ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000418 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 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2007 In Today's Papers Erdogan: Turkey Not against Dialogue with Iraqi Kurdish Leaders Hurriyet, Milliyet,`dikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, `s report Prime Ministertate representatives. "We have to persuade the Kurdish leaders to support Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity, urging them to handle the problems related to the status of Kirkuk as well. Turkey has a right to have a say in Iraq's future stemming from the agreements in 1926 and 1946," Erdogan said. Talabani Confesses Meeting the PKK Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Aksam, Radikal and others: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that they have never supported the PKK. On the contrary, they provided assistance to Turkey in that regard. He confirmed that they met with the PKK administrators saying "We're meeting with PKK leaders. We've done so in the past as well. Dialogue should be utilized to stop bloodshed." Talabani was taken to Jordan at the weekend for medical treatment. Meanwhile, Democratic Society Party (DTP) Diyarbakir provincial chairman Ibrahim Aydogdu was arrested on February 23 for inciting ethnic hatred by saying "an attack against Kirkuk will be considered an attack against Diyarbakir." One day after Aydogdu's arrest, KADEP chairman Serafettin Elci sent a message of support to Aydogdu. Editorial Commentary on Iraq Mustafa Balbay argues in the nationalist-leftist Cumhuriyet: "It seems there are efforts to transform Turkey's strategy of combat with PKK terrorism into a dialogue with Northern Iraq. Given those efforts, the most important issue for us to observe is the Turkish government's stand on this. Unfortunately there are some indications to make us believe that the government is right in the middle of these efforts. Since the US appointed a retired General as an envoy for countering terrorism -- even though Turkey wanted it at an ambassadorial level -- efforts are moving towards searching for ways to have dialogue with the PKK. Ralston makes Northern Iraq his first stop whenever he is expected in Ankara. And more interestingly, northern Iraqi leaders always make humiliating statements about Turkey following their talks with Ralston. Recent developments also indicate that talking to Northern Iraq has replaced the PKK issue. The Turkish military was preparing visuals to document the Northern Iraqi leaders' support for the PKK. When this was made public in the press, PM Erdogan reacted because the story was leaked to the press, and he preferred to call it betrayl. It looks as if the Turto be convinced regardinck of a policy line on Iraq outside the QKK issue. First of all, Turkey has to acquire a realistic approach regarding issues related to Iraq. Waiting for the US to launch an operation against the PKK in Northern Iraq is only a daydream. Washington has focused on Baghdad with the additional 21,000 troops and this focus will be intensified even more in the months ahead. The US, given the situation, can only do some cosmetic air attacks, but nothing more. Moreover, both Barzani and Talabani are opposed to any military operation against the PKK. Turkey should also realize that Iran's offer to cooperate against the PKK stems from Tehran's long term policy goal to change Turkey's stance. Iran hopes to see Turkey as part of the Damascus-Moscow-Tehran front after damaging Ankara's ANKARA 00000418 002 OF 003 relationship with the western world, the EU and NATO. Our problem stems from the fact that we tend to consider the Iraq issue from only the PKK angle. We have to overcome that narrow thinking and also have to change the current Kirkuk approach. Instead of repeating 'the Kirkuk referendum should be postponed,' we should counter the northern Iraqi leaders' argument that Kirkuk is an internal problem for Iraq by saying 'if that is an internal matter, it should cover all of Iraq.' We should insist that all of Iraq should be able to vote for the future of Kirkuk." Turkey-Armenia Dialogue Under the page one bnner headline, "How Can You Establish Turkey-rmenia Dialogue with Such a Mentality?" the liberal/intellectual Radikal points to remarks by Professor Yusuf Halacoglu, head of the Turkish History Institution, about the funeral of slain Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. Halacoglu told Turkey's semi-official Anatolia News Agency on Sunday that people who participated in the funeral of Dink were all "representatives of the same ideology." "They were a very well organized group of some 40,000. They acted as if this murder was known by them beforehand. They were carrying head-shaped placards, creating an illusion which gave a picture of a crowd of 80,000. Only 20,000 out of some 50,000 Armenians in Turkey joined the funeral, so who are the remaining participants? Because of the 'We are all Armenians' slogan, the Turkish nation has turned more radical. Ting of the foof thQ asked his Israeli counterpart Ehud Olmert dring a team of OIC to inspect the controversial excavation work near the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. "Olmert rejected an OIC team, but said they would accept a Turkish delegation for inspections. The Islamic world was very pleased," Gul said. On the Greek Cypriot oil exploration efforts around Cyprus, Gul said Nicosia's attempt is a "big provocation." "I'm sure that Europe and NATO understand this," said Gul. Gul also met in Islamabad with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmad Abul Geyt concerning possible Egyptian cooperation with Nicosia exploring oil in eastern Mediterranean. Geyt reportedly assured Gul that Egypt will not do anything confronting Turkish interests in Mediterranean. Possible Amendments on Countering Terrorism Radikal reports that responding to the journalists' questions regarding the Turkish National Security Council (NSC) meeting on the way to Saudi Arabia, PM Erdogan said that "there was a proposal at the NSC meeting regarding some amendments in fighting against terrorism." It was reported that the relevant offices will take the necessary action only after the NSC decisions are passed to the deputy PM Mehmet Ali Sahin. Meanwhile, speaking to Al-Jazeera TV, PM Erdogan complained about Turkey not getting enough foreign support in countering terrorism. TV News: (NTV, 8 A.M.) Domestic News - Finance Minister Unakitan said Turkey's new president will be elected from among the candidates coming from the ruling AKP. State Minister Abdullatif Sener said if Prime Minister Erdogan is elected president, AKP will not debate who will be the prime minister; "It'll be Abdullah Gul." ANKARA 00000418 003 OF 003 - Turkish and Azeri citizens held a protest demonstration in Istanbul yesterday on the anniversary of the Hodjali massacre committed by the Armenians. - Two more suspects detained in Trabzon concerning the assassination of Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink have been sent to Istanbul. - Human health teams will cull some 5,000 poultry in the township of Kozluk in the southeastern province of Batman where the deadly bird flu virus was detected over the weekend. - Turkish doctors prepare to go on a work slow down protest on March 14, Doctors Day. International News - The president of the regional Kurdish administration Massoud Barzani said in a joint press conference with President Talabani and US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad that they agreed to support a draft oil law that would divide revenues among all Iraqi factions. - Britain's Sunday Telegraph claims CIA supports PEJAK, the PKK offshoot inside Iran, in an effort to weaken the Tehran administration. - The Israeli army raided the town of Nablus on Sunday in an operation targeting terrorists. http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON