ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000694 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, MARCH 27, 2007 In Today's Papers General Saygun Addresses ATC Conference Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others report General Ergin Saygun, the Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff, told the American-Turkish Council (ATC) meeting in Washington that Armenian genocide accusations directed against Turkey were "politically-motivated" noting that Switzerland convicted a Turkish political party leader [Dogu Perincek] under a law making it illegal to deny the Armenian incident was a genocide, and adding that a Turkish writer [Orhan Pamuk] was awarded with the Nobel prize after holding the Turks guilty for the death of "1.5 million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds." He also showed the gathering photographs of PKK militants playing soccer and in training in northern Iraq, saying "They know that they are in a safe area." He also stressed the importance of Iraq's territorial integrity, warning Kirkuk was "ready to explode." Zaman reports Saygun said international agreements gave Turkey the right to infiltrate up to 75 km into Iraq to solve border disagreements. He also mentioned the defense cooperation between the US and Turkey, stressing the US should view Turkey as "a partner, not a client," say papers. Erdogan to Join Arab League Meetings in Riyadh Sabah, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others report that on March 28-29, Prime Minister Erdogan will deliver a speech at the Arab League summit in Riyadh as well as hold talks with other leaders including President Mahmoud Abbas and the Prime Minister of the new Palestinian government, Ismail Haniyah. In his address to the gathering, Erdogan is expected to warn against the rising tensions between the Sunni and Shiite groups in Iraq, and extend support to the new Palestinian government. Zaman says this will be Turkey's second participation in the Arab League meetings with the observer status since 2005. Editorial Opinion on Middle East and Sanction Against Iran Taha Akyol observed in the mainstream daily Milliyet: "When the US introduced its Greater Middle East project, the goal was to topple dictatorships in the region and bring democracy as well as market economy. The very same US, in an effort to find a way to counter Iran, is now forming strategic alliances with authoritarian Sunni regimes which indicates the collapse of Greater Middle East project. The Bush administration is leaning towards a change of strategy since Iran is now considered a bigger threat than Sunni radicals. Therefore, the US is watching the Saudi efforts to bring the PLO and Hamas together and sees it as an effort to eliminate Iranian influence over PLO. When Turkey tried to exert some effort to eliminate Iranian and Hizbullah influence over Hamas, Ankara heard angry messages from the Bush administration. But today Washington is moving towards that policy line. Along with the policy change in Washington, certain results could come. If Sunnis and the US get closer to each other, it can help Iraq's territorial integrity. Turkey's balancing role might be required in the new equilibrium. Ankara will participate in the Arab League meeting and the Iraqi neighbors' conference will also be convened in Istanbul, which both signify Turkey's role. The Middle East is just about to enter into a new period although uncertainties remain." Fikret Ertan wrote in the Islamist-intellectual daily Zaman: "The UN Security Council has adopted new sanctions against Iran. The list of sanctions as well as the tone of it enhances earlier resolutions 1737 and 1747. Even though the new resolution is tougher than the previous two, it still required a consensus among the permanent members of the UNSC. America and European countries defended the need for tough actions against Iran while China and Russia advocated a more softened stance. In the end they all reached a consensus on the text which comes with an 18-page list. Iran once again was given a 60 day period in order to stop its uranium enrichment program. Although the UN resolution lists in a very detailed manner the names and institutions connected with ANKARA 00000694 002 OF 003 Iranian nuclear activities, the fact of the matter is that Iran will continue to defy just like it did for the previous resolutions." Investigation Launched Against PM Erdogan All papers report that Ankara's Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against Prime Minister Erdogan for his remarks in an interview with an Australian radio station in 2000, in which he apparently referred to PKK leader Ocalan as "Mr" (Sayin) and martyrs as "heads". Use of the title "Mr" has led to countless prosecutions in Turkey when used to refer jailed PKK leader Ocalan. Earlier this month the leader of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Social Party (DTP) Ahmet Turk was sentenced to six months in prison for having used the title at a political rally. The Prime Minister and other members of Parliament have legal immunity that protects them from prosecution and Parliament would need to approve any further legal steps against Erdogan. Since Erdogan is the leader of the ruling party and has the vast majority in Parliament, it is very unlikely that the Parliament will annul his immunity. Foreign Visitors in Ankara Milliyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet and others: British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett arrived in Ankara on Monday for talks on Turkey's EU membership, Iraq and Iran. Beckett is scheduled to meet PM Erdogan and FM Gul in Ankara today before traveling to Istanbul to hold talks with Minister Ali Babacan. Responding to a question whether she had any expectations about Turkish intervention on the issue of seized British soldiers by Iran last week, Beckett said she had to discuss the issue with Turkish officials first. Meanwhile, TV channels and Anatolian Agency reported that Iraqi Vice-President Tariq Al-Hashimi arrived in Ankara today. Al-Hashimi will hold meetings with Turkish President Sezer, PM Erdogan and FM Gul during his stay in Ankara on regional issues. 50th Anniversary of the European Union Radikal, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Milliyet and others: Today's papers highlight that German PM Merkel's anti-Turkish attitudes continued at the EU's 50th anniversary celebrations. Merkel presented outgoing French leader Chirac, who is a great supporter of Turkey's EU bid, with a beer mug as a farewell present The mug had a relief on it depicting the battle in which Napoleon beat the Ottoman army in 1799 in Egypt. Papers comment that by this 'gesture', Merkel tried to give Chirac a message that he should think twice before supporting Turkey's EU membership. TV Highlights NTV, 7.00 A.M. Domestic News - Four members of the nationalist party BBP have been sent to Istanbul from Trabzon in connection with the assassination of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. - Turkish General Staff chief General Yasar Buyukanit, accompanied by force commanders, paid a courtesy visit to Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday. - "Turkey and Arab Countries' Economy Congress" will be held in the Aegean city of Izmir on March 29-31. - The Turkish council of ministers approved the Religious Affairs Directorate's (Diyanet) request for 15,000 new cadres. International News - The outgoing US Ambassador in Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, said he held talks last year with major insurgent groups in a drive to bring militant Sunni Arabs into politics. ANKARA 00000694 003 OF 003 - The Iraqi government said Monday it has officially urged Iran to release 15 British sailors arrested for allegedly entering Iranian territorial waters last week. - The US Senate foreign relations committee will discuss on Wednesday a resolution drafted by Joseph Biden condemning the murder of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, calling for the abolishment of article 301 and urging Turkey to establish ties with Armenia. - Martti Ahtisaari, the UN special envoy for Kosovo, said in a report that independence is the only viable option for the province. http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON