ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002749 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, NOVEMBER 9, 2007 In Today's Papers New Approach from Baykal for Northern Iraq Sabah, Hurriyet: In his address to CHP deputies in Parliament, CHP leader Deniz Baykal said that Turkey needs a new approach for Northern Iraq. Baykal suggested that Turkey begin to broadcast to the region in both Kurdish and in Arabic. Also, Turkey should offer university education to Kurdish and Arab youth in Northern Iraq. Baykal noted that a cross-border operation will not eliminate the PKK and resolve the issue and that the only solution is for the PKK to lay down its weapons immediately. In addition, Turkey can apply a broader amnesty to those who lay down arms. EUCOM will supply Intelligence to Turkey about the PKK Milliyet reports that US General Staff Operations Director General Carter Ham said that intelligence information flow to Turkey about the PKK will be conducted by US European Command (EUCOM). Following the Erdogan-Bush meeting in Washington, Turkish Deputy Chief of Staff General Ergin Saygun announced a new communication process between himself, his American counterpart James Cartwright and the commander of Coalition Force in Iraq General David Petraeus. General Ham added that EUCOM commandant General Bantz Craddock and CENTCOM commander Admiral William Fallon will be included in this process. Editorial Commentary on the PKK Gungor Mengi wrote in the mainstream daily Vatan: "One of the basic principles for any country under the threat of terrorism is to maintain the power of deterrence. The use of force should be the last option, but force should not necessarily be avoided. If Turkey gets labeled as a 'constant complainer of terrorism by not taking action,' this will be a serious gain for the terrorists. If Turkey loses its credibility as a power, we will lose military capability as well. At this point, Turkey must act to prove its determination. Some argue that an operation in Northern Iraq will not bring results and that, due to the impending winter conditions, a cross border operation will have to wait. However, Mengi argues that such a point of view is very narrow-minded. We have an enemy in Northern Iraq that deserves to be punished. Moreover, President Bush now calls the PKK the enemy of the United States. In the fight against terrorism, both terrorist organizations and their host communities should be given a lesson." No Invitation from Turkish Government to Iran Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports that Iranian Energy Minister Fattah was scheduled to visit Turkey on October 31 but that, prior to PM Erdogan's visit to the US, the visit was postponed to November ¶8. However, Fattah did not come to Turkey on November 8 because there was not a new invitation after the postponement. Cumhuriyet reminds that Turkey and Iran had signed a memorandum of understanding on natural gas cooperation on July 13. On August 19, a Turkish delegation under the leadership of Energy Minister Hilmi Guler went to Iran to discuss the details of the deal. And, during the visit, Iranian officials had agreed to come to Turkey at the end of October to sign the relevant agreement. DTP Picks New Chairman, Calls for 'Democratic Autonomy' All papers report Turkey's leading pro-Kurdish party DTP called on the government to grant "democratic autonomy" to the mainly Kurdish Southeast at a party convention held in Ankara on Thursday. Nurettin Demirtas, who was elected the new DTP chairman at the meeting to replace former party chief Ahmet Turk, said the state structure in Turkey was based on "Turkish ethnicity," stressing the powers of local administrations should be increased. Demirtas advised Turkey to follow the example of Bulgaria, who now recognizes the political rights of the Turkish population there. Papers say Demirtas has served a ten-year prison sentence for membership to the PKK, and that last year, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered Turkey to pay Demirtas a 2,000 Euro compensation for an unfair trial. Demirtas will run the party together with ANKARA 00002749 002 OF 003 Co-chairperson Emine Ayna, who argues for the use of the Kurdish language in the public field, even though she herself does not speak Kurdish. Ayna had alleged earlier this year that the PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan was poisoned by Turks. Meanwhile, television newscasts report Friday morning that the Ankara prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the DTP congress. Saudi King, Israeli-Palestinian Leaders Due in Turkey All papers report Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud will visit Turkey on November 9-10 as the official guest of President Abdullah Gul. On Friday, Gul and Abdullah will hold a