ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001175

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 16, 2007


In Today's Papers

PM Erdogan on Turkish Developments, Iraq
All papers report that on Tuesday, Prime Minister Erdogan answered
questions coming from international press members following his
speech at the 2007 World Congress of the International Press
Institute (IPI) in Istanbul. "I believe that under the scope of
international diplomacy, French president-elect Nicholas Sarkozy's
attitude against Turkey's EU membership is wrong. Sarkozy should
overcome such prejudices," Erdogan emphasized. On a controversial
Turkish military statement defending secularism released April 27,
Erdogan stressed that the military in Turkey is a state institution,
and that the Turkish General Staff (TGS) reports to the Prime
Minister. Erdogan maintained his ruling AK Party does not want to
manipulate religion for political goals, adding secularism, too,
should not be exploited for political purposes. "We have to exert
joint efforts to develop a culture of freedom and compromise that
can end the confrontation among countries or nations," Erdogan said.
He also voiced opposition to the ten percent electoral threshold,
adding, however, that it was "necessary for Turkey at this moment."
Erdogan noted he believed a pullout of coalition forces according to
a schedule would stop the civil strife in Iraq, underlining a sudden
withdrawal "would be wrong." The PM also said Turkey has suggested
to the coalition forces, particularly the US, that Kirkuk should
belong to the people of Iraq under a special status, which should be
guaranteed in the constitution.

Sezer Signals Veto of Constitutional Reforms
Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report
President Sezer has until May 26 to sign or veto a constitutional
reform package including the direct election of the president for a
renewable five year term. Sezer reportedly said the election of a
president through direct popular vote required "a comprehensive
legal arrangement," adding such a system if enforced would create
two sources of power in Turkish politics -- remarks interpreted by
papers as an indication that the President will veto the bill.

State Department Deputy Spokesman Casey on Turkey
Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report the US
State Department deputy Spokesman Tom Casey told a daily press
briefing "the United States continues to strongly support Turkey's
candidacy for membership in the EU." "That's certainly a position
that we've conveyed to Chancellor Merkel. I'm sure it's a position
that we will have the opportunity to convey to President-elect
Sarkozy," Casey said in response to a question on a planned visit by
the French President-elect. On another question regarding the
Turkish presidential election process, Casey said the US supports
Turkish democracy and has full confidence in the democratic
institutions in Turkey, stressing, "We expect that the Turkish
people through elections will be the ones to decide who runs that
country."

Turkey-Greece Natural Gas Pipeline to Open
Mainstream Milliyet reports that on July 14 the Prime Ministers of
Turkey and Greece will open a natural gas pipeline between Turkey
and Greece, which will carry Caspian as well as Middle Eastern gas
to Europe through the two countries. The pipeline covers a 300-km
from Karacabey near Istanbul in Turkey to Gumulcine (Komotini) in
Greece, with 17-km of it passing underneath the Marmara Sea.
Turkish energy Minister Hilmi Guler said he has discussed with the
US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman the Nabucco pipeline project which
is to carry Azerbaijani natural gas to Europe through Turkey.

Turkey to Host 'Energy Giants'
Mainstream Milliyet reports Istanbul will host the "Energy
Regulators' Regional Association" (ERRA) on May 21-22 with the
participation of USAID and energy market regulators from Russia,
Ukraine, and Armenia as well as giant energy companies Germany's RWE
and Italy's ENEL and AES.


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Editorial Commentary: Secretary Rice in Moscow; Conflict in
Palestine
Erdal Safak writes in the mainstream daily Sabah: "With her current
trip to Moscow, Secretary Rice is using up the last chance to save
the 'near future' of the world. Even though she emphasized that the
difficulty in Moscow-Washington relations does not indicate a new
cold war, recent developments make it seem otherwise. There are
serious policy differences between the US and Russia, from the
missile shield systems in Europe to Kosovo's independence, to
Russian energy policy. Foreign experts interpret the current
situation as either the worst days since the cold war or as a
situation that could easily get out of control. It looks like
freezing winds between the US and Russia are about blow from the
Urals, through Europe and across the Atlantic."

Mete Cubukcu writes in the leftist daily Birgun: "The Palestinian
people used their democratic right and voted for Hamas. The
Palestinians are being punished for that choice with an embargo.
Due to the US and Israel's insistence on a policy of punishment,
Palestine was pushed into closing itself up, which eventually
brought out the radical Islamic tendencies. Gaza is NOW a place of
kidnapping and hostility toward foreigners just like Afghanistan and
Iraq. Al-Qaeda used the chaotic situation in Palestine very much to
its benefit and managed to infiltrate Palestinian groups
effectively. Currently there are significant defenders of
al-Qaeda's backward ideology in Palestine. All of this gives Israel
the chance to use the situation like a trump card against Palestine.
Israel has been using radical Islamic infiltration as a pretext for
its aggression. This is a very critical time especially for the
people of Palestine. There is no way to get rid of radicalism as
long as isolation, outside pressure and occupation continue."

TV Highlights
NTV (6 A.M.)

Domestic News

- Turkish search teams have found the bodies of a Briton and a
Pakistani in the wreckage of a missing Iran-bound private plane
which crashed in the mountainous region of the Trabzon province in
northeast Turkey.

- Two Turkish soldiers have been killed by landmines believed to
have been planted by the PKK in Dicle in Diyarbakir province.

- Kurdish activist Leyla Zana was interrogated by the prosecutor in
Diyarbakir for calling Talabani, Barzani and the PKK's imprisoned
leader Ocalan the "three leaders of the Kurdish people" in a speech
she delivered during Nevruz celebrations.

- CHP leader Deniz Baykal is to meet Wednesday DSP leader Zeki Sezer
to discuss unification before July 22 elections.

International News

- In a meeting with the representatives of three religions in
Brussels, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said destruction of
Christian sites in Turkish Cyprus won't be tolerated.

- Turkish Cypriots staged protests in Brussels calling for lifting
the isolation of Turkish Cyprus.

- Iraq's President Talabani told The Daily Telegraph British
military officers have held secret talks with the leaders of the
Sunni insurgency in Iraq.

- The Turkish General Staff reported in its website that despite
positive developments in Turkish-Greek relations, interceptions of
Turkish jets by Greek aircrafts in the Aegean and Mediterranean
continue.

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WILSON