ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001295 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, MAY 25, 2007 In Today's Papers PKK Landmine Kills 6 Turkish Troops All papers report six Turkish soldiers were killed when a PKK landmine, perhaps detonated remotely, destroyed their vehicle in the southeastern border province of Sirnak. Other sources told the press the landmine was triggered by pressure when the vehicle was driven over it. After the attack, a sweeping operation against the terrorists was launched in the region. Ankara Suicide Attack -- the Aftermath All papers report Guven Akkus, the suicide bomber behind the explosion in Ankara which killed six people, became affiliated with the PKK while living in the Netherlands. He moved there following his release from prison in Turkey in the late 90's. Tuesday's bombing was the worst attack in Ankara in at least a decade. Authorities said it looked to be the work of the PKK. The group has denied responsibility for the attack. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says police are investigating whether the bomb Akkus was carrying was detonated by someone else via a mobile phone or laptop computer. Mass appeal Vatan claims the terrorists initially wanted to stage a bomb attack during May Day protests in Istanbul, but their plan failed as a result of tight security measures in the city. Conservative-Islamist oriented Zaman reports 13 suicide bombers have been captured in Turkey over the last month. Intelligence reports say PKK suicide bombers were trained by foreigners in camps in the Kandil Mountains. The paper warns that the attack in Ankara might be part of efforts to postpone the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Turkey. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says PKK leader Duran Kalkan threatened in March that "thousands of PKK volunteers" were waiting to attack if Turkey, in the face of claims of poisoning of Abdullah Ocalan, does not allow the PKK's imprisoned leader to be examined by an impartial delegation of doctors. The paper believes Ocalan made remarks last week claiming his HEALTH is "bad," urging "something to be done," and that could have triggered the Ankara suicide attack. A woman terrorist captured in Adana over the weekend said she was planning to strike Turks in retaliation to the poisoning of Ocalan. Editorial Commentary on Ankara Bombing Ismet Berkan observed in the liberal-intellectual daily Radikal (5/25): "The aim of terrorism by definition is to spread fear and insecurity. In this respect, the Ankara attack achieved its goal. Even the Chief of the General Staff could not control his anxiety and he was talking about the possibility of similar explosions in other big cities. All of the recent developments, even before the TGS warning about threats actually created a climate of insecurity in people's minds. The attack occurred at a time when Kurdish candidates are working on ways to get representation in the parliament. Given the already tense atmosphere in Turkish domestic politics, the bombing in the capital city blew up the chance to solve the Kurdish problem through peaceful means. The PKK is freely operating in US-occupied Iraq which is ONE of the main reasons for Turkey to turn increasingly inward. The deep mistrust toward the US and US double standards in the fight against terrorism provoke anti-Western sentiment in Turkey. In sum, the bombing in Ankara will aggravate anti-Western sentiment even more." Gungor Mengi criticized in the mainstream daily Vatan (5/25): "The heinous act was carried by the PKK which acts like a puppet of the Barzani administration. And the US occupying Iraq under the pretext of the fight against terrorism, does nothing about it. The US only watches the developments while its weapons are transferred from peshmerges to PKK terrorists and while terrorists cross the border for attacks in Turkey and return to their shelters in northern Iraq. Where does 'the solidarity among allies and pledges for joint fight against terrorism' rhetoric fit into this picture? What the US is doing right now is a sheer denial of its sacred values, displaying disgusting hypocrisy. America is betraying the values that it has been proudly representing for over half a century, like courage, ANKARA 00001295 002 OF 003 justice, freedom and the right to live." Iraq Ready to Cooperate with Turkey against the PKK All papers report the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) said in a statement Thursday that Iraq said it was ready to cooperate with Ankara against the PKK militants who use northern Iraq as a base. "In a reply on May 17, the Iraqi government expressed its intention to cooperate against PKK terrorism. We continue to follow possible opportunities for cooperation in this matter," the statement said. Last month Turkey sent a diplomatic note to Baghdad asking Iraq to help force the PKK out of northern Iraq. The conservative-Islamist oriented Zaman says Ankara, not satisfied by the Iraqi dipnote, expects more, such as concrete measures. Turkey's Iraq Special Envoy, Ambassador Oguz Celikkol, is to lead a delegation to Baghdad for talks with the Iraqi leaders over the weekend. Al-Qaeda Threatens Turkey Sabah, Milliyet, Aksam, Vatan, Hurriyet and Cumhuriyet: Mustafa Abu Al-Yazid, the new leader of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, said in a taped statement broadcast on al-Jazeera TV that Abd Al - Hadi Al -Iraqi, the top commander of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, was captured in Turkey last fall while he was trying to sneak into Iraq and handed over to US officials. Al-Yazid, threatened Turkey that Al-Qaeda would take the revenge for the incident President Sezer Partially Vetoes Nuclear Power Plant Bill Sabah, Milliyet, Zaman, Cumhuriyet and others: President Sezer partially vetoed the Nuclear Power Plants bill, which would establish nuclear power plants in the country because he considered three articles of the new law against the Constitution. Sending the bill back to the Parliament, Sezer demanded Parliament to re-debate article 5, 6 and 7 of the bill. TV Highlights NTV, 7.00 A.M. Domestic News - The Turkish General Staff (TGS) chief Yasar Buyukanit and force commanders will observe the "Ephesus" offshore naval exercises in the Aegean city of Izmir on Friday. Prime Minister Erdogan and President Sezer will also participate. - Prime Minister Erdogan held phone talks with Azerbaijani and Turkmen Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov, and invited the two leaders to Turkey. Erdogan held another phone talk with French President Nicholas Sarkozy, urging him to avoid speaking through the media to overcome problems. Sarkozy expressed deep sorrow over Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara. - Opposition parties CHP and DSP will hold a rally in Mersin on Saturday whereas Prime Minister Erdogan will address supporters in Sivas. - The ruling AKP government will reportedly reduce value added tax in tourism sector and food sales. International News - EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the EU had a "solid mandate" to continue membership talks with Turkey. - Muhammad al-Baradei, the head of the IAEA, said Iran may be between three and eight years away from producing nuclear weapons. - The Greek Foreign Ministry condemned in a statement Turkey's denial of Pontus genocide claims. - The Berlin-based Transparency International says corruption is ANKARA 00001295 003 OF 003 undermining justice in many parts of the world. WILSON