ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003474 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, JUNE 13, 2006 In Today's Papers EU Opens Actual Accession Talks with Turkey All papers: European Union foreign ministers overcame last-minute objections from Nicosia demanding Ankara open its ports to Cypriot shipping and airports to Cypriot planes, enabling Turkey to hold the first session of detailed membership talks with the European bloc on Monday. At a late-night press conference with EU leaders in Luxembourg, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul hailed it as a "milestone" in Turkey's drive toward joining the bloc. Gul stressed Turkey would not move further without parallel EU action to ease the economic isolation of Turkish Cyprus, warning that EU-Turkey relations should not be "taken hostage" by Cyprus. Gul flew in from Ankara late Monday afternoon for the talks, on the first of 35 policy "chapters" to be negotiated before Turkey can join the EU. EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn also hailed the talks, but warned that Ankara needs to do more, and in particular implement the Ankara Protocol to include Greek Cyprus, to avoid a "train crash." Rehn called for more reforms in freedom of speech, judiciary, minority and religious rights. Rehn said recent developments in the mainly Kurdish southeastern Turkey were worrying, referring to the public unrest and the surge in the PKK terror. Press commentary focuses on the EU meeting and the obstacles set up by Cyprus. Commenting in mainstream Vatan, Gungor Mengi urges the ruling AKP not to "use the goal of EU membership for domestic political purposes," warning "abandoning the EU goal might be the end of AKP rule" and also could end up with "the division of Turkey." Cengiz Candar commenting in the conservative Bugun suggests that Turkey "focus on its EU-related homework rather than worrying about the EU's capacity to digest new members and other hypothetical arguments," noting that "brinkmanship diplomacy" puts Turkey at the "same level as the Greek Cypriot side, where everything comes down to the Greek veto and Turkey's threatening language about boycotting the meeting." Noting that "tiny Cyprus has been trying to drag the entire EU into a crisis and the fact of the matter is that it has succeeded to a certain extent, Sami Kohen, writing in mainstream Milliyet, warns that "since it is certain that the Greek Cypriot administration will use the same tactic on every possible occasion, Turkey should be prepared to see the same scenario repeated as it moves toward the EU goal." Erdogan Visits Zagreb, Ankara Recognizes Montenegro All papers: On Monday, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his Croatian counterpart Ivo Sanader held a joint press event in Zagreb following their tte-`-tte and the signing of a joint economic council protocol on social security. Sanader said that Turkish and Croatian businessmen should increase their joint projects in the third countries. He noted that his government assisted the Institute of Turcology in Croatia, calling for the opening of a Croatian Language and Literature desk in Turkish universities. Erdogan said Turkey and Croatia have supported each other in the EU accession process, stressing that Turkey supports Croatia's NATO membership as well. From Zagreb Erdogan moved on to Macedonia to meet Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski. The Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) said in a statement on Monday, ''Foreign Minister Gul noted that Turkey decided to recognize the Republic of Montenegro and launch initiatives for diplomatic ties in response to the letter of Foreign Minister Miodrag Vlahovic, who expected Turkey to recognize Montenegro as well as to establish diplomatic relations.'' Turkey is among the first governments to recognize Montenegro, along with the EU, Iceland, Croatia, Russia and Switzerland. ANKARA 00003474 002 OF 003 Turkish University Student Poll Cumhuriyet reports on the results of a poll conducted by Ataturk University in which 7,568 students from various state and foundation universities in Turkey were surveyed regarding the "social and economic profile of Turkish university students." According to the survey, 52 percent of the students define themselves as "nationalist," 40 as social democrat, 31 as conservative, 28 as socialist, and 24 as liberal. Of those surveyed, 69 percent support Turkey's EU membership whereas 25.4 percent believe Turkey will not be admitted into the bloc, and 33.4 percent expect to be admitted in ten years. Students say by 53 percent that national resources will be controlled by foreigners if Turkey enters the EU. 46 percent say sovereignty over foreign policy will be lost, and 44 percent believe the notion of nation-state will grow weak in an EU-member Turkey. Suicides Fuel More Calls for Closure of Guantanamo Radikal, Star: After the suicides of three detainees in Guantanamo prison, the EU, UN, EC, some Human Rights Organizations and some US Senators urged the US to close the camp and to try or free the prisoners. EU Foreign Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told reporters yesterday in Luxembourg that 'Guantanamo should be closed'. Meanwhile, Germany demanded a full explanation from the US about the suicides. The UN reporter for countering torture Manfred Nowak claimed that the suicides are the proof of the prisoners' hopelessness. Bodrum Archeology Museum "Censorship" Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Aksam and others: The Cultural Ministry ordered the Bodrum Museum Administration to erase a 500-year-old engraved inscription from the museum wall. The inscription, 'The place where God does not exist', was reportedly engraved in Latin on the walls of a room believed to be used as a torture chamber in the Bodrum Castle. The Museum Administration has already removed the signboard of the inscription in Turkish and English, and is now looking for ways to remove the engraved inscription from the wall. The Museum claims that the inscription has no historical value. TV Highlights NTV (8 a.m) Domestic News - AKP officials said the parliament would pass the ninth EU harmonization package before the summer recess. - Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir has been interrogated by prosecutor in connection with a letter sent to Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen, in which Baydemir and some other Kurdish leaders urged the PM not to close the Copenhagen-based Roj TV. - State Minister for family, Nimet Cubukcu said 600 to 900 children had escaped from state orphanages across the country. - World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorking said he expected no imminent economic crisis in Turkey. International News - Hundreds of al-Fatah security forces loyal to President Abbas went on the rampage in Ramallah, attacking the parliament and government offices, in retaliation for an earlier attack by Hamas gunmen. - The Palestinian Assembly said a referendum regarding a two-state solution with Israel would be held on June 20. - Amnesty International said Israel's persistent violations of human rights should be a priority issue at tomorrow's EU-Israel Association Council. ANKARA 00003474 003 OF 003 - The Chief of Turkish General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok is in Canberra as the guest of his Australian counterpart to sign a military cooperation agreement between the two countries. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON