ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000497 SIPDIS 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, MARCH 13, 2008 In Today's Papers Erdogan Unveils 'Southeast Package' to New York Times Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others report Prime Minister Erdogan told the New York Times in an interview that his ruling AKP government plans to invest up to $12 billion in southeast Turkey over the next five years. Mainstream papers and the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet criticize the fact that Erdogan's "Kurdish package" was revealed to Americans before it was made public in Turkey. Cumhuriyet comments the AKP is releasing the economic package in order to gain votes in the mainly Kurdish southeast during the upcoming municipal elections. Liberal Radikal thinks the package is nothing new, recalling the similarities to earlier plans regarding the Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) and Kurdish-language broadcasting. Islamist-oriented Zaman believes the package will play an important role in preventing youth from joining the PKK in the region. The pro-Kurdish DTP deputy chairman Selahattin Demirtas branded the package as "a local election investment," saying "the Kurdish issue cannot be solved with factories, or with broadcasts in Kurdish on a state-controlled broadcast." In addition, he said, "A change is needed in the mentality that Turkey is a nation with a single language, a single religion, and a single ethnicity," stressed Demirtas. "The problem will be resolved when this mentality changes." MHP Slams Erdogan for Seeking Political Solution to Kurdish Question Hurriyet, Sabah, Vatan, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report the opposition far right MHP deputy Oktay Vural charged Prime Minister Erdogan for being "the architect" of the meetings between the pro-Kurdish DTP officials, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, and President Abdullah Gul earlier this week. "Erdogan has launched a political solution process with the DTP, a party he used to call a tool of the PKK. The US, Barzani, and Talabani made demands from Turkey after the successful ground offensive carried out by the Turkish troops in northern Iraq. These are all parts of a set up against Turkey, and the PM is the leading actor in this game," Vural said. President Abdullah Gul said in response to criticism over his meeting with DTP lawmakers that he was the president of all groups in the country, and that the Kurdish question was a problem for all of Turkey, not just of a specific party or group. Tan Outlines 'Kurdish Package' A column today in mainstream Sabah refers to a 10-item solution package put forth by Altan Tan, a Kurdish intellectual who has been an advisor to PM Erdogan during the ruling AKP's first term in power. The package suggests "no ethnic reference to the definition of citizenship in Turkey's constitution; constitutional guarantees for freedom of speech, religion, and ethnicity; free Kurdish education, and Kurdish studies institutes in universities; time limits removed from Kurdish broadcasts on private radio and televisions; political amnesty declared; a social rehabilitation program to address the problems such as evacuated villages, high suicide rates among girls; and the Diyarbakir military prison should be closed and turned into a 'brotherhood museum.'" Islamist-oriented Zaman carries a full-page human interest story of interviews with former PKK members living in Europe, who told their stories to the famous Kurdish poet and writer Bejan Matur. Azad spent years in the mountains after he joined the PKK. Azad's father was taken into custody when Azad was a child in the 1990s. Azad's father spent five years in prison in Adana after being tortured for 36 days. Azad went to Germany after a couple of tough years as a PKK fighter. "After spending years with the organization, I went to Germany because I wanted to make music," he says. "I'm sure the Kurdish problem will be resolved. No one, including myself, favors division in Turkey; it was a fantasy, a dream of the 1980s. We ANKARA 00000497 002 OF 003 couldn't manage to explain ourselves, and Turks did not want to understand us. If I were in Turkey now, the one thing that'd distress me the most would be the culture of prejudice that is prevailing there." Editorial Commentary on PM Erdogan's Kurdish Package/NYT Times Interview "The Package" Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan (3/13): "The government's social and economic efforts to counter the PKK are long-awaited. Finally, news of this package came from across the Atlantic. The prime minister disclosed the 'Kurdish Package' to The New York Times in an interview yesterday. This is not the time to argue why the PM chose a foreign media outlet over of a Turkish media outlet to announce this package. At the moment, the content is more important than how it was exposed. The encouraging points in the package include a total of 12 billion dollars in infrastructural investment to the southeast region. There will be concrete employment opportunities for the youth in hopes that job opportunities will deter youth from falling under the PKK's influence. In addition, a