ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002718 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 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2007 SECRETARY RICE VISIT SPECIAL EDITION SIPDIS All papers cover Secretary Rice's visit to Ankara in flashy front page stories along with commentaries attached. Reports predominantly keep a positive tone highlighting the Secretary's emphasis on the US's commitment to fight against the PKK, but also add that Secretary Rice did not go beyond strong promises and nothing more than sharing intelligence. Expectations for tangible results for action against the PKK have moved to the upcoming Erdogan-Bush meeting at the White House, papers report. Mainstream daily Milliyet says "Ankara has presented to Secretary Rice a plan to finish off the PKK. The details of this comprehensive plan will be discussed at the White House. Meanwhile Turkey once again reiterated to Rice that words are long gone and deeds are needed urgently." Hurriyet mentions Secretary Rice's statement "PKK is also our enemy" and adds that "these words are good but not enough for concrete cooperation against PKK." Sabah says during the meeting at the Prime Ministry a Turkish general was included in the delegation. Therefore, Secretary Rice did the same by adding her military adviser to the American delegation. According to Sabah, Secretary Rice presented a plan to Turkey. The plan aims at finishing the PKK: The initial stage is to cut off PKK's logistical support and provide intelligence, and during mid and long term wants to eliminate PKK without harming Iraq's stability. Vatan maintains a negative tone and says that Secretary Rice "arrived Ankara empty-handed" and "passed the ball to the upcoming White House meeting." Liberal Radikal highlights that with the Secretary's visit, Ankara had the chance to express its expectations and remind her of the American obligation to fight against terrorism "in a bold manner." The paper does quote Rice's statement acknowledging the US's obligations concerning the PKK "We, also, have an obligation to counter the PKK and, absolutely, we want a solution." Islamist Yeni Safak raises expectations for the Bush-Erdogan meeting by reporting as "PM Erdogan told Rice, when she started talking about sharing intelligence, that Turkey has gone beyond that point and waits for steps not words." In addition, the paper reports that FM Babacan's question to Secretary Rice had a shocking effect when he stated "We've come to the end of your words. What will you actually do? We want effective steps." In PM Erdogan's meetings, he affirmed "No more advice," while President Gul insisted "Turkey's patience has run out." Yeni Safak argues that "The Washington meeting will produce the final result." Meanwhile Zaman reports that PM Erdogan has presented a comprehensive action plan to Rice which seeks to finish off the PKK. However the paper adds no concrete result has been achieved on the plan which will be part of the discussions at the White House. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet fronts "Once Again Words, No Deeds." According to the paper, Secretary Rice came to Ankara for checking the pulse prior to the upcoming PM Erdogan and President Bush meeting. She once again asked for trilateral cooperation between the US, Turkey and Iraq instead of taking responsibility on fight with the PKK. Her proposals were just limited to the intelligence exchange. Rice did not want Turkey to conduct any cross border operations into Northern Iraq. The AKP government, despite its earlier statement opposing the suggestion of using trilateral mechanism, did not formulate any reaction to Rice as she came with exactly the same proposal for enhancing the trilateral mechanism. Editorial Commentary: In the mainstream daily Sabah, Erdal Safak writes: "Secretary Rice reiterated well-known messages once again. Even though Rice's remarks are not very satisfactory, it was clear that the parties had agreed on certain concrete steps and to keep these steps as a secret. It is the general understanding that the main decision will SIPDIS ANKARA 00002718 002 OF 003 be made after the Erdogan-Bush meeting on November 5. However, we think that the US will take some action as a gesture to Turkey either before Erdogan-Bush meeting or immediately after the meeting. For example, yesterday in Pakistan the US hit a Taliban target at Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Could the US fire a rocket aimed at a PKK target identified by US intelligence in Northern Iraq? Why not? Anyhow, if the US does not take a concrete step soon, as General Ralston warned yesterday, it will be inevitable for Turkey to enter Northern Iraq." Mainstream daily Sabah's managing editor Ergun Babahan asserts: Rice came to Turkey to explain US sensitivities and to show that the US understands Turkey's sensitivities. In international politics, there are no lasting friendships or the hostilities, only the relevant parties' interests. Continuation of this process is very important for Turkey. That is why the upcoming Erdogan-Bush meeting has