ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002056 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 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2008 In Today's Papers PM Erdogan and Justice Minister Sahin Address Plans for Imrali Prison Mainstreams Milliyet and Sabah report Prime Minister Erdogan responded to a question from a journalist about recent rumors of a possible transfer of additional prisoners to the Imrali prison, where PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan is serving out a life sentence in isolation. Erdogan said, "Our friends are working on it. If we find it necessary, we will transfer other convicts to Imrali. Preparations for this are underway." When asked whether Ocalan would be able to see any other inmates at Imrali, Justice Minister Sahin said "In these types of prisons, inmates reside in single rooms. Even if we transfer additional inmates to Imrali, it will be illegal for Ocalan to meet with them because he has been known to send messages to the PKK through his lawyers." German Court Reveals Detailed Ruling of Deniz Feneri Case Sabah, Milliyet, Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet: Today's papers and TV channels report that the regional court of Frankfurt, Germany released its detailed decision regarding the Deniz Feneri ("Lighthouse") Case. Mainstream Vatan reports the decision says the charity was established "in order to cheat philanthropists and donors out of 12 million Euros, which was transferred to Turkey by couriers between 2002 and 2007." Hurriyet and Milliyet report that the German Court's decision claims that the key actors involved in the charities' irregularities are based in Turkey. Hurriyet reports that the German court gave code names to the suspects of the case and Kanal 7 TV was referred as Kanal X in the ruling and said "the money sent to Turkey by the couriers were delivered to the Kanal X building." Armenia will Supply Electricity to Turkey Islamist-oriented Zaman and mainstream Sabah report that Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan told the press that Armenia is preparing to export electricity to Kars, Turkey by March 1, 2009. Movsisyan added that the agreement for it was signed in Yerevan in September 2008. Zaman says this electricity exchange is a de facto opening of the border between the two countries. Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Armenia Relationship Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Creating an opportunity is always very useful in international relations. After President Gul's visit to Yerevan in September, the Armenian FM Nalbandian came to Istanbul Monday and met with FM Babacan. An active dialogue between Ankara and Yerevan has begun and it is obvious that these contacts will continue. The Nagorno Karabakh issue and the Armenian Genocide issue will be resolved during the process of normalization. Over the last 17 years, Turkey and Armenia have not had any contacts. Have any problems been resolved during this time? Did either side benefit from a lack of dialogue? Of course not. The only way to resolve these issues is through dialogue." Abdulhamit Bilici in Islamist-oriented Zaman: "Yerevan would not have been able to send warm messages to Ankara if Moscow and Turkey hadn't taken an active role in the resolution of the Karabakh problem between Armenia and Azerbaijan. A Kremlin meeting that took place three years ago between former Russian President Putin and Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was a milestone in this process. In that meeting, the Turkish side said unresolved issues, such as the Karabakh conflict, laid the foundations for external intervention in the region. The recent developments in Georgia prove this. Turkey, while forging warmer relationships with its neighbors, will melt the ice with Armenia as well as long as those who benefit from the 'genocide industry' allow Turkey to do so." Mehmet Kamis in Islamist-oriented Zaman: "40 million people were killed during World War II, but the sides forgot all that had happened and became allies soon after the war. Our fights, however, continue to grow. It's not the Armenians who benefit from the ANKARA 00002056 002 OF 003 prevailing hatred and animosity. It's time the Armenians realize that they have been toys in the hands of big Christian nations over the past century. Those who provoked the Armenians against the Ottomans in the 1900s continue to use the fruits of this enmity against Turkey, but Armenians gain nothing from this." CHP Continues Party Registration of Women Wearing Headscarves Media outlets continue the coverage of the membership of women wearing black chadors and headscarves in the opposition CHP, which has drawn strong reactions from secular groups and party supporters. Several circles see the move as part of the CHP's campaign to attract voters for the upcoming municipality elections in March. CHP leader Deniz Baykal said veiled women's membership to the party was not a "political show," and added, "The CHP will embrace all of those who reconcile with modern Turkey's founder Ataturk and his principles." Baykal stressed that enrolling women in headscarves was "not a violation of the principle of secularism, but an expression of respect for secularism," as Baykal noted, "Almost 70 percent of women cover their heads in this country," and that the headscarf was "a part of daily life in Turkey." Prime Minister Erdogan said Tuesday he welcomed the move by the main opposition CHP to accept new members who wear headscarves. "There will be negative reactions, but Mr Baykal should stand strong and retreat," said Erdogan. Meanwhile, papers report that on Tuesday, 100 new members, including women wearing headscarves and veils, joined the CHP in the southeastern province of Adiyaman. EU's LagendijkVisits Ankara, Criticizes PM's Cancellation of Press Accreditation Media outlets report Joost Lagendijk, co-chairman of Turkey-EU joint parliamentary commission, met Tuesday with Prime Minister Erdogan, President Gul, and political party leaders in Ankara. Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal declined to meet with Lagendijk. Islamist-oriented Zaman recalls Lagendijk stated earlier this year that as a "social democrat," he was "ashamed" of the CHP's conduct which he called "nationalistic and pro-military." In his meeting with the pro-Kurdish DTP officials, Lagendijk said closure of the DTP would block Turkey's EU accession drive, stressing a ban would strengthen the position of adversaries of Turkey in Europe. Meeting with MHP leader Devlet Bahceli later in the day, Lagendijk applauded the MHP for backing constitutional reforms, papers report. Kurdish Oil to be Transported via Kirkuk-Yumurtalik Pipeline Liberal Radikal reports that on Monday, officials from the Iraqi Oil Ministry and the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) agreed to transport oil produced by the Norwegian company DNO from northern Iraq through an oil pipeline between Kirkuk and the Yumurtalik port on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Radikal reports, "Ankara is uncomfortable with the shifting attitude of the Baghdad administration, which earlier declared energy deals the KRG made with foreign companies illegal." Turkey opposes the control of Iraq's oil reserves by regional provinces in the country. Turkey is also concerned that the Iraqi Kurds may use oil revenues for armament, says Radikal. Graham Fuller Brings Up The Greater Middle East Project to BBC Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet quotes former CIA official Graham Fuller in an interview with BBC Turkish Service in the front page headline, "The Greater Middle East Project is a Death Sentence for Turkey." Mainstream Vatan reports Fuller spoke to the BBC Turkish Service and emphasized, "Turkey's and America's interests in the Middle East are not compatible, and Turkey needs to stick to policies that are not guided by Washington's trajectory because being included in America's plans is equivalent to signing a death warrant." Editorial Commentary on Domestic Politics Ergun Babahan wrote in mainstream Sabah: "Today, Turkey has three ANKARA 00002056 003 OF 003 main issues to resolve - the Kurdish issue, the Alevi issue and the headscarf issue. Despite the expectations of the general public, the main opposition party CHP can only contribute to the resolution of the Alevi issue. Alevis have historically supported the CHP. If the CHP is planning to steal a role from the AKP, then, definitely they should bring the Alevis' demands to the agenda. In addition, as the main opposition party, the CHP can corner the government with the Alevi issue as their trump card. TV News: CNN Turk Domestic News - On Wednesday, a delegation of the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament will hold talks in Ankara. - A teacher in Denizli is suspended for saying he longed for the restoration of monarchy in Turkey. - Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan announced the "special consumption tax" on Internet usage will be reduced from 15 to 5 percent. International News - Turkish company YDC Denizcilik said it was close to making a deal with the pirates who hijacked a ship belonging to the company on November 12. The ship carries 14 crew and was intercepted by the Somali pirates off the coast of Yemen. - Two Turkish citizens, who were kidnapped in Afghanistan on October 22, were released, the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) said on Tuesday. - Lebanon has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, becoming the 148th nation to do so. SILLIMAN