ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002818 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 23, 2007 In Today's Papers Lagendijk on DTP, the PKK, Article 301 All papers report that, during Thursday's meeting in the Turkish parliament, the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission condemned the PKK. The commission co-chair, Joost Lagendijk, told the press after the meeting that the DTP must put "a clear distance" between itself and the PKK. "The PKK might want the DTP kicked out of the Turkish Parliament; but Turkey must not fall into this trap," Lagendijk said. He further stressed that the DTP's presence in the parliament was an opportunity and warned that disbanding the party would not be good for Turkey. Lagendijk also advised Turkey to establish contact with the Kurdish regional administration in northern Iraq. Concerning the recent change in EU attitudes toward the PKK, Lagendijk said, "ten years ago, we had less information and were acting foolishly." He also said article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code harms the image of Turkey. "There are pledges, but no action; Turkey must do something on 301 and deprive its enemies of their weapon." Karayilan, Bayik in US Custody in Iraq Mainstream Vatan writes that PKK leaders Murat Karayilan and Cemil Bayik are in US military custody in Iraq. The paper quotes an unidentified military source who says Karayilan and Bayik will be brought to Turkey in a few days. It also claims the handover will take place once the AKP government unveils its political plan to deal with the the PKK. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet also reports Murat Karayilan and Cemal Bayik were captured in Mount Kandil. The paper, however, carries Interior Minister Besir Atalay's response to the press that he had "no information" regarding their capture. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak also says the capture of Karayilan and Bayik was not confirmed. US Urges Ankara to Bring Syria, Saudi Arabia to Annapolis Mainstream Hurriyet claims the US Administration has urged Ankara to use its influence on Syria and Saudi Arabia to persuade them to join the Middle East peace summit in Annapolis. Following Washington's request, Ankara intensified diplomatic initiatives with the two countries. Turkey believes the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is key to solving other regional problems, so they are urging Damascus to join the Annapolis talks. In addition, the paper reports Turkey is trying to discourage Riyadh from insisting that the Saudi-led Arab Peace Plan be discussed at Annapolis. EDITORIAL OPINION: Annapolis Conference Kubilay Celik commented in the nationalist daily Tercuman: "The US has invited nearly 40 countries and organizations to the Annapolis conference. In fact, the primary actors at this conference are Israel and Palestine. Turkey has become a part of the Annapolis Meeting due to its own vigilant efforts for peace in the Middle East. Given the past record of similar meetings, the Annapolis meeting has almost no chance for success. Peace is a very remote possibility, especially while Hamas and al Fatah are engaging in civil war. Undoubtedly, any Arab countries not invited to the conference will do their best to undermine the process. There have been many peace conferences around the world during the last 30 years, yet none of them achieved success. As far as Annapolis is concerned, peace between Israel and Palestine is unlikely." Serdar Turgut commented in the mainstream daily Aksam: "As Bush's term draws to an end, he has started to make efforts toward peace in the Middle East. Evidently, he feels he must achieve some sort of success before leaving office. So far, the ongoing events are not positive for Washington. The Iraq situation is an obvious failure. Pakistan is in chaos, Georgia is on the road to chaos, and both of them are supported by the Bush administration. In that regard, the Bush administration needs Turkey's help as Washington struggles to correct its image. Thus, the peace effort between Israel and ANKARA 00002818 002 OF 002 Palestine is an imminent priority. The Annapolis Conference works positively for the Bush administration only in terms of timing. However, the conference is unlikely to produce successful results. Washington, on the other hand, hopes to make gains for just being able to start the process." TV Highlights NTV, 7.00 A.M. Domestic News - The Constitutional Court will make a decision on a prosecutor's request to suspend all DTP members from politics until the end of the trial to disband the party. - Four suspects believed to be the members of the fundamentalist IBDA-C terror organization have been arrested in security operations in Izmir. - Prime Minister Erdogan said that it is a violation of human rights to require Turkish brides to speak German before being allowed to enter Germany. - Turkey's High Board of Privatization (OYK) approved the sale of a 51 percent stake in petrochemicals company Petkim, paving the way for a handover to its new owners, Azerbaijani energy firm Socar, Saudi-based Injaz Projects and Turkey's Turcas -- the second-highest bidders in a tender in July. International News - The New York Times quotes US military officials as saying that more than half of the foreign fighters who came to Iraq in the past year arrived from Saudi Arabia and Libya. - The Associated Press says the allegations raised against its photographer detained by the US for 19 months in Iraq are false or meaningless. - An explosion aboard a bus in Russia's North Ossetia region has killed at least four people and injured 10. - Public transport workers across France voted to suspend their strike. WILSON