ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000047 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 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2007 In Today's Papers Erdogan Expresses Concern over Iraq, Kirkuk Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Vatan, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and others report Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told members of his ruling AK Party in parliament on Tuesday that Turkey could not be a bystander in the face of Iraqi Kurdish attempts to take control of the oil-rich northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Erdogan warned that the sectarian fighting in Iraq could harm the wider region. "I have to make this warning against those seeking a fragmentation of Iraq and a fait accompli in Kirkuk," Erdogan emphasized. He underlined that the results of the upcoming Kirkuk referendum this year was "already obvious." Erdogan said Turkey would "not let Kirkuk become another Nagorno Karabakh." The PM also noted concern that the execution of Saddam Hussein will lead to dangerous polarizations in Iraq and the Arab world. Vatan says Erdogan gave "six warnings to President Bush," listing them as "the territorial integrity of Iraq must be protected; oil resources must be controlled by the Iraqi central government; a referendum for the fate of Kirkuk won't work under the current demographic composition; the rights of the Turkmen must be protected; the PKK must be destroyed; and some of the Iraqi constitution provisions which pave the way for separatism must be scrapped." Erdogan said he will meet with the Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss these issues. Kirkuk Meeting to be Held in Ankara Cumhuriyet reports that on January 15, the Turkish Global Strategy Institute will hold a meeting, "Kirkuk: 2007," in Ankara with the participation of all Iraqi Sunni and Shiite groups. The Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) had earlier objected to the meeting due to the "sensitive nature" of the issue. The Muqtada al-Sadr group, The Iraqi Cause Party, Iraq Reconciliation Front, the Iraqi Islamic Revolution High Council, Iraq National Dialog Front, the Iraqi Turkmen Front, Turkmeneli Party, Iraq Islam Party, the Kurdish Islamic Union, Iraq Republicans Union, the Yezidis Movement, and the Assyrian Democratic Movement have been invited to the gathering. 29 Turks Killed in Plane Crash near Baghdad All papers report 34 passengers were killed on Tuesday when their Moldovan Antonov-26 plane crashed while trying to land in foggy conditions near Balad, north of Baghdad. The plane, which took off from the southern Turkish city of Adana, had been carrying about 35 people, including 30 construction workers of the Turkish construction company Kulak. The Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) officials announced there were 29 Turkish workers and a US national aboard the plane and a crew of three from Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. An Iraqi transport ministry official said the crash resulted from a "technical failure." Yeni Safak says the plane ignored the warnings of the flight control officials at Baghdad airport and attempted to land despite heavy fog. Aksam calls the outdated Antonov cargo plane a "flying coffin" and claims Americans did not allow the plane to land due to heavy flight traffic in and out of the airport. Sabah reports an Iraqi terror group, Iraq Islam Army, reportedly claimed they downed the plane with a missile, but the allegations have not been confirmed by the US Embassy or the Turkish Foreign Ministry. European Court Fines Turkey for Violating Minority Rights All papers report that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has convicted Turkey for violating the property rights of its non-Muslim minorities. The ECHR ordered on Tuesday the Turkish state to return within three months the property of a Greek foundation running a Greek high school in Istanbul or pay a compensation of 910,000 Euros. In 1997 a Greek foundation in Istanbul brought the dispute to the ECHR and in September 2005 the foundation demanded the return of the assets seized by the state. The foundation accuses Turkey of violating property rights defended by the European Human Rights ANKARA 00000047 002 OF 003 Agreement, of violating Lausanne Treaty provisions, and of discrimination. Yeni Safak reports Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said that the ECHR ruling against Turkey would be meaningless if the foundation law is passed by the Turkish Parliament without delay. Papers comment that if not appealed, the verdict will set an example for another 900 assets which have been asked to be returned to minorities. Lokmaci Footbridge Finally Pulled Down All papers: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) began demolishing the footbridge yesterday over Ledra Street in order to open a new crossing with Greek Cypriot Administration, despite some reservations by the Turkish Military. Milliyet quotes TRNC "President" Talat as saying that "the esteemed commander (meaning TGS Chief General Buyukanit, who opposed the removal of the