ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001156 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, JUNE 23, 2008 In Today's Papers Taraf Reports TGS Plan to Manipulate Turkish Media and Society Weekend Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and others give extensive coverage to recent reports by the leftist Taraf daily which claimed the Turkish General Staff (TGS) was implementing a plan to manipulate the media against the adversaries of the military in Turkey. The "Information Support Activity Action Plan" published in Taraf on Friday was drawn up in September 2007 by the TGS and is said to have intended to direct society along the lines of the military's views. According to Taraf's story, TGS's plan included efforts to change the views of journalists, celebrities and opinion leaders. In the plan, the military tries to portray the members of the pro-Kurdish political party DTP as "terrorists." In addition, the military top brass argued that Islamist fundamentalist actions were being planned and implemented by the ruling AKP, Taraf argued. The plan sought to bring the judiciary in line with the military, to manipulate the media to support the military; to support opinion leaders who block defamation campaigns against the military; and to agitate Turkey's Kurds by various intrusive tactics, including searches, targeting civilians at the Iraqi border with Turkey. In a statement posted on its website, the TGS rejected the allegations and said it had no plan to manipulate the Turkish public opinion. "According to TGS records, there is no such plan or official document approved by the command headquarters," the statement said. TGS Chief General Yasar Buyukanit told reporters the military had no such plan, and dismissed Taraf's claims as "cheap propaganda" against the military. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says the statement was "not convincing." Mainstream Milliyet says the statement creates the impression that the document was prepared by low-ranking military officials, but was not approved by high-level commanders. Papers: U.S. Praises the AKP Sunday's Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report Secretary Rice told a gathering at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR,) "We are not going to get involved in the current crisis or the current controversy in Turkey, but we need to continue to speak up for reform, democracy and secular democracy in Turkey." In addition, she said, "I think secular democracy in Turkey is important, but it is also important that religious people are a part of the country." She noted, "The AKP has reached out to the poor, rural and religious people in Turkey." Rice also said, "The prospect of European Union accession has been extremely important to reform in Turkey. Without that prospect, it is going to be hard to continue." Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says, "Rice spoke up for democracy in Turkey." In "Rice Praises AKP's Agenda for Democratization," mainstream Hurriyet highlights Rice emphasized the U.S. has "excellent relations with the AKP, President Abdullah Gul and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan." Saturday's edition of mainstream Sabah reports, "The U.S. sent a warning to Turkey" regarding the closure case against the AKP. Sabah notes Deputy State Department Spokesman Tom Casey told reporters, "We firmly support Turkish democracy and we certainly expect that the Turkish courts will consider the will of the people when they make their decision." PACE to Discuss AKP Closure Case Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will convene an "urgent" session on June 26th. Debate will include the closure case against the ruling AKP and the Constitutional Court's annulment of the AKP-MHP sponsored headscarf-related constitutional amendments. PACE may determine Turkey should be placed on a "post-monitoring" watch list. The AKP lawmakers, however, will ask PACE to not place Turkey on the list, saying it would negatively affect Turkey's EU membership chances, says Yeni Safak. ANKARA 00001156 002 OF 003 Attack Helicopter Production Begins Sabah, Milliyet, Yeni Safak, Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Star: Papers report that Turkey's TUSAS Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Italy's Augusta Westland will start co-production of 90 attack helicopters. A ceremony will be held in TUSAS' Akinci facilities tomorrow to mark the beginning of the production of the helicopters. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports that Augusta Westland won Turkey's attack helicopter tender in March 2007. TAI is the local prime contractor of the project and Turkish Aselsan and Italy's Augusta will be the sub-contractors. 90 attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopters will be produced using national software and hardware systems, Yeni Safak adds. Iraq Gives Green Light to Turkish Companies for Oil Exploration Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet: Iraq's Petroleum Ministry issued permission to six more foreign companies, including a state-run Turkish company (TPAO),to participate in the future tenders to operate Iraq's oil and natural gas reserves. The other five permitted countries are Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, Angola and Algeria. DTP Wants to Open a Bureau in the US Bugun, Yeni Safak: Conservative Bugun and Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak report that mainly Kurdish party DTP Istanbul deputy Sabahat Tuncel said that they want to open a representation in Washington DC to improve diplomatic relations with the US. Editorial Commentary on the Middle East "Toward Peace in the Middle East" Kamuran Ozbir wrote in nationalist Ortadogu (6/23): "Even a tiny country like Qatar has succeeded in mediating peace by bringing Lebanese groups together. Recent developments indicate important steps toward peace in the Middle East are increasingly initiated by regional actors. These developments come as the United States fails in its pursuit to drive the peace process in the Middle East. While Qatar established a consensus between Lebanese groups, Turkey is mediating between Syria and Israel. Syria is willing to cooperate and apparently Damascus does not want to wait for the new American administration before taking steps to end its isolation. The Saudi King's invitation to the Iranian president for the Islamic Dialogue Conference in Mecca is not an ordinary incident. Both the Saudi and Iranian regimes are trying to find ways to eliminate Shiite-Sunni tension in both Lebanon and Iraq. However, all of these efforts for peace will eventually require the involvement of the United States. Washington, at least for the sake of Israel's safety, will have to be involved in the process. This involvement does not have to mean a peace agreement signing ceremony at the White House. But, it will be very effective if the U.S. becomes a signatory to peace agreements in the Middle East." "Tension in the Iran-Israel-U.S. Front" Omer Taspinar wrote in mainstream Sabah (6/23): "Right now, there is good news and bad news in the Middle East. The good news comes from the Arab-Israeli front while the bad news comes from the Iran-Israeli front. The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas comforted the region, while Lebanon stabilized due to efforts from the Arab League and Qatar. Yet the recent developments regarding the Iran-Israeli front are not so good. Washington confirms Israel has initiated military exercises in preparation to launch a strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. It seems Israel has turned its complete attention to Iran. At this point, Washington's stance is critical. If and when Israeli jets strike Iran, they must fly over Iraqi air space, which is controlled by the U.S. In any case, Iran will hold the U.S. responsible for any strike, even if it is Israel who acts. If Israel uses Iraqi airspace to attack Iran, Iran will respond by targeting American forces in Iraq. Currently, Shiite militias in Iraq are under Tehran's control and are capable of turning the country into a ANKARA 00001156 003 OF 003 bloodbath. This is of great concern to Washington. In addition, a strike against Iran will further raise the price of oil. Further increases in oil prices will exacerbate the economic crisis, which would hand the White House over to the Democrats on a silver tray, so to speak. Thus, Washington is reluctant to give a green light to Israel's strikes against Iran." TV News: CNN Turk Domestic News - Three suspects were arrested Sunday in Diyarbakir for alleged ties to al-Qaeda. The suspects admitted they were trained in camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan. - Security forces killed three PKK terrorists, including the organization's Erzurum-Bingol regional chief Ali Celik, in the eastern province of Bingol during raids earlier this month. - Celebrations to mark the 2000th anniversary of the birth of St Paul are held in Tarsus. International News - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is in Syria to investigate allegations that Damascus was building a clandestine nuclear reactor for military purposes. - Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani dismisses press reports that Israel is preparing to attack Iran's nuclear installations. - French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Israel for his first presidential visit to the country. WILSON