ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002051 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, AUGUST 10, 2007 In Today's Papers Koksal Toptan Elected Parliament Speaker All papers report Koksal Toptan has been elected Parliament Speaker in the first round of voting with the backing of 450 MPs. Nationalist MHP's candidate Tunca Toskay received 74 votes. Toptan, a moderate conservative, does not have an Islamist past and his wife does not wear the Muslim headscarf. President Sezer and all party leaders praised Toptan, welcoming his election as speaker. Following his election, Toptan said, "I am a deputy of the AKP, but now I consider all parties and all deputies as my own. My goal is not to disappoint those who have faith in me." Debate over the Presidency Continues Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Vatan, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others continue speculation on the uncertainty surrounding who Turkey's next president will be. CHP leader Deniz Baykal said Thursday he hoped the compromise displayed in the parliament speaker election would also be seen in the presidential election. Baykal said if the presidency is given to a "suitable" candidate, it would "ease pressure on the economy, lead to softening in domestic politics and strengthen Turkey in foreign policy issues." Following the election of the new parliament speaker, Prime Minister Erdogan held a meeting with former parliament speaker Bulent Arinc and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. Erdogan said after the meeting, "Democracy does not allow us to ignore the will of the nation. We are expected to move in line with the preferences of voters." Mainstream Vatan says Erdogan's remarks are interpreted by some as support for Gul's candidacy and by others as an indication that he wants a compromise candidate. Islamist-oriented Zaman thinks moderate politician Koksal Toptan's election as parliament speaker is another factor strengthening Gul's chances for becoming president. Papers expect Erdogan to meet with opposition leaders to seek consensus in the presidential election. Papers speculate the presidential voting will take place in the end of August, with the first round on August 23 and the second and the third rounds on August 26 and 29. Iraqi Kurdish MP Opposes Turkey-Iraq MOU on Terror Sabah, Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report Mahmoud Osman, a Kurdish member of the Iraqi parliament, told Voice of Iraq Radio the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between Iraq and Turkey did not represent the views of the regional Kurdish administration. Osman also said the PKK was not a terrorist organization, but was actually fighting against the "terrorism of the Turkish government." Meanwhile, Cumhuriyet reports the Turkish General Staff (TGS) has rejected a regional Kurdish administration request, conveyed by the Maliki delegation in talks in Ankara earlier this week, to open a new border crossing between Turkey and Iraq near the Habur Gate. The TGS reportedly rejected the request because of concerns that it would provide another source of money for Massoud Barzani. Editorial Commentary on Maliki's Turkey Visit Ferai Tinc writes in the mainstream daily Hurriyet: "It is almost a given that Maliki will not be able keep the promises he made in Ankara. Moreover it is not even certain that he will be able to keep his Prime Minister seat once the Iraqi parliament reconvenes. Given the fact that the same Iraqi Kurds support both Maliki and PKK activities in the area, we cannot expect anything concrete on the PKK. Energy cooperation between Iraq and Turkey, part of the discussions in Ankara, becomes the most important tool for future bilateral relations. The Regional Parliament of Iraqi Kurdistan has approved the oil law which paves the way for the Kurdistan administration to gain control over energy resources. Turkey is the easiest route for foreign firms regarding exploration and distribution of Iraqi oil. Turkey should use this fact as efficiently as possible to push Iraqi Kurds to take steps toward regional stability and security. Otherwise, we will have to fool ANKARA 00002051 002 OF 003 ourselves with never-ending promises or unrealized memoranda of understanding." Haluk Ulman writes in the business and political daily Dunya: "Turkey tried to create a mechanism against the PKK with Maliki although he desperately is in need of Barzani. Despite all the efforts prior to the Maliki visit with regard to creating a joint action plan against the PKK, the meeting ended with no results as the MOU is just a cosmetic document. The wording of the MOU is not strong enough to placate Ankara because there is nothing concrete besides the ambiguous rhetoric that 'every effort will be exerted on the PKK.' That details are to be worked out by commissions means nothing. In short, Maliki cannot make a promise to fight jointly against the PKK. Barzani, as his sole supporter, would not let him go ahead with an action plan against PKK. Washington does not want a cross-border operation either -- the recent Washington Post article [by Novak] was obviously a creative story to prevent a possible Turkish military action in the north of Iraq. Now the real question is why the Turkish government is putting all the effort into such meetings with no obvious results, if this is not only a public relations effort." Kurdish DTP Continues Peace Messages Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP leader Ahmet Turk reiterated the party's commitment to peace, by saying "We have extended a hand in peace, and we don't have a gun in the other hand. We have always advocated dialogue, and we are honest in our calls that we are ready for sacrifices for peace and democracy." Nationalist MHP leader Devlet Bahceli had said earlier this week the MHP would not turn down any hand reaching out, but would never allow "the other hand to be shooting at Turkish soldiers." Turkey-Greek Cyprus Oil Exploration Dispute All papers report Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) Spokesman Levent Bilman told a press briefing yesterday Turkey's views on the Greek Cypriot administration's efforts to license offshore oil and natural gas exploration on the seabed around Cyprus is a contravention of the international law, had been conveyed to all international organizations, including the UN. Bilman stressed it was imperative that a lasting solution be reached which would let the Turkish and Greek Cypriots jointly utilize resources of the island. Water Crisis in Ankara Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others. Ankara, the Turkish capital city of four million, is enduring severe water shortages because of a drought. Papers say people are helpless over the water crisis -- operations are being delayed in hospitals and doctors are warning of epidemic outbreaks. Foreign embassies are struggling to cope with the water crisis, reports Cumhuriyet, and quote foreign diplomats' amazement that water is scarce in cities in a country surrounded by seas on three sides. Radikal says Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek has ignored countless proposals from authorities to secure the capital city's water supplies over the years. Papers also report Turkey's religious affairs directorate Diyanet will arrange prayers for rain in Ankara mosques on Friday. TV Highlights NTV, 7.00 A.M. Domestic News - About 11,500 Turkish Airlines' (THY) staff voted Thursday in favor of striking for more pay. Now the union can declare a strike, but must do so six days in advance of the strike beginning. In addition, the government can postpone strikes at strategic companies, including THY, for 60 days. The government had earlier warned of the negative consequences of a strike at the peak of the tourist season; and workers could face the danger of being laid off. ANKARA 00002051 003 OF 003 - Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) Spokesman Levent Bilman said two draft resolutions introduced in the US Congress were "routine" Greek lobbying efforts, and that they are not expected to pass. The resolutions call for Turkish troops' to withdraw from the divided island. Bilman said Turkey keeps troops in Cyprus according to its legitimate rights stemming from international treaties. - Turkey's banking board, BDDK, has vetoed the bid of Greek Alphabank to acquire a 50 percent stake of Turkish Abank. Reportedly, it has been discovered that the PKK has accounts in Alphabank's southern Cyprus branches. - On August 15, collective bargaining talks on civil service pay hikes will be kicked off between the government and labor unions. International News - Iran yesterday announced full support of visiting Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and said US troops must leave Iraq immediately. - Georgia has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to condemn a missile attack by Russian jetfighters on Georgian territory. - Christian Democrats in the Netherlands are searching for ways to close down mosques in which they believe radical imams preach hate. - A group of Muslim protesters in India attacked Teslime Nesrin, the exiled Bangladeshi author and feminist, at a book launch in Haydarabad. MCELDOWNEY