ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001904 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, NOVEMBER 3, 2008 In Today's Papers Prime Minister Erdgoan's Visit to Hakkari Greeted with Protests All papers: Protests by DTP members during PM Erdogan's visit to Hakkari on Sunday turned into clashes with police. Demonstrators chanted pro-PKK slogans, fought with the police and stoned journalists. During his speech in Hakkari, PM Erdogan said "One state, one flag, and one nation. Those, who are against these values have no place in Turkey. They can go anywhere they want." PM Erdogan harshly rejected allegations that the PKK's jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan was tortured in prison on Imrali Island. Islamist-oriented Zaman reports the PM said, "These torture allegations were deliberately made in order to confuse voters on the eve of the municipal elections. Mainstream Sabah and others report that a large quantity of arms and munitions were captured in an operation in the Yuksekova district of Hakkari. The captured materials include 20 kg of TNT, 20 hand grenades and a rocket launcher. During the same time of the protests in Hakkari, a demonstration was also staged in Istanbul. Demonstrations occurred in Taksim, Tarlabasi, and Dolapdere. In Istanbul's Taksim Square, police stopped DTP members from making a press statement in support of the DTP's sit-in protests in Diyarbakir. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports that 27 people were detained during the demonstrations and two people were injured during the clashes. Meanwhile, thousands of DTP supporters staged a sit-in in Diyarbakir on Saturday to denounce government policies in the region and the alleged mistreatment of jailed PKK leader Ocalan. Editorial opinion on PKK/DTP and Kurdish Issue Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist leaning Yeni Safak: "While the Kurdish problem has become an accepted reality, we need political actors who will contribute to the solution process. However, the DTP is choosing to play outside the rules by engaging in and organizing chaos in the southeast. The DTP must act with civility if they are really sincere about finding a solution to the Kurdish issue." Okay Gonensin wrote in mainstream Vatan: "The DTP's recent pro-Ocalan protests crossed the line regarding the freedom of expression. In the past, from time to time, DTP leaders have called for a cease fire. However, recently they are acting as if they are trying to escalate domestic tensions, and they have not tried to keep their actions within the boundaries of democracy. The more the democratic process retreats, the more the PKK advances. There are people who are trying to block the democratic process. The DTP's recent incidents place the DTP right in the middle of this bloody equation. From the angle of the DTP, this approach is political suicide, because the DTP is not acting like a democratic political party. Instead, they are acting like the administrators of PKK strategies, which means the party is committing suicide." Ambassador Wilson's Interviews with Milliyet and Radikal. Murat Yetkin of Radikal carried an interview with Ambassador Wilson in the Sunday edition. His interview was carried on the front page under the headline, "The Turning Point was November 5, 2007." Yetkin's interview highlighted Wilson's take on the meeting between Erdogan and Bush, "To my observation, President Bush felt convinced the PKK was an obstacle to the role Iraq's neighbors could play in contributing to success in Iraq. Afterwards we, along with our Turkish government and military colleagues, worked on the details for intelligence sharing mechanism between the two militaries, which put the bilateral military relations back on track again." In addition, Yetkin notes, "The U.S. feared Turkey may decline to contribute to the security in Iraq as long as terror attacks were launched against Turkey from northern Iraq." Meanwhile, Semih Idiz's interview in Milliyet was entitled, "After September 11th, We Gained a Better Understanding of Turkey," and highlighted Wilson's comment that, "Turkey is a democratic, stable, strong and self-reliant country where the majority of the population are Muslims. We realized this better after the Cold War and especially ANKARA 00001904 002 OF 004 after the September 11 attack." Turkish Press Predicts an Obama Victory Most media outlets continue to report an Obama victory as inevitable, but several note the potential for a "Bradley Effect" and some note how an Obama victory will impact Turkey. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports, "Obama continues to lead the polls, but the racism factor still creates fears." Liberal Radikal's front-page banner headline reads, "The Polls Declare a President - Obama!" In, "The Struggle between the Old and the New," mainstream Milliyet reports, "This election brings to the stage the struggle between the traditional politics McCain represents and Obama's innovative new message." In "The Advocate of Change," mainstream Hurriyet reports, "Obama does not just promise new political policies, but brings the promise of his life story and his identity." Huseyin Bas of leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet writes, "It looks like the Democrats will win the election and if Barack Obama can succeed in placing some limits on the reckless capitalist system that Bush created, he will be on the right path. Ali Aslan of Islamist-oriented Zaman writes, "Obama and Erdogan can work together to promote strategic cooperation and strengthen bilateral ties between Turkey and the U.S., unless either side wastes time with less important issues like the Armenian genocide claims." Far Right Ortadogu reports in "The Ace up His Sleeve is The Armenians," that "Obama promised to recognize Armenian Genocide Claims," with "complete support." Ortadogu notes "it is important that he renewed this promise on October 31st after meetings with Professor Davutoglu," who met with the Obama campaign last week and warned the campaign about the damage a recognition of Armenian Genocide Claims could cause to relations with Turkey. Editorial opinion on U.S. Elections Ceyda Karan wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Those who are looking at the American elections through the lens of Turkish foreign policy prefer a Republican administration in the White House. However, given Ankara's current concerns, including Armenian genocide claims, stability in Iraq and the Caucasus, there is no strong indication of a smooth relationship with Washington under McCain. Turkey must not adopt exaggerated expectations or view the elections in only black and white. After all, Washington's policies will be shaped by the changing political landscape, as well as by new political actors." Omer Taspinar commented in mainstream Sabah: "Obama is running towards victory because Americans seek a radical change and Obama is the choice for change. During his election campaign, Obama called a McCain presidency "a continuation of the Bush administration." McCain strengthened this allegation by pledging that U.S. forces will remain in Iraq for a hundred years if necessary. As the global economic crisis deepens, Obama's calls for change have resonated with the American public. Obama is a better choice for Turkey as well, as long as we look at the issue from a wider angle instead of only from the angle of the Armenian issue. If we continue diplomatic and political dialogue with Yerevan, that issue will resolve itself. Let's be brave enough to wait for Obama by looking at these developments from a broader perspective." U.S. Pledges Support for Turkey's Nuclear Program Acting Deputy Secretary of Energy Jeffrey Kupfer led a U.S. delegation to Istanbul in order to meet with Prime Minister Erdogan and his top officials in energy, treasury and foreign affairs, along with other business officials from the banking and energy sectors. Mainstream Hurriyet quotes the Kupfer in the headline, "We are ready to contribute to Nuclear and Renewable Energy Projects" in Turkey. Islamist leaning Yeni Safak quotes Kupfer in the headline, "We support Turkey's Energy Policy." Regarding Turkey's nuclear energy bids, Kupfer was quoted as saying "the government sees the need to improve the bidding process and appears open to cooperation." Kupfer ANKARA 00001904 003 OF 004 said his contacts with government officials were "very constructive, useful and encouraging." Turkey Launches Unmanned Plane Project Liberal Radikal reports that a Turkey-manufactured unmanned plane project is about to be finalized. Radikal reports this development means, "Turkey will be independent in gathering intelligence" against the PKK. Three planes are expected to do test runs in early 2010, and the program is expected to be fully operational in September 2011. Meanwhile, in order to meet the current need, Radikal also reports that the Turkish Army ordered 10 unmanned "Heron" planes from Israel, and the acquisition of two Herons will be finalized before the end of this month. The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson Reveals the Horror in Orphanages in Ankara Sabah, Milliyet and Vatan report that the Duchess of York, under disguise, entered the Saray orphanage in Ankara and took photographs in order to document the orphans' living conditions. Upon her return to the UK, she wrote an article in "The Daily Mail" that detailed how badly the children were treated there. She noted, "The corridors of the orphanage were terribly smelly. I saw many children who were tied to their beds or whose hands were tied to the walls. Is this the Turkey the UK is supporting in its bid for EU membership?" A Karabakh Agreement. Media outlets report with a tinge of resentment toward Russia that a peace agreement in principle has been reached in the Karabakh crisis. Turkey had initiated itself as the regional mediator of the Caucasus through the Caucasus Platform proposal, so Russia is seen as usurping Turkey's role as a mediator, and thinly-veiled criticism notes that one peace agreement 'by the hand of Russia' is not enough to solve the problem. In "The Caucasus Spring," mainstream Hurriyet reports, "President Gul's soccer diplomacy set the stage for positive developments in the Caucasus," as "Russia has followed Erdogan's and Gul's lead to address problems in the Caucasus." However, "Medvedev's efforts are undertaken on the part of countries in the Caucasus Pact," which "Turkey created in order to cool tensions in the region after the crisis between Russia and Georgia." Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak's headline reads, "An Azeri-Armenian Agreement by the Hand of Russia." Leftist-oriented Cumhuriyet reports, "A Karabakh Declaration from Above." Liberal Radikal writes in, "A Moscow Proclamation for Peace in the Mountains of Karabakh," that "Russia, by bringing Aliyev and Sargsyan together for a peaceful solution, gave the message 'The Power of the Caucasus is Mine.'" Mainstream Milliyet reports in "The First Signing for Karabakh," that "for the first time in 14 years, a document has been signed with the goal of finding a peaceful solution to one of the most complex ethnic misunderstandings." TV News: CNN Turk Domestic News - DSP leader Zeki Sezer says that candidates of the DSP and the CHP should not run against each other in the upcoming municipality elections. - Three cars were burned by arsonists in Istanbul, while a municipality bus was damaged by a Molotov cocktail. International News - Public opinion polls show Barack Obama 7 points ahead in the presidential race. - The Iraqi government will sell former Dictator Saddam Hussein's ANKARA 00001904 004 OF 004 luxury yacht. - Washington rejects the allegations of Bolivian President Morales that a U.S. government agency was backing criminal groups trying to undermine his leftist government. WILSON