ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000281

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, FEBRUARY 9, 2007


In Today's Papers

Prospects for an Armenian Resolution in the US
All papers report visiting Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met in
Washington with US Congressmen John Murtha and Steny Hoyer,
co-chairman of the US-Turkey caucus Robert Wexler, House minority
deputy chairman Roy Blunt, and House foreign relations committee
chairman Tom Lantos. Gul told the Americans the Turkish nation
would perceive as "an insult" an approval by the US Congress of the
Armenian genocide bill. Cumhuriyet reports Gul also asked the
Jewish lobby to oppose the upcoming resolution, stressing that
otherwise, Turkey-Israel ties would be "adversely affected."

Responding to questions from the Turkish press via digital video
conference from Washington, Dan Fried said a Congressional adoption
of the Armenian resolution would "damage US-Turkey ties" and would
"not serve Turkey-Armenia dialogue." "Great nations should face the
dark spots in their history," Fried emphasized, noting the US also
had such dark times in its history, recalling slavery. "I was
deeply saddened to hear the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink,"
Fried said, adding the reaction of "hundreds of thousands of Turks'"
during the funeral of Dink was a "strong and sound one."

Reaction to PKK Operations in Europe
All papers report security operations initiated in France and
Belgium resulted in the detention of 16 PKK members including
prominent leaders Nedim Seven and Aydin Turan. Dan Fried, the
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, told
Turkish journalists during a digital video conference yesterday
between Ankara and Washington that the US welcomed operations
against the PKK in European countries, adding the US would continue
fighting against the terrorist organization not only in Europe but
also in the north of Iraq. FossWilson, speaking to reporters after a meeting in
Istanbul in which the booklet "A Guide to the US Market" booklet was
launched, indicated the US has been trying to convince European
governments to take the PKK question more seriously as an "organized
crime" problem. Wilson expressed pleasure that Germany, France and
Belgium have launched initiatives against the PKK as a result of
earlier meetings with the US.

Papers also report Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, continuing his
official US visit, told a gathering of German Marshall Fund in
Washington, "It's natural that Turkey has ties with Iraq, a region
we have ruled for centuries. We, however, recognize today's
realities that Iraq belongs to the Iraqis. We gave Mosul to a
unified Iraq in 1926, and want to see a unified Iraq now." Gul said
with regard to the future of Kirkuk that violence would diminish in
the region if former Baathists were integrated into the system.

Editorial Commentary on FM Gul's Trip to the US
Rusen Cakir argues in the mass appeal Vatan that the visit is not as
successful as officials say: "Despite the official rhetoric
describing FM Gul's visit to Washington as the most important and
successful visit in recent years, my observation finds this
interpretation very hard to take as reality. The fact of the matter
is that the Armenian resolution issue comes with many years of
historical background and it cannot be resolved by a visit. The
Democratic majority in the Congress, the pro-Armenian figure Nancy
Pelosi and the strong efforts by the Armenian diaspora do not point
to a Turkey-favored outcome from the US Congress on this issue.
Another important issue between Turkish-American relations is the
PKK and we could get nothing more than an observation from FM Gul

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that Americans 'feel embarrassed' on the issue. Gul acknowledges US
involvement in the recent operations against PKK in Europe but also
understands that US responsibility on the PKK issue cannot be only
limited to the European link. Northern Iraq is still on the watch.
We hope that FM Gul, during his meeting with Secretary Rice,
emphasized the need for concrete action against PKK in northern Iraq
and warned about the rising threat of nationalism. We shall see if
Washington will present a bonus to AKP on this issue just like late
PM Ecevit's DSP was rewarded with the Ocalan handover."

Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) Meeting in Istanbul
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet and others: The third meeting of
Turkey-US Economic partnership Commission was held in Istanbul
yesterday. US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson, Assistant Secretary
of State Daniel Sullivan for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs,
and the Turkish Chamber of Commerce (TOBB) Chairman Rifat
Hisarciklioglu attended the meeting. A/S Sullivan, who made a
presentation at the meeting, said that 'Turkey has important
opportunities regarding natural gas and oil pipelines. Sullivan
said that the US is going to continue its support for the regional
energy projects, will exert efforts to develop the energy markets
and that automatically would bring the economic growth in Turkey.'
Noting that the private sector contributes more than the public
sector to the development of economic relations between Turkey and
the US, Sullivan said that relations regarding the economy and the
energy sector will always be important in the future. Sullivan
added that Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline is an important
accomplishment and a concrete example of regional cooperation.
Meanwhile, a manual covering suggestions for improving the business
relationship between Turkey and the US prepared by TOBB was
distributed to the participants before the meeting.

Editorial Commentary on the Middle East
Sami Kohen writes in the mainstream Milliyet: "Even though most
attention has been given to the Iraq issue, the clashes in Palestine
continues to rise dramatically. There are some diplomatic efforts
to end the bloodshed in the Middle East by Sauan as
well as the quarteeen finally reached between the
sides afte some tough bargaining. The main question now is to what
extent the national consensus government will function, and to what
extent the armed militants of Hamas and Fatah will comply with the
consensus."

Pro-Kurdish Professor Prosecuted
The leftist/nationalist Cumhuriyet reports a prosecutor in Istanbul
has filed a lawsuit against Professor Ismail Besikci for "inciting
hatred and enmity via the press" in an op-ed in December 2005. The
prosecutor asked for up to 4.5 years in prison for Besikci under
Turkish Penal Code article 216/1, and for up to two years for Mehmet
Ali Izmir and Ferzende Kaya, the editors of Esmer magazine which
published the op-ed that had criticized the practice that Kurdish
elementary school students are forced to take a daily oath saying
"I'm a Turk, true and hardworking; let myself be a gift to the
Turks' presence." The Turkish General Staff (TGS) proclaimed that
Besikci committed a crime in the op-ed. Professor Ismail Besikci, a
sociologist at 68, has spent 17 years in prison for several of his
books and articles supporting the Kurdish cause.

Bird Flu Detected in the South East
All papers and TV channels reported that over a year after a deadly
outbreak of Avian Influenza in Turkey which left four people dead
and millions of birds culled, Agriculture Ministry teams yesterday
said that some 170 birds had died from the contagious disease in the
village of Bogazkoy in he southeastern Batman province. The region
as promptly put under quarantine. Agriculture Ministry stated that

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the teams will begin culling birds that may have been infected.

Forced Approval from President Sezer to Cargill Draft
Radikal reports that President Sezer approved the "Cargill" law this
time, after vetoing it twice before. President Sezer stressed that
he will appeal to the Constitutional Court for the amendment of the
subject law article which allows agricultural lands to be used for
other purposes. Because it protects the interests of the US firm
Cargill, the law was has come to be known as the 'Cargill Law' by
the public.


TV Highlights
NTV (6 a.m.)

Domestic News

- An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted Turkey's
eastern province of Elazig, wounding 28 and causing damage in
buildings.

- Armenian Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan expressed concern regarding the
rise of nationalism in Turkey, complaining that Turkish Armenians
were perceived as "potential enemies."

- Research conducted by Selcuk University shows that 56 percent of
AKP voters don't want Prime Minister Erdogan to be Turkey's next
president.

- Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said Turkey needs to change
its perception of free speech instead of seeking changes to article

301.

- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to visit Turkey on
February 15.

International News

- A roadside bomb woundd slightly Yunus Bayraktar, the secretary
general of the Turkmen assembly in Kirkuk.

- The Greek Cypriots want to block the construction of a new power
plant in north Cyprus which will solve the energy problems of
Turkish Cypriots.

- Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas said a proposal for
direct trade from the Turkish Cypriot port of Magosa (Famagusta)
could be considered only if the ghost-town of Maras (Varosha) is
transferred to south Cyprus.

- Hamas and Fatah have agreed on a national unity government.

- Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades threatened to attack synagogues
if Israel continues excavations near the al-Aqsa mosque.






http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON