ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002676 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 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2007 In Today's Papers Turkish National Day Marked by anti-Terror Protests All papers report that on Monday, Turkey has celebrated Republic Day with the highest civilian participation in recent years, with tens of thousands gathering to show that "the country's unity cannot be undermined." Ceremonies were held across Turkey to mark the 84th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic. Demonstrators, carrying Turkish flags and the pictures of Turkish soldiers killed in fighting with the PKK, condemned the terror attacks. Papers note that this year's Republic Day celebrations had "higher spirits" than in the past, partly due to a sense that the integrity of the country is threatened by terrorism. More than 400,000 people visited the mausoleum of Ataturk, modern Turkey's founder, in Ankara on Monday. In the mainly Kurdish southeastern part of Turkey, too, people protested terror and called for peace, with a crowd in Yuksekova, along the border with Iraq, releasing doves of peace. Buyukanit: Wait for Erdogan-Bush Meeting before Iraq Incursion All papers reported over the weekend that the Turkish General Staff (TGS) chief General Yasar Buyukanit told reporters at a reception on Saturday that the TGS would wait for the outcome of Prime Minister Erdogan's November 5 meeting with President Bush in Washington before making a decision on a cross-border incursion into Northern Iraq. "We expect contributions from all the actors, mainly Iraq and the United States. However, we need to wait for the prime minister's meeting with President Bush. It will be a very important meeting," Buyukanit emphasized. "There has only been talk so far, but this time we are at the stage of doing something," said the TGS chief, stressing the Turkish military would launch a cross-border operation into Northern Iraq "when it is tasked to do so." Monday papers also report Buyukanit said in his message marking the Republic Day that the military is determined to "hurt" the PKK terrorists who "hurt the nation" in recent terror attacks "much stronger than they could ever imagine." Papers: Rice to Visit Turkey November 2 Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report Secretary Rice will come to Ankara on November 2 to meet President Gul, Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Babacan, 
and will move on to Istanbul to participate in the Iraq Neighbors' Ministerial meetings November 3. Papers expect the Turkish leaders to give Rice the message that Turkey's patience over the PKK terror was wearing out. Liberal Radikal expects Rice to convey a special message to President Gul from President Bush. "A tough week in relations with the United States," says a page one headline in Radikal, reporting that following the Rice visit, Erdogan will meet President Bush on November 5 as Turkey looks for concrete US action against the PKK terrorists. "It's not clear what Rice will bring, but any plan that will not stop the PKK will cause more strains," says the paper. Operations against the PKK Continue in Gabar and Cudi Mountains All weekend and today's papers report that Turkish Military has been conducting operations in Hakkari, Tunceli and Sirnak as well as at the mountains of Cudi, Gabar, Kato and Kupeli. When Turkish troops spotted the arrival of nearly 100 PKK terrorists at Cudi Mountain the other night through the thermal goggles, Turkish commandoes started an intensive search in the mountains while helicopters bombed the region. Borders were also kept under tight control to prevent trapped PKK terrorists' attempt to escape into Northern Iraq. Mainstream Sabah reports that the number of terrorists who were killed in Tunceli has reached 17. Meanwhile, 4 soldiers lost their lives in the latest operations. Meshoud Barzani: "PKK Violence Should Stop" Milliyet columnist Hasan Cemal interviewed Kurdish Regional leader Barzani in Northern Iraq. Barzani was quoted as saying "I am Turkey's friend. Kurds and Turks are brothers and they should remain so. Kurds are not a threat for Turkey's security and our ANKARA 00002676 002 OF 003 common interest is to live together in peace. PKK terrorist organization should stop violence otherwise they will find not only Turkey, but all the Kurdish nation against itself. " Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Iraq/PKK Murat Yetkin commented in the liberal-intellectual daily Radikal (10/30): "Turkey has started waiting for concrete action from the US ever since Secretary Rice's phone call to PM Erdogan on October 21 and developments afterwards. American sources say that Washington has been working hard to be able to say something concrete either during Secretary Rice's Ankara visit or during the Iraqi Neighbors' Ministerial in Istanbul. Ankara is very clear not to tolerate any time-gaining formula, such as a special envoy for anti-terrorism mechanism. This time Ankara expects a real concrete, tangible step. What defers the US from taking such a step? The answer to this question is Barzani, but given the US status in Iraq, this is not a convincing argument. Moreover, statements from US military in the north of Iraq, such as General Benjamin Mixon, are putting Washington in a very difficult situation vis-`-vis Ankara. General Mixon recently said that they were not given any order to take action against PKK. Ankara prefers to remain cool about Barzani's statements as well. It patiently waits for Washington to keep its promises. A high level Turkish official described Barzani as the 'Frankenstein of the US' yet added that it is impossible to believe that Barzani will not listen to what President Bush would say to him. The visit of Secretary Rice will be tough. Tension will increase if she proposes a plan to stop Turkey's action instead of stopping the PKK. If this happens, the only remaining expectation will be the Erdogan -Bush meeting on November 5." Erdal Safak observed in the mainstream daily Sabah (10/30): "Turkey gave two weeks to the US for not carrying out a cross border operation. One week is already over, and the second week will cover both Secretary Rice's visit to Turkey and PM Erdogan's trip to Washington. Turkey has finished a military build up at the border, and from now on, there is no point of returning back to doing nothing. The US has two options: either it will end the PKK shelters in Northern Iraq, or it will let Turkish army to finish the job. This is not a war between Turks and the Kurds, its goal is to end terrorism. Of course the US has another option, which is to carry out a joint operation with Turkey. In fact, this is the best possible option for Washington considering the NATO partnership as well as bilateral strategic partnership. Washington has to understand that this is the time to make the choice. The US either takes action based on the spirit of strategic partnership or faces losing Turkey's friendship for a very long time." TV News: NTV Domestic News - Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has reportedly apologized to his Turkish counterpart Erdogan when the two met in London on Tuesday, acknowledging for the first time that Israeli warplanes may have violated Turkey's air space during a raid on Syria last month. - Prime Minister Erdogan, accompanied by some cabinet ministers, paid a visit to the soldiers injured in recent PKK attacks. - A 5.1-magnitude earthquake was reported Monday in the Aegean province of Denizli. Around 300 houses in three villages were damaged in the earthquake. - The government plans to launch a project for the restructuring of the Turkish judiciary in line with international legal standards. International News ANKARA 00002676 003 OF 003 - Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Markoullis has cancelled her trip to Britain in reaction to the strategic cooperation agreement signed between Ankara and London. - The Foreign Ministers of Syria and Iran said at a joint news conference in Damascus they were ready to cooperate for solving the "terror crisis" between Turkey and Iraq. - Authorities in Azerbaijan recently uncovered a radical Islamic terror plot against the US Embassy in Baku, prompting the mission to close its doors to the public Monday. - A survey conducted by Intune research center shows 56 percent of Spanish people support Turkey's EU accession, and that 77.4 support EU's expansion with new members. WILSON