ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001795 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 13, 2007 In Today's Papers Bombs in Izmir, Istanbul Defused All papers report Turkish police, acting on a tip off from a scrap dealer, found a bomb in a tin box in the Bornova district of Izmir. The police defused the 30-kg explosive minutes before it went off. The bomb was placed on a road used by military vehicles. Meanwhile, police also defused a pipe bomb found in the courtyard of the Kucukcekmece district governor's office in Istanbul. Several papers say the timed bombs which would have killed dozens if they had gone off were reminiscent of the Hudson Institute scenarios on turmoil in Turkey before the forthcoming July 22 elections. In a related story, Zaman reports security forces have seized 794 kg of explosives in the first six months of this year. Party Leaders Involved in Heated Debates in Run Up to Elections All papers report tensions escalated among political party leaders in the run up to the July 22 general elections. Prime Minister Erdogan criticized CHP leader Deniz Baykal for his inconsistency with regard to the opposition leader's statements on the election of Turkey's new president. "Baykal has reached the age of 70, but he lacks political ethics," Erdogan said, stressing CHP would be "finished" after the elections. Baykal fired back by saying Erdogan could not be trusted, and criticized the AKP leader for closing the doors of dialogue during the presidential election process in April, and now saying he was seeking compromise on the same issue. MHP Chairman Devlet Bahceli said during a television interview that if his party takes power, he will reinstate capital punishment for war crimes and terror crimes. On the possibility of a cross-border incursion into northern Iraq, Bahceli said Turkey should first explain the situation to the US and then occupy Mount Kandil if Americans decline to back Turkey. Turkish Businessmen Want Single Party Government Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports on its front page many leading businessmen in Istanbul said a coalition government emerging out of July 22 ballot would be "disastrous" for Turkey. Businessmen said the recent single-party government in Turkey managed to lure USD 20 billion in direct foreign investment, that the business community grew three-fold, and that exports and gross national product have soared. They stressed Turkey needs a strong single party government if it wanted to continue growing. Turkish Armenians to Back AKP in Elections Aksam and Cumhuriyet report Turkish Armenian journalist Etyen Mahcupyan said in an interview with a weekly magazine that about 60 percent of the Armenians living in Turkey would vote for the AKP, and that there was also support the independent leftist candidate Professor Baskin Oran in Istanbul. Mahcupyan said Armenians favored the AKP for working for the return of non-Muslim foundations' assets confiscated by the state while the CHP and MHP wanted to block the return. Editorial Commentary on US Withdrawal from Iraq Sami Kohen observes in the mainstream Milliyet: "Many observers believe that President Bush will never decide on withdrawal until the Iraqi Government gains the control, domestic clashes come to an end and security is established in the country. Because of its energy resources and regional strategic importance, Iraq is not a place for Washington to give up on that easily. That is why even the people supporting the pull-out, believe that the US military presence in Iraq and of course the political power should be continued somehow. The US has vast interests in the region and also the US is aware of the possible regional problems that will occur after the US withdrawal. Ankara, right from the beginning, wants the US invasion to come to an orderly end and supports Iraq's territorial integrity and national unity. Turkish officials are concerned about the chaotic situation in Iraq after a disorderly ANKARA 00001795 002 OF 002 troop withdrawal. In a chaotic situation, Northern Iraq could separate itself from the central government and the Kurdish establishment in the north could be strengthen. There is one other possibility: during the pull-out, the US might deploy some of its troops in the safer Northern Iraq. Such a development could limit Turkey's intervention in Iraq. However, a full strength US withdrawal could give Turkey more freedom to intervene in Iraq." TV Highlights NTV, 7.00 A.M. Domestic News - Council of State (Danistay) has turned down an appeal, saying an investigation against Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir for distributing posters and invitations in the Kurdish language will move forward. - A Turkish jetfighter on a training flight crashed in the northwestern city of Balikesir on Thursday while it was landing. The two pilots ejected themselves and survived the crash. - The second International Orthodox Youth Conference will be held in Istanbul on July 14-16 with the participation of 788 clerics and laypeople from 37 countries. International News - The Iraqi government has sent a delegation to Kirkuk to see the preparations for a referendum concerning the status of the oil-rich city. - Remains of thirteen Turkish Cypriots who were executed and buried in a mass grave by Greek Cypriot armed groups after they were taken prisoners in Alaminyo village in July 1974 were laid to rest with a military funeral Thursday. - Turkish Cyprus leader Mehmet Ali Talat has annulled his meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos in reaction to Nicosia's blocking of a friendly game between Britain's Luton Town and Cetinkaya soccer teams in Turkish Cyprus. - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Turkish groups that boycotted a high-profile meeting to bolster the integration of immigrants "cannot give the government an ultimatum." WILSON