-rich
northern Iraqi city. Turks said the militants of the
outlawed PKK were moving freely in northern Iraq, and warned
Barzani against intentions to use the PKK as a "trump card"
against Turkey.

Papers report the Shiites and Sunnis have agreed on the
distribution of cabinet ministers in the new Iraqi
government, in which independent names will be appointed to
the interior and defense ministries.

Papers also report Congressman Joseph Biden as suggesting
that Iraq should be divided into three autonomous regions --
Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish -- under the authority of a
central government in Baghdad which will handle defense,
foreign affairs, and the management of oil revenues. In an
op-ed in The New York Times, Biden said such a plan might
enable the US to pull out of Iraq in 2008.

Gungor Mengi noted ironically in Vatan that although one
justification for the US occupation of Iraq was that Iraq
was sheltering terrorism, "terrorists currently operate in
Iraq under the wing of the US and, in fact, they find it
much easier to operate there than during the Saddam era."
Mengi argues that the fact that the US failed to prevent PKK
attacks against Turkey and did not let Turkey handle the
problem on its own "makes it look as if the US is conducting
an undeclared war against its ally through terror." He
points out that Iran, a country accused of being the primary
supporter of terrorism, "has started making efforts to
pursue the terrorists in a cross-border operation." Pointing
out that regardless of the nature of agreements between
governments, "friendship and hostility are two major
concepts shaped by public perception," Mengi concludes
since "you can never make a convincing argument to Turkish
people about the US being helpless against a bunch of PKK
terrorists, the man on the street believes that the US is
hostile to Turkey by design."

Larijani Due in Ankara May 8
Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others report
Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani is to visit
Ankara on May 8 to meet with Prime Minister Erdogan, Foreign
Minister Gul, and the Secretary-General of National Security
Council (MGK),the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) said.
Radikal expects Ankara to give Larijani the message that
Turkey will comply with a possible UN Security Council
resolution stipulating sanctions on Iran.


ANKARA 00002411 002 OF 003


Commentary on Secretary Rice's Visit
Asli Aydintasbas wrote in the mass appeal Sabah: "Secretary
Rice has accomplished more than the usual public diplomacy
by exerting sincere efforts to repair the relationship with
Turkey and even move it forward. Washington considers Turkey
a friend with a long history and an important regional
player. There is also a personal friendship between Rice
and Gul which will be helpful for many partnerships in the
future of Turkish-American ties. On the Iran issue, there
is a misrepresentation about the Rice visit to Turkey. She
wasn't here to ask for support for military action against
Iran. Currently, there is no decision about Iran;
Washington does not have a tangible Ahmedinejad plan yet.
At this point, there is only one thing Washington wants from
Ankara: not to get deeply involved with Iran."

Labor Day Celebrations
All papers: While Labor Day was celebrated peacefully in
some parts of Turkey, there were clashes between the
demonstrators and security forces in Istanbul, Izmir, Elazig
and Mersin. Istanbul police detained 40 protesters who were
chanting slogans against the IMF and the US. Police
detained around 30 protestors in Elazig for STAGING a
demonstration without a permit. In Izmir protestors threw
stones at police and provoked a clash in which several
people were injured. Police dispersed the protestors using
tear gas.

High Court Overrules Postponing Hirant Dink's Sentence
Hurriyet, Milliyet, and others: The Court of Appeals
yesterday overruled a lower court decision to postpone the
six month prison term of Hirant Dink, the editor-in-chief of
Armenian-Turkish daily Agos. Dink was sentenced by a local
court to a six-month prison sentence, but the penalty was
suspended later by the same court. The Court of Appeals has
rejected the lower court decision postponing Dink's sentence
saying that Hirant Dink had insulted and ridiculed Turkish
identity.

FM Gul Rejects Greek FM Bakoyannis Request to Re-open the
Halki Seminary
Hurriyet, Milliyet: During the NATO meetings in Sofia, FM
Gul rejected the request of Greek FM Bakoyannis to open the
Heybeliada (Halki) Seminary in Istanbul. Gul said that the
religious education provided at the seminary was against the
Turkish constitution and Turkish principles of secularism.
Responding to Bakoyannis' remarks that Turkey should
undertake new steps to expanding religious freedoms, Gul
said that there were no problems with religious freedom in
Turkey and that minorities had been free to practice their
religious beliefs. Gul reminded her that Turkey had offered
to open the seminary as a faculty of Istanbul University,
but the Patriarchate had rejected the offer.

Erdogan to Visit Diyarbakir; AKP MPs Want Baydemir Removed
Hurriyet reports Prime Minister Erdogan is to join the
ruling AK Party local conventions in the mainly Kurdish
southeastern cities of Diyarbakir and Siirt on Sunday.
Erdogan will address the gatherings with respect to the
economic and social measures planned to improve the
situation in southeast Turkey. Sabah says that nationalist
lawmakers in the AK Party want the Diyarbakir Mayor Osman
Baydemir removed from office, while the ruling party
lawmakers from southeast Turkey warned that such a move
would make Baydemir a hero, stirring further social unrest
in the region. Baydemir was accused of siding with the PKK
terrorists during the protest demonstrations held in the
city in March.

Turkey-Israel Pipelines Project

ANKARA 00002411 003 OF 003


Zaman reports Turkey and Israel will partner to build four
pipelines to carry crude oil, natural gas, water, and
electricity in a project which will strengthen the ties
between Ankara and Tel Aviv. Feasibility work will kick off
soon for the project to be completed in 10 years.


TV Highlights
NTV (8 a.m)

Domestic News
- Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said Article 6 of the
anti-terror bill would in no way open the path for the
release of the PKK's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

- The 56th meeting of Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary
Commission (JPC) will be held in the Turkish parliament on
May 3-5. Turkey's chief negotiator for EU accession talks
Ali Babacan, the head of the delegation of the European
Commission Hansjorg Kretschmer, Turkey-EU JPC co-president
Joost Lagendijk, and several other officials will
participate in the meeting.

- Prime Minister Erdogan will attend the 9th heads of state
and government summit of the South East European Cooperation
Process (SEECP) in the Greek city of Thessalonica on May 4,
his office announced on Monday.

- One Turkish soldier has been killed by a landmine believed
to have been planted by the separatist PKK in the
southeastern province of Hakkari.

International News
- A Newsweek article said Washington is caught between two
allies -- NATO member Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds, its
closest ally in Iraq.

- Turkish Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Erdogan was
not scheduled to meet with Iranian President Ahmadinejad
during the May 5 meeting of the Economic Cooperation
Organization meeting in Baku. Observers think the two
leaders might come together on the sidelines of the talks.

- The Iranian government has allocated USD 242.5 million to
complete the nuclear reactor at Bushehr, southwest Iran, a
government spokesman said.

- Suspected militants killed 35 Hindus in two small villages
in the India-controlled region of Kashmir.


Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at

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

WILSON