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