ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001965 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, NOVEMBER 13, 2008 In Today's Papers Q Steps toward Rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia Q Erdogan's Brotherly Advice for Obama Q G20 Approaches Amid Optimism and Cynicism Q Ergenekon Suspect Interrogated Regarding U.S. Consulate Attack Q Regional Energy Summit in Baku Q Another Turkish Ship Hijacked by Somali Pirates Cartoon from today's mainstream Sabah, depicting U.S. President George Bush escaping from the '2008 Economic Crisis' and leaving President-elect Barack Obama to deal with it. Steps toward Rapprochement Between Turkey and Armenia Hurriyet, Milliyet, Taraf, Zaman, Yeni Safak and Radikal carry Foreign Minister Ali Babacan's announcement to the press about an upcoming visit from the Armenian Foreign Minister to Ankara. FM Babacan said, "Turkey should not wait for another football match to meet (with Armenian officials." Babacan added, "There will be intense diplomatic contacts in the Caucasus in the days ahead. Islamist-oriented Zaman reports Babacan confirmed that Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili "Tbilisi has decided to join the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform." Erdogan's Brotherly Advice for Obama (Milliyet) News outlets today cover Prime Minister Erdogan's interview in the New York Times in which he offered some advice to the U.S. president-elect and offered to facilitate talks between the U.S. and Iran. Mainstream Hurriyet carries the headline, "Keep Your Spine Strong and Don't Pick Fights," and notes, "because Barack Obama did not agree to meet with Erdogan during the G20 Summit, a trusted source told Hurriyet that relations between Obama and Ankara have gotten off to a bad start." Mainstream Milliyet reports in "Brotherly Advice," that "the Prime Minister with six years of experience had some suggestions" for the president-elect, but the New York Times noted Erdogan's administration "drew reactions after inviting the likes of Hamas to meetings in Ankara." Mainstream Sabah calls Erdogan's offer to mediate between the U.S. and Iran, "an official statement from the Prime Minister." Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet's tone indicates a sense the PM has bitten off more than he can chew with this mediation offer, "Erdogan wants to be the mediator between the U.S. and Iran," as "Iranian officials accuse the IAEA of double standards in the latest IAEA report on Iran's nuclear activities." Editorial Commentary on New U.S. Administration Tamer Korkmaz wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Traditional U.S. dominance in the Middle East has diminished significantly since Turkey has emerged as a regional power. Because of this, the U.S. had to suspend its Greater Middle East Project. The new American administration under Barack Obama's leadership may or may not bring hope to the region. Given the current staffing pattern, Obama is already surrounded by a pro-Israeli team, including Rahm Emanuel. It will be a complete loss for America if the pro-Israeli voice in the new administration prevails and if Obama fails to bring concrete change to the Middle East. Unless fundamental steps are taken, the United States' image under Obama could even fall behind the level of the Bush administration's time." Fikret Ertan wrote in Islamist-oriented Zaman: "The solution to the war in Afghanistan lies not only in a military approach, but the Afghan military must be strengthened, intelligence agencies and collection activities must be developed, infrastructure development work and more development personnel are necessary, and the Afghan government must be able to better protect these works. We think that it is important to covey these ideas to the new American administration." ANKARA 00001965 002 OF 003 Ismet Berkan wrote in liberal Radikal: "Recently, Yeni Safak columnist Fehmi Koru said on television that Erdogan came to power like Obama, but governed like Bush. While Erdogan responded, "We are neither Obama or Bush, we are ourselves," this is the latest example of criticism against the PM from these ranks. At the same time, what has happened in the U.S.? The day after Obama was elected, he held a press conference where he said he'd get a dog for the girls, and now everyone wants to know about the dogs. He made a comment that most dogs that are adopted from the pound are "mutts like me." What a witty comment. Due to these distinct differences in Erdogan's and Obama's approaches to the media, from now on, we can compare the tone and the approach of both Erdogan and Obama to the media." G20 Approaches Amid Optimism and Cynicism Media outlets are mixed in their views of the efficacy of the upcoming G20, but some note the summit could bring some calm to volatility in the Turkish market, while others continue to deny any problems exist at all in the Turkish economy as a result of the global crisis. Mainstream Hurriyet reports on its website, "The G20 summit will be held during Bush's "lame duck" period. His administration is seen as partly responsible for the current global financial crisis. Because Bush is considered to have lost his credibility on economic matters, his pledges may not be