ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003256 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, JUNE 5, 2006 In Today's Papers Lagendijk: Turkey Has Lost its EU Enthusiasm Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report Joost Lagendijk, co-chairman of the Turkey-European Union joint parliamentary committee, as saying "Turkey has lost its EU enthusiasm," putting the blame regarding the slowdown in reforms on the approach of elections in Turkey. Lagendijk told a panel meeting in Amsterdam that Turkey has lost its EU membership ambitions and has brought EU-oriented reforms to a standstill. "The State Council shooting and the failure of the ruling AKP to continue the reforms have led to the loss of ambition for EU membership in the country," Lagendijk said. Lagendijk also criticized the opposition CHP for shifting to nationalism. US Deputy National Security Advisor J. D. Crouch's Visit to Ankara Aksam, Sabah, Zaman: On the way to the Bucharest to participate at the Black Sea Partnership and Dialogue Forum, Deputy US National Security Advisor J. D. Crouch paid a one- day visit to Ankara and met with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ambassador Ali Tuygan and National Security Council Secretary General Yigit Alpogan. Addressing journalists following his talks at the Foreign Ministry, the US envoy said that President Bush made a very important decision last week and put a very sincere proposal on the table. Stressing that the incentive package is to the benefit of Iranians, Crouch expressed hope for a positive response from Tehran. Regarding expectations of the United States from Turkey on the issue of the Black Sea, Crouch said there were several important opportunities in the fields of political end economic cooperation, as well as security, including combat against smuggling, and expressed support for Turkey's leading role here. Commenting in the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet, Turkkaya Ataov urges a diplomatic solution be found for the Iran crisis, but fears the Bush administration is still trying to go it alone: "As it did during the Iraq crisis, the Bush administration is trying to manipulate diplomacy for its own purposes regarding the Iran issue. At this point the international community should do everything it can to prevent a war. War must be left out as an option when it comes to dealing with Iran. The US can find ways to resume dialogue with Iran which would not necessarily signify Washington's approval of the Iranian regime. The Iranian nuclear program should be left up to the IAEA, because attacking Iran and creating another Iraq-like, chaotic situation is not a solution. And for the integrity of global peace, we should insist that both Iran and Israel abandon nuclear weapons programs." In contrast, Washington-based Ali Aslan writing in the Islamist-intellectual daily Zaman credits Secretary Rice for the shift in US diplomacy away from the unilateral approach of the past: "Secretary Rice has eliminated the concerns that her appointment would dilute the role of the State Department in forming and conducting foreign policy. In fact she has brought a stronger role for foreign diplomacy and helped revitalize the State Department. These days, the Bush administration's usual unilateral approach has been replaced by a multilateral attitude with a spirit of consensus. Rice helped the State Department become a key player in American foreign politics. More important than the fact that European leaders are predisposed to listen to what Rice has to say is that President Bush also pays close ANKARA 00003256 002 OF 003 attention to her thoughts. This is all positive and comforting news for international relations. Thanks to Secretary Rice's wise diplomacy, the Iran issue has not SIPDIS turned into a unilateral act by the US. The recent US offer to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis has not only received support from Europeans, but even China and Russia have felt obliged to give support. Secretary Rice deserves credit as President Bush has learned to listen to the voice of common sense from his friends. Now it is Iran's turn." Sezer Will Not Meet Hamas during Israel-Palestine Visit Weekend papers report that during his state visit to Israel and Palestine June 6-8, President Sezer will urge the Israeli administration to continue the Middle East peace process in dialogue with Palestine. Sezer will also ask the Israelis not to halt financial support for the Palestinian people. While in Palestine, Sezer will decline to meet with the representatives of the Hamas government and will hold talks only with President Abbas. Sezer reportedly turned down a request from Hamas Prime Minister Haniyah through Abbas to be received by the Turkish President. Hamas' characterization of the April 17 suicide attack claiming several civilian deaths in Tel Aviv as "legitimate self- defense" played an important role in Sezer's decision. Papers say it's unclear whether Sezer will wear a yarmulke during his scheduled visit to the Holocaust Memorial. International Iraqi Fair to Begin in Gaziantep on June 7 All papers: The Iraq International Fair will be held on June 7-11 in Gaziantep, with over 30 countries and one thousand companies participating from the Far East to the Middle East and from Africa to Europe. The fair has been organized by the Iraqi Trade Ministry in cooperation with the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, the Turkish Foreign Trade Undersecretariat, and the Turkish Union of Chambers (TOBB). The fair formerly known as the International Baghdad Exhibition, has been unable to hold its annual event since ¶2002. Hotels in Gaziantep, Mardin, Urfa, Adana and Kahramanmaras are reportedly booked to capacity. Turkey to Modernize Own Jetfighters Radikal reports Turkey's Defense Industry Undersecretariat (SSM) has decided the modernization of 48 F-4 jetfighters will be done at the Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) facilities in Eskisehir rather than contracted to Israeli companies. Israel's IAI company had earlier renewed the first batch of 54 jetfighters for USD 632.5 million. The SSM has also decided not to import Israeli radar and flight systems, leaving the renewal work to the state-owned "Havelsan" and "Aselsan" companies, thus saving USD 400 million. Rich-Poor Gap Widening in Turkey Milliyet and Cumhuriyet report that Turkey Statistics Institute said there is a 25-fold gap between the distribution of national income among the wealthiest five percent and the poorest five percent, with an average annual per capita income of YTL 556 (USD 371) in the poorest group against YTL 13,444 (USD 8,960) in the richest. The poorest five percent account for less than one percent of the national income. TV News (NTV, 8.00 a.m.) Domestic News - Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Gul responded to criticism from Turkey's prestigious businessmen's ANKARA 00003256 003 OF 003 grouping TUSIAD by saying they will not abandon its EU entry bid. - One Turkish soldier was killed and 8 others were wounded in a clash with PKK terrorists in the eastern province of Bingol late on Sunday. Two thousand people condemned terrorism at the funeral of a soldier killed by terrorists in Sirnak. - On Sunday, the first oil pumped through the Baku-Tbilisi- Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline was loaded onto the tankers at Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan to be transported to world markets. The presidents of Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan are to meet on July 13 in Ceyhan for the official opening ceremony. Turkey will gain USD 300 million annually from the BTC which will transport 1 million barrels of oil daily. International News - Israeli Prime Minister Olmert said after meeting with President Mubarak in Egypt on Sunday that he would try to resume negotiations with the Palestinian Authority before taking any unilateral steps to set Israel's borders. - Secretary Rice said the incentives offered by the West to end Iran's nuclear program were not open-ended: "I'm not one for timelines and specific schedules, but I think it's fair to say that we really do have to have this settled over a matter of weeks, not months." Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON