ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004251 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 FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2006 In Today's Papers US General Meets with Barzani in Sulaymaniye, PKK Activity (Hurriyet, Radikal, Zaman): George Casey, the US general responsible for the multinational forces in Iraq went to Iraq's Kurdish region to meet with President Barzani on Thursday. According to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's (PUK) official website, General Casey and Barzani met in Sulaymaniye but the posting didn't give details of the meeting. According to Zaman, General Casey met with Barzani to convey to him Turkish sensitivities about the PKK. Meanwhile, by means of a diplomatic note, Turkey urged Baghdad yesterday to close a PKK-affiliated research center named after jailed terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan. Radikal reports that responding to a question about whether Washington could trust Turkey, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that 'Turkey is a good friend and ally. Turkey and the US have the same concerns in the region.' Sabah reports that PKK terrorists stopped around 200 vehicles on the Van-Hakkari highway yesterday, gathered all the passengers on the road side, checked IDs and after a short pro-PKK speech to the crowd allowed them back to their vehicles. Sabah highlights the fact that such PKK activities took place in the past when the terrorist activities were at their highest levels in Turkey. Columnist Haluk Ulman argues that Turkey is facing a stalling tactic from the US regarding the fight against PKK presence in northern Iraq. In the economic-political daily Dunya he writes: "A diplomatic solution is certainly the most preferable one and in fact even the worst diplomatic solution is better than a military option. However when it comes to PKK terrorism in northern Iraq, it is really difficult to make a similar argument. First of all, a diplomatic solution requires two sides discussing an issue. There is no 'side' in Iraq capable of working for a settlement via discussion. Turkey is forced to think about taking care of the problem on its own. The Bush administration answers with the 'trilateral mechanism' whenever it feels pressured on this issue. Let's take a close look at who is who in this mechanism. One side is coalition forces, i.e. the US, and the other is the government of Iraq which means the US again. In other words, Turkey's counterpart on this issue is the US itself. Proposing three party talks is nothing but nonsense. Washington's problem stems from the fact that the US does not have control over Iraq, nor does its puppet Iraqi regime have authority even in the capital Baghdad. Northern Iraq is fully controlled by Barzani who will not do anything to finish off the PKK's presence. And the US is obviously not willing to lose Iraqi Kurds' support - the only support it gets in Iraq. Given the facts, who will be the counter party to discuss the terrorism issue with Turkey? The trilateral mechanism is only a pretext to stop Turkey's possible cross-border operatin." Israeli Bombings in Lebanon; Turkey Becoes Evacuation Center All papers: Papers focus on the developments in the situation in Lebanon while the headlines generally reflected reports about civilian deaths and humanitarian sufferings. Radikal headlines "Devoid of Humanity," reporting that the death toll in Lebanon has surpassed 325 and "hunger has reared its head." Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports that the Israeli air attacks have turned Lebanese cities into "ghost towns," leaving "neighborhoods previously home to 100,000 people empty." Mainstream Milliyet headlines, "In Beirut it's the Civilians Who Suffer," explaining that Israeli attacks though meant for Hezbollah have only hit homes and civilians while Hezbollah has announced "not one of us has died." Conservative Tercuman asked "how many more children should die in order to stop the war?" All papers report that "for the first time in 23 years" US Marines are back in Lebanon," this time to help with the evacuation. Radikal reported that Turkey's southern port city Mersin has become one of the centers for the evacuation operation from Lebanon. Turkey's Red Crescent is actively involved in the evacuation efforts ANKARA 00004251 002.2 OF 003 and providing transportation and supplies. The Turkish Foreign Ministry is going to evacuate 450 Turkish citizens from Beirut on Monday. A group of foreigners continue to enter Turkey via ground from the Syrian border. The USS Nashville will evacuate 1200 American citizens from Beirut and bring them to Cyprus. According to columnist Hasan Cemal ongoing tension in the Middle East is going to negatively affect the global fight against terrorism. In mainstream Milliyet he observed: "Radical Islamic fundamentalism was one of the main reasons for the start of Iraq war three years ago. The neo-cons in the US strongly believed that global war against fundamentalist terror was a must. Seeing the current picture in Iraq as well as in the Islamic world in a broader sense, we cannot claim that radical Islam has weakened and terrorism has declined. We can't argue about the rise of democracy since the beginning of Iraq war either. Instead what we see is the opening of Pandora's Box where all the evil has been unleashed. It seems Washington neo-cons did not learn any lesson as they still suggest that the war should continue. According to their argument, the fight with radical Islam requires a global war. Thus the US wants to spread the war to Iran and Syria and is supportive of the Israeli attack in Lebanon. I strongly believe in the need to fight against radical Islam but it should be made through the values of democracy, human rights and supremacy of law in the Islamic world. This calls for regime changes in the Islamic world, not for a global war. Democracy and regime change require patience and time. War is a destruction of humanity and it always has a backlash. Why is it so hard to see this fact?" Council of State (Danistay) Lift Asset Freeze of Al-Kadi All papers: The Council of State yesterday overturned a government order to freeze the assets of Yasin Al-Kadi, a suspected Al-Qaida financier who has close ties with Prime Minister Erdogan and AKP members. The Council of State said in its decision that no documental evidence was provided following the Council of Ministerial decree to freeze the assets. In the absence of a local court ruling and lack of documented proof against Al-Kadi, the Council of State said that temporary injunctions on foreign investors' assets require legl rulings rather than government orders. TV Highlights NTV (8 a.m.) Domestic News Q Turkey was disappointed by the Russian decision to exclude the PKK from its list of terror organizations. Turkey will press Russia to add the PKK to the list. Q Turkey has presented a note of protest to Baghdad demanding the closure of a research center named after terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan. Q Turkey's top administrative court, the Council of State, has abolished a government decree for freezing the assets of Saudi businessman Yassin Al-Kadi in Turkey. Q PM Erdogan phones US President Bush and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to seek support for truce in the Middle East International News Q The Israeli bombardment of Lebanon is continuing. Q Intense clashes erupt between Israeli forces and Hezbollah Guerillas on the southern Lebanese border Q Israel had threatened to launch attacks against Palestinians ANKARA 00004251 003 OF 003 hiding any missiles in their houses. Q Kurdish officials in Iraq said that Iran was attacking PKK camps in Northern Iraq. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON