ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002839 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, NOVEMBER 27, 2007 In Today's Papers Papers: Annapolis' Actual Target is Iran All media outlets report the Middle East peace conference in Annapolis begins Tuesday. Hurriyet, Milliyet and Radikal, and Vatan write that significant results are not expected to emerge from the meeting, while the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak and the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet claim the meeting's actual agenda is to discuss Iran. Under the headline "Annapolis Summit: Mission Impossible," the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says "although President Bush voiced hope after meeting with Olmert and Abbas, the non-involvement of Iran and Hamas in the summit has crippled the chances for a settlement." Mainstream Hurriyet calls Secretary Rice the "architect" of the meeting where, for the first time, the Saudis and Israelis will sit at the negotiating table. Editorial Commentary on Annapolis Conference Akif Emre commented in the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak (11/27): "At this point, sitting at the same table with Palestinians will benefit Israel and improve the US' position in the region. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni reportedly said that it is good for Arab countries to participate in the Annapolis summit, but they should not intervene with bilateral meetings between Israel and Palestine. Even these remarks prove that Israel is trying to make an agreement under their own conditions. In other words, the Annapolis summit is an initiative to gain time for a peace that will never be established. It should not be interpreted as pessimism when Hamas claims that Annapolis will bring winds of war rather than winds of peace. Initially, Syria's attendance increased hopes for peace, but now it appears the US is attempting to break the strategic alliance of Iran and Syria, meaning it wants to render Iran ineffective in the region. Under these conditions, it is necessary to see that this meeting is America's way of taking one more step toward an attack on Iran. Did Turkey calculate this possibility when working for Syria's inclusion in the meeting?" Hasan Cemal wrote in the mainstream Milliyet (11/27): "There are no high hopes for the outcome of the Annapolis summit. What is important is to jumpstart the negotiations toward the two state solution. Going any further than that would be risky. Both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders are weak, however, they know the situation in the region will deteriorate if they don't do something. And both countries' leaders support the start of the peace process. If unsuccessful results come out of this process, it will cause turmoil and unsteadiness in the region. Such results will have a negative impact on Turkey as well." US Troops and Peshmerge Cooperate against the PKK Mainstream Milliyet reports the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq has taken measures to restrict the PKK movements in the region. The number of US troops in northern Iraq has been increased as part of efforts to clamp down on the PKK militants' movements in coordination with the Kurdish Peshmerge and thus avert a Turkish cross-border incursion. Meanwhile, mainstream Sabah reports Osman Ocalan, the brother of the PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan, told the London-based Arabic daily al-Sharq al-Awsat that there are only 500 PKK fighters in the Kandil Mountains. He stated that most of the PKK are in Iran with PJAK (Free Life in Kurdistan Party),which is fighting against the Tehran administration. Investigation Launched into DTP Diyarbakir Rally All papers report the launch of an investigation into the weekend's DTP rally in Diyarbakir, during which several people were detained during clashes with riot police. Addressing the crowd carrying the posters of Abdullah Ocalan, DTP deputy chairwoman Emine Ayna apparently referred to Ocalan by using "Sayin" which means "esteemed" in Turkish. ANKARA 00002839 002 OF 002 In related news, Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that 26 suspected PKK members were apprehended in Diyarbakir in recent days. Today marks the 29th anniversary of the founding of the PKK. Meanwhile, liberal Radikal, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet and others report the DTP mayor of Tunceli Songul Erol Abdil called Zeynep Kinaci a "leading freedom fighter." The comment came during a rally protesting violence against women. Zeynep Kinaci was a PKK militant who carried out a suicide bomb attack in the Tunceli in1996. TV News: NTV Domestic News - The first hearing in the trial of Cengiz Yildiz, the police officer accused of killing Nigerian citizen Festus Okey in downtown Istanbul in September of this year, began Monday. The prosecutor has asked for up to 25 years in prison for Yildiz. - The Interior Ministry dispatched inspectors to probe Sunday's incident in Izmir in which policemen opened fire at a jeep which did not stop at a checkpoint, killing the 20-year old driver, Baran Tursun. In the last two years, 34 people have died in police shooting incidents across Turkey. - At the invitation of President Musharraf, President Abdullah Gul will visit Pakistan December 2-3 in order to intermediate between the government and opposition for "peace and democracy." - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will hear the case filed by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul against Turkey's foundations directorate in connection with the control of an orphanage on Buyukada Island. International News - Israeli right-wing activists have launched the "One Jerusalem" campaign, demanding Prime Minister Olmert not make concessions on the "Holy City" at this week's Annapolis peace conference in the US. - The head of the Kurdish regional government, Nechirvan Barzani, told reporters in Erbil that Kurds made no deal with Turkey or the US for fighting against the PKK. - At least 25 police officers were injured when gangs of youths rioted in several Paris suburbs after two teenagers were killed when their motorcycle was struck by a police car. - Russia's upper house of parliament said on Monday the presidential elections would be held March 2, 2008. WILSON