ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001720 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 THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2007 In Today's Papers Erdogan Calls for International Cooperation against Terrorism All papers report that on Wednesday, Prime Minister Erdogan told the World Chambers Federation Forum in Istanbul that Turkey now wants to see "action" from its friends rather than mere statements of support saying that the PKK was a terror organization. The PM noted the importance of joint international action against terrorism, stressing that Turkey had done its part to combat international terrorism, urging friendly countries to move in the same way. Papers comment that with pressure mounting on the government for a cross-border operation, eyes are turned to the next meeting of the cabinet, scheduled for July 9. Papers also report Erdogan met with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on the sidelines of the Istanbul gathering. Editorial Commentary on Northern Iraq; PKK-Cross Border Operation Cuneyt Ulsever observes in the mainstream Hurriyet: "Just a short while ago, PM Erdogan rejected the allegations regarding a cross-border operation into Northern Iraq. But, following pressure from the opposition parties CHP and MHP, and feeling that the AKP is losing out on the Northern Iraq issue due to the lack of clear policies, PM Erdogan made a sudden change in his stance and started to act as if he would adopt a resolution for a cross-border operation. In the past, the government was unable to pass the March 1 petition [the March 1, 2003, resolution to allow US troops to enter Iraq through Turkey] because Kurdish-origin AKP deputies vetoed it. Today, when 154 AKP deputies have been eliminated from the candidate lists [for the upcoming July 22 election] it will never be possible to pass the petition in the Parliament. Prime Minister Erdogan is just pretending that he would adopt the petition." Guneri Civaoglu comments in the mainstream daily Milliyet: "It is true that terrorists and weapons come to Turkey from Northern Iraq. And it is true that the PKK bases in Kandil Mountain and in Northern Iraq could be destroyed. However, this would only serve as a good lesson to them and would never eliminate PKK terrorism. Did 34 previous cross-border operations ever manage to eliminate the PKK? I am obliged to remind people of this fact when the rumors started that the Parliament might convene extraordinarily to debate a cross-border operation." Retired Military Officers Involved in Nationalist Organizations Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and others report a retired gendarme general living in Istanbul was the "number one" inside the ultranationalist association Patriotic Forces Union. The police are now trying to find out who the retired general is. Papers note prosecutors are probing the role of the members of the association in the slaying of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. The head of the association Taner Unal reportedly told the police that retired captain Muzaffer Tekin was behind the murder of Dink. Tekin is among the main suspects implicated in the Council of State (Danistay) attack perpetrated by an ultranationalist lawyer which resulted in the killing of a high justice in Ankara last year. US Position on Combating the PKK: AP Report Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others carry an AP story on the US cooperation with Turkey against the PKK, and quote an unidentified high level US diplomat as saying in the AP story that "the US has not paid sufficient attention or devoted enough resources to address Turkish concerns" on the issue. Papers also quote Brigadier General Perry Wiggins, Deputy Director for Operations, Joint Staff, as "repeating after Secretary of Defense Gates" that a Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq "would not be helpful." Embassy Ankara Holds Independence Day Reception All papers and TV broadcasts report that at the US Ankara Embassy's ANKARA 00001720 002 OF 002 Independence Day Reception held Wednesday, the Turkish government was represented by Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, State Minister Ali Babacan, and former Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, and the military by lieutenant generals. Ambassador Wilson and Minister Gonul delivered brief speeches at the reception. Gonul said Turkey and the US achieved great successes with regard to settlement of peace and freedom in several regions, underlining both countries also cooperated on defense, energy, economy, culture and tourism. Ambassador Wilson is quoted as responding to press questions that the US will work with whatever new government emerges after the elections. Papers comment the Turkish military was represented at lower levels than in previous years, in protest against "the US inaction against the PKK." AKP-Commissioned Poll Sees Three Parties in Parliament Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries an election survey commissioned by the ruling AKP and conducted by Pollmark polling company. According to the survey which canvassed the views of 5,000 Turks on June 26-28, the distribution of votes after the undecided votes are added would be as follows: AKP 40.5 percent, CHP 21.0, MHP 10.5, DP 7.0, GP 6.5, and others 7.5, with 7.0 saying they would not vote. Meanwhile, tabloid Aksam reports various opinion polls ahead of the July 22 parliamentary elections show the AKP will win between 274 and 325 seats in the 550-seat parliament, with its share of the vote varying between 39.8 percent and 43 percent. TV Highlights NTV Domestic News - The Turkish Foreign Ministry released a statement saying Turkey has never made commitments to the US to abstain from incursion into northern Iraq in exchange for loans. - The PKK is backed by 28 countries, according to former Justice Minister Cemil Cicek. - Turkey's banned Islamist leader, former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan said supporting the AKP means "supporting Zionism." - Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told the World Chambers Forum meetings in Istanbul that Turkey has made big progress in curbing inflation and interest rates. International News - BBC correspondent Alan Johnston has been released after nearly four months as a prisoner in Gaza. - The regional Kurdish administration president Massoud Barzani told Euronews TV that a Turkish cross-border military incursion into northern Iraq would lead to a destructive war in the region. - A roadside bomb killed six NATO soldiers and their Afghan interpreter in a southern Afghan region. - On Wednesday, Palestinian civil servants began receiving their first full salaries in 17 months. WILSON