joint news conference and Gul will host a dinner in honor of the Saudi king the same evening. King Abdullah will be given a Turkish state medal of honor for his outstanding contribution to the improvement of friendly ties between the two countries. Reports indicate that King Abdullah and his accompanying 400-member delegation will travel on six planes. Israeli President Shimon Peres will visit Turkey on November 11-13, while Palestinian Head of State Mahmoud Abbas visits on November 12-13. On November 12, Peres and Abbas will address the Turkish Parliament and attend a dinner hosted by President Gul. Both leaders will participate in the meeting of "Ankara Forum," which brings together Turkish, Israeli and Palestinian businessmen and continues work to implement an industrial zone project in the West Bank. On November 11, Peres will attend a conference at Ankara's Bilkent University and on November 12, Peres will meet President Gul, Parliament Speaker Toptan, PM Erdogan and FM Babacan. Peres will move on to Istanbul on November 13 and depart from Turkey after wrapping up his contacts later the same day. Austria, Germany Put 'Glock Embargo' on the US Islamist-oriented Zaman reports Austria and Germany, acting on a report by Turkish police, have suspended the sale of Glock and Walter pistols to the United States. The report by the Turkish security organization's smuggling and organized crime desk says that since 2005, 1,224 Austrian-made Glock and 146 German-made Walter handguns were seized in Turkey, and that the guns which were supposedly donated to the Iraqi army were used in the killing of a Roman Catholic priest in Trabzon and the attack on the high court Danistay which resulted in the killing of a high justice last year in Ankara. The Austrian Interior Ministry has turned down a new order of 100,000 Glock guns placed by the Americans for the Iraqi army, saying the Glocks were seized in security operations against terrorist organizations in Turkey. The German Interior Ministry, citing similar concerns, also suspended Walter sales to the US which were made through Poland, says Zaman. Editorial Commentary on US-Pakistan Kubilay Celik commented in the nationalist daily Tercuman: "Given the situation between Iran and the US, Washington is in need of Pakistan's cooperation. Among the countries surrounding Iran, Pakistan remains the most significant for US interests. If and when the US launches a military action against Iran, the Bush administration will seek Pakistan's friendly helping hand. Therefore, President Bush avoids making comments that may damage Pakistani leader Musharraf. On the other hand, the military coup in 1999 was not enough for Musharraf, so he committed another one in order to maintain his power. Bush, in return, advised him to proceed with elections as scheduled, urging him not to act president and chief of the army at the same time. While the US Congress is asking for a comprehensive embargo against Pakistan, the Bush administration is unwilling to implement it because of the Iran issue. John Negroponte, assigned to calm down Congress, testified at the House that Musharraf is an indispensable ally of the US in the global fight against terrorism. According to the Bush administration, while Musharaff's actions are not ideal for democracy, he is not a disposable international partner for the US. ANKARA 00002749 003 OF 003 The upcoming developments will be very interesting to watch." TV Highlights NTV, 7.00 A.M. Domestic News - A T-38 Turkish military training plane crashed Thursday night while trying to land in Cigli, near the Aegean city of Izmir, killing two pilots. - Yesterday, Turkish gypsies visited the European Parliament to campaign against a municipality project to demolish their houses in Istanbul's Sulukule district, saying reconstruction of the district would destroy their identity. - A boat carrying illegal migrants has capsized in the Dardanelles. 15 migrants are missing. - The Turkish Parliament's Justice Commission has approved a bill introducing new smoking bans in public buildings and cultural, social and commercial places. The bill brings prison terms up to one year for selling cigarettes to people under the age of 18. International News - Kurdish regional administration president Massoud Barzani told reporters in the city of Selahaddin that they were taking measures against the PKK, but did not elaborate further. - A day after the imposition of a state of emergency in Georgia, President Saakashvili proposed presidential elections as a way to resolve the country's political crisis. - French President Sarkozy addressed Thursday a joint session of the US Congress, hailing the friendship between the two countries. - A survey published Wednesday shows only one in five Germans would like to see the Berlin Wall back. WILSON