ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001215 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 THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2008 In Today's Papers Ergenekon Investigation Reveals Plans for a Coup to Begin July 7 Sabah, Vatan, Radikal, and Yeni Safak report documents seized during searches of Gendarme Commander Sener Eruygur's office indicate plans to stage a military takeover on July 7, 2008. The plan allegedly begins with organized illegal protests in 40 cities across Turkey on July 7. At the rallies, demonstrators would voice support for the judiciary and call for the closure of the ruling AKP. In addition, armed clashes would be instigated between the police and protestors. In an effort to escalate the national crisis, thirty assassins would coordinate assassinations against prominent figures. Finally, concerns raised about the economy would lead to the collapse the government. Within this framework, Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) Chairman Sinan Aygun was to express concern about the Turkish economy and encourage the formation of a new party as an alternative to the AKP. Cumhuriyet daily's Ankara bureau chief Mustafa Balbay and the Tercuman daily's chief editor Ufuk Buyukcelebi were in charge of coordinating the media effort. The High Military Council (YAS) meetings scheduled for August 1-4 would be postponed in order to ensure the rise of officers close to the Ergenekon network and block the promotion of officers from a rival group dubbed the "NATO Group." Mainstream Sabah reports that once these events create sufficient chaos, the military would be called in to take over and restore order. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak claims Sinan Aygun would become the new prime minister after the military takeover and former deputy PM Abdullatif Sener the new president. On July 1, Turkey detained more than 20 people as part of a long-running investigation into the underground ultra-nationalist Ergenekon gang. Among those detained were two retired generals, two journalists and the head of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce. Tamer Korkmaz of Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak calls the Ergenekon arrests, "A coup against the coup plotters." Huseyin Gulerce of Islamist-oriented Zaman writes, "The Untouchables have now been touched," as "this investigation is a milestone in Turkey's advancement toward democracy." Ismet Berkan of liberal Radikal notes, "Regardless of the results of this investigation, for the first time, those who plot a coup are being charged, which uplifts Turkey's democratic standards." Ertugrul Ozkuk of mainstream Hurriyet writes, "I have severe concerns that the Ergenekon investigation is being promulgated by a certain ideology," and, "If Turkey's EU criteria are so important, then why have people been detained for 11 months without any charges filed against them? Is this in line with EU criteria?" General Basbug and PM Erdogan Deny They Discussed Ergenekon All papers report that Land Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug denied allegations that PM Erdogan and he talked about the Ergenekon investigation during their meeting on June 24. General Basbug added "Turkey is going through difficult days. All of us must act with more common sense, more care and more responsibly." The Prime Ministry also issued a statement ruling out allegations that the issue of detentions were not taken up at the June 24 meeting between the PM and the Land Forces Commander. EU Commission Warns Ergenekon Investigation about International Standards Mainstreams Hurriyet and Milliyet report that the EU Commission stressed that the Ergenekon investigation is being followed closely and the EU expects that the highest international standards should be applied during the police investigation and the course of the trials. Editorial Commentary on "Ergenekon" Arrests and AKP Closure Case Irfan Yildirim wrote in Islamist leaning Zaman: "Some of the media ANKARA 00001215 002 OF 003 reacted harshly against the Ergenekon-related arrests, which brings up the urgent need to discuss the connection between the coup plotters and the media. Some retired generals and retired prosecutors write for a certain newspaper. This by itself indicates Turkey's deep-rooted problems with democracy. The pro-coup figures operating in the media must be discussed extensively until their links are eliminated. There is also a need to create public awareness so that neither the judiciary nor the AKP feels alienated in this Ergenekon investigation against the coup plotters." Cuneyt Ulsever wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "I share the presumption that the two generals detained were considering plans to overthrow the AKP, if they had the resources and the capability. Yet, such a strong conviction needs to be justified by strong evidence. If the indictment has strong proof in this nature, our democracy will gain enormous momentum. However I cannot help but smell politics in all of those detentions. The lack of an indictment for the last 11 months and the way the arrests were carried out are questionable." Semih Idiz wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Very interestingly enough, the AKP's number two asked for respect for the judiciary following the Ergenekon case detentions. This very same name was furiously criticizing the judiciary on the closure case. How can the judiciary be impartial regarding Ergenekon while it is allegedly biased in the closure case? We want to believe the supremacy of law will prevail. Otherwise the whole issue will come down a struggle between good judges and bad judges, in which case democracy will be the loser." 'Sivas Victims' Commemorated All papers report the 15th anniversary of the "Sivas incident" was marked Wednesday with ceremonies in Sivas as well as other major cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. On July 2, 1993, 37 intellectuals, poets and writers were burned to death by a fundamentalist mob in the Madimak Hotel in Sivas. Around 50,000 rallied in Sivas yesterday, protesting the killings and the inaction in investigating the perpetrators over the last 15 years. The group also called for turning Madimak Hotel into a museum honoring those who lost their lives. More than 20 CHP lawmakers, the pro-Kurdish DTP deputy group Chief Emine Ayna and other political parties participated in the demonstrations yesterday outside the parliament and labor unions. TV Highlights CNN Turk Domestic News - A draft asking for the transfer of the Turkish Central Bank headquarters from Ankara to Istanbul in two years was submitted to the parliament for approval. - In the southeastern border province of Sirnak, one soldier was killed by a landmine believed to have been planted by the PKK. - Visiting Russian Foreign Minister Segei Lavrov said Russia formally removed restrictions on Turkish fruit exports. International News - Prime Minister Erdogan cancelled his visit to Malaysia on July 7-8. President Abdullah Gul will represent Turkey at the D-8 meeting in Malaysia. - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari announced Jordan's King Abdullah II and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan would visit Iraq soon. - Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told NBC TV Iran might ANKARA 00001215 003 OF 003 consider the suggestion of Secretary Rice on opening U.S. interest office in Tehran. WILSON