great importance. The United States' determined stance against the PKK and terrorism, along with its cooperation with Turkey, will have an immense effect in preventing a military operation into Northern Iraq. Diplomacy is based on 'give and take' policies and what is important here is that both sides give and take equally. Mainstream daily Milliyet's Semih Idiz observes: During her visit to Ankara there were good remarks made by Secretary Rice which could be taken as a 'guarantee.' However, after the recent bloody PKK attacks, mere words are no longer satisfying the Turkish public. The Erdogan government should advance with this fact in their mind. That is why all eyes turned to the Erdogan-Bush meeting to be held in Washington on Monday. However, the results of Rice's meetings in Ankara indicate that it will be wrong to expect huge decisions from Monday's meeting at the White House. Nevertheless, just like democracies, in diplomacy also, solutions never end. That is why it will be useful to wait for the results of the meeting at the White House, even if there is caution and suspicion in this waiting period. In the leftist-nationalist daily Cumhuriyet, columnist Cuneyt Arcayurek blames the Turkish government for not acting independently: "Everyone knows there is no chance for the Turkish Government to begin a cross-border operation without permission from the US. Everyone knows that the so-called independent Turkey is dependent on the US. While Turkey stays close to the US in its expressions of friendship and strategic partnership, Turkey also boasts that it's an independent state. Meanwhile, the US tries to calm the AKP government, who feels pressured by the public anger, against terror. Anyone watching these developments can ask: If your patience has really run out and you are determined to take your own steps, then why do you have to go to Washington to repeat the same information to Bush and receive the same response one more time?" Columnist Murat Yekin writes in the liberal daily Radikal: "It indicated a toughening of rhetoric for Turkey when its foreign minister reminded the US Secretary of State, in public, of the US responsibility concerning the PKK operations in Northern Iraq. Except for this, no surprises were seen during the visit. Prime Minister Erdogan said Thursday the Rice visit would be a 'preliminary gathering' before his upcoming November 5 meeting with President Bush. Erdogan, through his provincial party heads, had already told the US Embassy in Ankara that Turkey's patience has run out [on the PKK issue] and he entered the meeting with Rice with no intention of being submissive. To make the situation clear, he brought Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, international relations chief advisor Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, AKP representative Egemen Bagis, and his chief military advisor General Nusret Tasdelen, who is also the Turkish General Staff (TGS) Operations Chief. The State Department's chief military advisor participated in the meeting together with Assistant Secretary Dan Fried. This is an indication that Bush may include a four star general in the November 5 meeting at the White House. This is a point not to be missed, because as of yesterday, talks between the US and Turkey regarding the PKK ANKARA 00002718 003 OF 003 presence in Iraq has gained a military dimension, suggesting the US has consented to discuss the military aspects of the matter. According to sources, US General Benjamin Mixon's remarks, i.e. that he has received no instruction to combat the PKK, played a role in the issue reaching this point. This newly-added military dimension must be seen as the only sign of hope that the Bush-Erdogan meeting will produce a tangible result. If not, the Americans seem to have understood that Turks, who have shown through the example of Cyprus, that they will cut their nose off to spite their face, and they will attempt to do more on the PKK issue." Abdulhamit Bilici, in the Islamist-oriented Zaman, does not speak directly of Rice's visit, but argues that Turkey should, in essence, follow Rice's suggestions to engage with Iraq by talking to Barzani. In today's column, "Why Does Turkey Not Talk to Barzani?" he asserts that Turkey should engage with Barzani. "It's not true that Turkey does not speak to the Kurdish leaders in Iraq, because both Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Babacan meet with their Iraqi counterparts at all international meetings in which Iraq and Turkey participate. There's no sense in the fact that Iraqi President Talabani has not yet come to Turkey. It was a significant inconsistency of Turkey to exclude Talabani, while at the same time insisting that Iraqi Kurds should not break away from the Iraqi central administration. Diplomatic sources say that if he distances himself from terror, Massoud Barzani can visit Turkey as the leader of the KDP, and that Turkish leaders will meet with him. Barzani should think about the effects of his own statements [concerning the PKK] before he criticizes Turkey for not talking to him. WILSON