taken seriously at the G20 summit." Liberal Radikal notes, "World leaders want to meet with Obama during their visits to the U.S. for the G20 Summit, but Obama will not meet with them because he's busy in the process of establishing a new government," but "the whole world is wondering what path the new government will take to address the economy." In "Hope is in Washington," columnist Bilal Cetin of mainstream Vatan hopes the G20 summit will soften Erdogan's approach to an agreement with the IMF, "so that the economic bureaucracy will look more positively at an agreement with the IMF and a swap agreement with the Fed," in order to "strengthen the hand against reckless speculation and ease the psychological effects of the current markets." Meanwhile, Islamist-oriented Zaman does not mention a need for Turkey to consider a different economic course after the G20 and in fact continues to support the government's economic approach, "Despite the global economic crisis, foreigners continue to trust and invest in Turkey's economy," at "a level of development that is not seen even in Europe." Editorial Commentary on G-20 Summit Erdal Saglam wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Good news from the upcoming G-20 summit is critically important for the entire world, but as far as Turkey is concerned it is even more important to us than any other country. Domestic markets are completely dependent on the potential for good news from the G-20. Since the global crisis has not yet come to a complete end and more fluctuations are expected, Turkey is doomed to suffer seriously, especially if the G-20 summit fails to achieve any concrete results." Bilal Cetin of mainstream Vatan writes in "Hope is in Washington" that he hopes the G20 summit will soften Erdogan's approach to an agreement with the IMF, "so that the economic bureaucracy will look more positively at an agreement with the IMF and a swap agreement with the Fed," in order to "strengthen the hand against reckless speculation and ease the psychological effects of the current markets." 'Ergenekon' Suspect Interrogated over U.S. Consulate Attack Media outlets report the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office interrogated Erol Olmez regarding the bloody terror attack on the U.S. Istanbul Consulate in July. Bulent Cinar, one of the three assailants killed in the attack on the consulate, had a history of phone calls with Olmez, who is being held on charges related to the Ergenekon investigation. ANKARA 00001965 003 OF 003 Regional Energy Summit in Baku Islamist oriented Yeni Safak reports President Gul will attend this week's Energy Summit in Baku. "Upon an invitation from Azerbaijani President Aliyev, President Gul leaves today for Baku to attend the Energy Summit today and tomorrow" the story says. Minister of Energy Hilmi Guler will accompany to the president and the party will return from Baku on November 14. Another Turkish Vessel Hijacked by Somali Pirates Media outlets report the 'Karagol,' a Turkish-flagged tanker with 14 Turkish crew members, was hijacked Wednesday by Somali pirates off the coast of Yemen. Kemal Yardimci, a ruling AKP MP from Istanbul, co-owns the ship. The Karagol was sailing to Mumbai with 4,500 tons of chemical substances on board when it was seized. Yardimci said "the pirates are unlikely to sell the oil products the vessel is carrying," and he expects the hijackers to demand ransom. Following the hijacking, Ankara contacted NATO's British warships in Dubai, and asked them to intervene, according to papers. Freedom of Press/Accreditation Issue Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in mass appeal Posta: "There is no excuse for the prime ministry's decision to cancel press accreditations for seven journalists. There is an impression in Turkey that every institution seeks its own journalists and thus, an accreditation fury is going on. The military keeps accredited journalists out of its base while the prime ministry cancels journalists' accreditation because they "do not follow the rules." After spending 25 years of my life abroad as a journalist I know very well how common standards of accreditation are administered. In the United States and Europe, for example, accreditation is not used as discrimination. There is only one rule - a journalist must prove his or her bona fides. The only evidence needed to prove a journalist's bona fides is a letter from the media outlet for which they work." TV News: CNN Turk Domestic News - The prime ministry's Inspection Board blames the police and the gendarme for failing to take the necessary measures to prevent the killing of Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. - State-owned broadcaster TRT said test Kurdish language broadcasts would be launched in January. - Children who participated in protests against police in the southeastern city of Hakkari will be offered badminton training by the Turkish Badminton Federation. International News - Crude oil prices lose ground and trade below USD 58 a barrel. - The head of UNAIDS says millions of people suffering from HIV/AIDS will die if major donors cut funding due to the global financial crisis. - The Dutch Justice Ministry considers raising the penalty for human trafficking. WILSON