overpass) is far away in Ankara, while I am here everyday. The struggle is a struggle of image. I know the feelings of the public." Vatan reports that while the demolition continued Talat told BRT TV that the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the area was out of the question. Zaman quotes PM Erdogan as saying that the "TRNC is a separate state and that Turkey was respecting the decisions of TRNC." Yeni Safak says that Greek Cypriot Leader Papadopulos has been cornered as a result of the Turkish moves. PKK Confession from US Zaman, Milliyet, Bugun and others: Speaking at a seminar arranged by the Turkish-American Council, on Turkey-US relation, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza said that the US should take more measures against the PKK in Northern Iraq. He said that the US shares information with Turkey but the US should do more against the PKK. Bryza stressed that the strategic importance of Turkey for the US stems from its being a secular democracy. For us, Turkey's secular democracy is very strong. There are lots of tension and debates in Turkey. Some can call all these as cacophony or noise, but, this is called democracy, added Bryza. Editorial Commentary on Iraq, Somalia Speculating on President Bush's new Iraq strategy, Ergin Yildizoglu argues in the nationalist-leftist Cumhuriyet: "There is no way currently for the US to exit from Iraq. First of all, the US military presence in Iraq is a part of US long-term geopolitical interests. Moreover, the US strongly believes that leaving Iraq right now will increase the Iranian influence over the entire region. This approach is shared by the Sunni Arab states as well as Israel. Given these facts, the US has to find a way to make Iranian influence ineffective before taking any step toward an Iraqi pull out. Obviously any exit for the US forces goes through Iran. President Bush is expected to announce the new Iraq policy. It looks like increasing the number of troops in Iraq will be the first thing on his list. The military build-up as well as growing American presence in Iraq might be the early signals for a comprehensive operation against Iran." Commenting on the US action in Somalia, Sami Kohen writes in the mainstream Milliyet: "The US follows a unilateral approach by bombing Somalia using the argument that it is chasing terrorists. The legality of this military action needs to be debated, but the fact of the matter is that the Bush administration has just opened another battle front in Somalia. There are two reasons for the US bombing in Somalia. The first, as Washington declared, is to chase and destroy terrorists. Whether the US operation managed to get the terrorists remains to be seen. The second purpose has a more political nature. The US hopes to weaken the radical Islamists and let the current regime control the country. The main issue here is whether such military operations can be successful in eliminating terrorist threats? Like Afghanistan, certain short term goals can be achieved, but achievement in the long run is rather questionable. Observers are already warning that Somalia is about to turn Iraq-like. There are reports that the Sudanese Islamic Courts Council is preparing to launch suicide attacks. All of that means ANKARA 00000047 003 OF 003 Somalia is becoming another problem in the international agenda following Afghanistan and Iraq." TV Highlights NTV (6 A.M.) Domestic News - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will travel to Turkey in February as the official guest of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Olmert was originally scheduled to travel to Turkey in August, but the war in Lebanon forced the PM to put off the visit. - The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it had submitted to Iraq in 2005 and 2006 two formal requests for the extradition of PKK leaders such as Murat Karayilan. - Foreign Minister Gul accused Greece of trying to assimilate the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, whose rights are "far below the EU standards." - British mobile phone company Vodafone will invest USD 1 billion in Turkey over the coming two years to strengthen its infrastructure across the country. International News - Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said he expected important developments concerning the recognition of Armenian genocide claims in France and the US in 2007. - Far-right European lawmakers have managed to join together in the European Parliament, getting enough members to form a political group entitling them to EU funds. - President Bush's draft new Iraq strategy calls for an increase of US troops in Iraq before February. - Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki said the US ambassador in Baghdad had requested a two-week postponement of the execution of Saddam Hussein. - Hamas accused Fatah of collaborating with Israel and the US to oust the Palestinian government. - The United States, Ethiopia, the Somali government and Kenya continue land, sea and air operations against al-Qaeda operatives and Somalia's defeated Islamist militias. http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ MCELDOWNEY