ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002812

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
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2006


In Today's Papers

CHP Ready to Push the Button for Early Polls
Today's papers draw attention to the words of CHP leader
Deniz Baykal that CHP lawmakers could resign to trigger
early elections. Left-leaning daily Cumhuriyet reports
Baykal said that discord between AKP and the Turkish public
was growing. According to the politician, people who do not
believe in the constitution cannot become president in
Turkey.

Hirant Dink Hearing Adjourned due to Protests
Cumhuriyet, Radikal: The first session of Agos newspaper
editor Dink's case was postponed because of protests by
nationalist groups against Dink and his lawyers. Dink,
Editor-in-Chief of Turkish-Armenian bilingual daily Agos,
and writer Aydin Engin are being tried on charges of
'interfering with the legal process' over two articles that
appeared in the daily last November.

Greek Organization Demands Turkey Apologize for Pontus
'Genocide'
Milliyet reports the Greek-based Federation of Pontus
Organizations said it would submit a file to EU officials in
Brussels, claiming some 400,000 Pontus Greeks were killed by
the Ottomans in Turkey's Black Sea region between 1914-23.
Yorgo Parharidis, the chairman of the Federation, said
Turkey must apologize for the Pontus 'genocide.' Parharidis
noted a 'World Pontus Hellenism Congress' would be convened
in Athens in June.

Gul and Rice Agree to Diplomat Exchange Program
Sabah reports that during US Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice's visit to Ankara, after agreeing on the Strategic
Vision document, Turkey and the US agreed on an interesting
cooperation plan, which had been kept secret until now.
According to Sabah, from now on a Turkish Diplomat will have
a permanent office in the US State Department and similarly,
a Turkish-speaking American diplomat with expertise in
Turkey from the State Department will be placed in the
Foreign Ministry in order to help with the possible crises
which might occur between Turkey and the US.

PM Erdogan's Possible Visit to the US
Radikal reports that Foreign Ministry and Prime Ministry
advisers have started planning for PM Erdogan's visit to the
US. FM Abdullah Gul and PM Erdogan either will fly to the
US together at the end of June or the beginning of July, or
Gul will go to the US after the EU summit in Luxembourg on
June 12-13, to make preparations for the PM's visit.
According to Radikal, while Erdogan holds talks with
President Bush, Gul might hold meetings with the US State
Department. If President Bush's schedule does not permit a
visit in June or July, then Erdogan might postpone his visit
to September.

Commentary on Iraq, Libya
Mete Cubukcu wrote on the deteriorating situation in Iraq in
the leftist Birgun: "Five months after the elections the
government in Iraq has almost been finalized, but at the
same time Shiites have started using violence against the
Sunnis. There are ongoing massacres of Sunnis while the US
has also been involved in the situation by forming Shiite-
origin death squads. According to recent reports, Iraqi
security units are incapable of controlling 'certain forces'
which also indicates that Iraq has started suffering from a
dirty civil war followed by a dirty occupation. At this
point, the story in the American Hartford Courant adds
another negative dimension. It looks like American forces
serving in Iraq will soon start suffering from an Iraq

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syndrome. Along with other consequences, the US will have
to bear an unexpectedly high human cost because of this
war."

Yilmaz Oztuna, writing in the conservative Turkiye, applauds
Libyan leader Khaddafi for changing course and joining the
international community: "The resumption of diplomatic ties
between US and Libya and the removal of Libya's name from
the terrorist states list are significant successes and the
Libyan leader Khaddafi deserves credit. He was smart enough
to make a radical change in Libya's policy following the
developments in Iraq. He not only stopped the weapons of
mass destruction program but also asked Washington to
participate in the BMENAI process. Khaddafi did the right
thing and saved his country from further troubles."


TV Highlights
NTV (7 a.m.)

Domestic News
- Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said the ruling AK Party
government's policies had not changed with respect to
Turkey's EU aspirations, but complained that the issue had
dropped from the agenda of the media and the nation.

- Farming Minister Osman Pepe told the ambassadors of EU
countries that EU funds extended to Turkey should amount at
least to the funds extended to the ten new members of the
bloc in their accession process.

- Eight barrels of toxic waste have been found in Istanbul's
Kirac neighborhood.

International News
- A report by Council of Europe said ? Turkish Cypriots
face racism and discrimination under the Greek Cypriot
administration.

- Dutch lawmaker Ayaan Hirsi Ali announced she has quit
politics and would be leaving the Netherlands since her
citizenship has been revoked.

- US President Bush has announced plans to deploy 6,000
National Guards along the border with Mexico.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at

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

WILSON