state-sponsored television station will broadcast in Kurdish language. However, these steps are pronounced in the future tense. Currently, there seems to be no working plan. Moreover, the prime ministry made a public statement three days ago that denied the existence of a comprehensive package for Turkey's southeast. Our hope is that the New York Times story is the truth, and not the prime ministry statement denying a package. This issue is not only about development of a particular region, it is about Turkey's national unity and territorial integrity." US Report: Serious Human Rights Problems Remain in Turkey Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Taraf, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others carry Wednesday and today excerpts from the 2007 State Department country reports on human rights practices. The report notes the Turkish government generally respected human rights in 2007, but serious problems remained in several areas. "Some government and military officers at times undermined the judiciary's independence. Non-Muslim religious groups continued to face restrictions on practicing their religion openly, owning property, and training leaders. Violence against women, including honor killings and rape, continued to be a widespread problem," says the report. Liberal Radikal writes today the report also says the Turkish government limited freedom of expression through the use of constitutional restrictions and laws, including article 301 of the penal code prohibiting insults to 'Turkishness.' "Limitations on freedom of expression expanded to the Internet, as Turkish courts on several occasions ordered telecommunications providers to block access to web sites," the paper cites the report. Turban Chaos Hurriyet, Sabah, Milliyet, Radikal, Bugun and others: Some universities are allowing students with turban to enter their campuses, while some are not. Erciyes, Rize, Black Sea Technical, Harran, Gaziantep, Van Centennial universities did not allow students with turban to enter the classes as of yesterday. Konya Selcuk and Sakarya universities announced that they will make a decision later. 11 PKK Terrorists Killed in Sirnak Hurriyet, Milliyet, Vatan, Radikal, Zaman, Cumhuriyet: Papers report that on Monday night, a Heron unmanned surveilance plane confirmed the presence of 15 PKK terrorists in Sirnak's Bestler-Dereler region. Around 300 hundred commandos and 100 village guards were dispatched to the area on the same night. During the operations 11 terrorists were killed. Talat-Christofias Meeting on March 21 Milliyet, Zaman, Cumhuriyet and others: Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat will meet Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias ANKARA 00000497 003 OF 003 for talks on March 21. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports that UN Cyprus Peacekeeping Force Spokesman Jose Diaz said that UN special envoy Michael Moller will participate at the meeting. Papers add that the Turkish side has great expectations about the meeting. Editorial Commentary on Missile Defense "The US Wants Turkey to Be A Part of Missile Defense" Semih Idiz commented in mainstream Milliyet (3/13): "Even though US-Turkey discussions regarding missile defense were confirmed by the Pentagon spokesman and Secretary Gates, official sources in Ankara are keeping a low profile on the issue. The characterization from Turkish officials is 'missile defense was one of the general topics discussed with Secretary Gates.' This seems part of an ongoing effort by Ankara to downplay the talks. The missile defense project is very important for the Bush administration. The US is very close to making agreements with Poland and the Czech Republic on the project, which is an indication of another impending cold war with Russia. The Head of the Missile Defense Agency at the Pentagon recently talked about the benefits of deploying certain radar systems to Turkey. The missile defense issue will be brought up during US Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to Turkey. Cheney, like former President Reagan, has committed himself to this project. In sum, Washington does not conceal its intention to see Turkey as part of this project. The question is whether Turkey, as a neighbor of Iran, can be a part of it. The answer requires investigation in Ankara, Washington and Tehran. But we also have to bear in mind that the Turkish military has listed 'Iran's nuclear capability' as a threat against Turkey." TV Highlights NTV Domestic News - Diyarbakir prosecutor demands nine life without parole sentences, plus 47years for Erdal Polat, who is charged with killing seven people in a bomb attack on January 3rd this year. - Security forces have killed 11 PKK terrorists in clashes in Sirnak province on the border with Iraq. - Ahmet Ozal, son of former President Turgut Ozal, said he would run for the chairmanship of ANAP. International News - Acting Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security John Rood said the US was not planning to set up a missile defense system in Turkey. - The Palestinian militant group HAMAS has set conditions for a ceasefire with Israel. - Iranians will go to the ballot box for parliamentary elections on Friday. WILSON