ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000568 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 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2008 In Today's Papers Party Leaders Continue Tense Debates over Constitutional Changes Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others report Prime Minister Erdogan, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, said his party will not back down from proposing constitutional reforms that will prevent its party closure case. Erdogan said the AKP has worked on preventing party closures for a long time. He emphasized that the AKP's constitutional proposals were not raised in reaction to the closure suit filed by the chief prosecutor against the AKP. Papers say Erdogan rejected calls for public consensus by saying the media was responsible for the escalation of tensions. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet Editor Ilhan Selcuk urged Erdogan to defuse tensions by issuing a call for compromise, but Erdogan said "the media's provocations cannot remain unanswered." Erdogan stressed he has constantly called for compromise. Liberal Radikal writes, "All Politicians Talk, but They Fail to Start A Dialogue," and "Erdogan is angry with everybody, including MHP leader Devlet Bahceli." Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal denounced the constitutional reforms drafted by the AKP as an attempt to invalidate the constitution. "They will deprive secular principles of their meaning," warned Baykal. Baykal noted the recent Ergenekon-related detentions of "elites" were a "coup implementation" targeting the military and the judiciary. Under the headline "MHP Warns against an AKP-backed Referendum," leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports MHP leader Devlet Bahceli accused the AKP of "gambling with the future of Turkey and Turkish democracy." Bahceli warned the AKP against holding a referendum on constitutional reforms, saying the referendum should not be turned into a tool for political gambling. Papers report Erdogan replied to Bahceli by commenting, "Bahceli was saying different things two weeks ago." The pro-Kurdish DTP Chief Ahmet Turk said instead of working to save its own skin, the AKP should carry out legal reforms to promote the democratization of Turkey. Turk said, "The AKP government did nothing when a closure case was launched against the DTP. The AKP wants to save only itself; let's all work to save democracy." Editorial Commentary on Turkey's Domestic Political Tensions 
 "Tension" Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan (3/26): "Political polarization within Turkey has reached a critical level. However, we cannot afford to ignore the rule of law just because two political parties, including the ruling party, are facing closure cases. Unfortunately, there are some figures, including Prime Minister Erdogan, who fail to understand the vital importance of preserving a secular regime within the boundaries of the rule of law. Sadly, PM Erdogan has blamed the media for causing domestic tension. In fact, by making such accusations, he does not realize that he is insulting the public's intelligence. When we examine this situation, we see the closure case was pursued because the AKP committed serious violations against the unchangeable secular principles of Turkish Republic. Instead of showing respect for the judicial process, the AKP is now trying to bypass the judicial process by amending the constitution. PM Erdogan defines 'consensus' as using the AKP's parliamentary majority in order to justify doing anything and everything. Erdogan's definition is not about consensus and reconciliation. The AKP's rush to bypass the closure case is indeed a confession of its guilt regarding anti-secular activities." "About The Three Court Cases..." Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet (3/26): "The ongoing three court cases are the main reason for ongoing tense debates. The AKP ANKARA 00000568 002 OF 003 closure case, the Ergenekon investigation processes, and the DTP closure case are three cases concerning fundamental values of the Turkish Republic: secularism, democratic structure and the nation-state structure. The case against the AKP is about accusing the party of becoming the axis of anti-secular activities. The Constitutional Court's prevailing interpretations of secularism do not match the AKP's interpretation of secularism. Even though the verdict will inevitably bring political consequences, it is important to treat the ongoing closure case as a judicial process. Regarding the 'Ergenekon Investigation,' we haven't seen any indictments yet. The initial information about this investigation indicates the existence of an illegal network whose intent is to demolish democracy. Certainly, the judicial process should go until the bitter end, but this case should not be manipulated for politicians' political gains. As for the DTP case, the indictment details how the pro-Kurdish political party violates Turkey's national integrity and supports separatist activities. None of these allegations or accusations is less important than another. Thus, reconciliation should be based on the fundamental characteristics of Turkish Republic. Reconciliation, in other words, must be based on the values of a democratic, secular and united Turkish Republic." Turkish NGOs to Call for Common Sense Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report on Wednesday, influential NGOs throughout Turkey will issue a call for common sense amid escalating tensions surrounding the closure suit against the ruling AKP, the "Ergenekon" probe, and AKP attempts to change the constitution to avert closure. Under the headline "The Platform for Common Sense Grows," Islamist-oriented Zaman reports the presidents of seven leading NGOs (including the Turkish union of chambers TOBB, labor unions Turk-Is, Kamu-Sen and Hak-Is, employers' union TISK, entrepreneurs' confederation TESK, and union of agricultural chambers TZOB) will issue the joint call. The call will be reiterated by the branches of the seven organizations in 81 Turkish provinces. TOBB chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said the seven organizations represent 50-55 million people in Turkey. Three More People Detained in Ergenekon Case Sabah, Milliyet, Star, Vatan, Zaman, Radikal, Cumhuriyet and others: Papers report that police detained Labor Party Secretary General Nusret Senem, Aydinlik magazine writer Hikmet Cicek and Ulusal Kanal TV Izmir Representative Hayati Ozcan yesterday in connection with the Ergenekon investigation. Meanwhile, Former Istanbul University Rector Prof. Kemal Alemdaroglu, who was detained in connection with Ergenekon investigation and released this weekend, was hospitalized yesterday due to high blood pleasure. Mainstream Milliyet reports that the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor in charge of the Ergenekon investigation warned the Court of Appeals Presidency about a possible attack. Police recently discovered maps and sketches at the Labor Party Headquarters which showed weak security at the Court of Appeals. Turkey Responds to Cheney's Warnings Regarding Iran Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Vatan, Zaman and others: Mainstream Sabah reported that VP Cheney told PM Erdogan that Iran was a threat to regional stability and Iran's uranium enrichment program is a threat to Turkey. PM Erdogan, reportedly, responded to Cheney by saying "If we don't talk to Iran, who is going to give the right message to Iran?" Meanwhile, mainstream Vatan reports a U.S. official responded to Erdogan's statement that Cheney did not ask for troops to Afghanistan by saying, "The U.S. did ask Turkey to send more troops to Afghanistan, but the Turkish government declined support for operations in Afghanistan." Mainstream Hurriyet writes, "President Gul told Cheney that northern Iraqi leader Massoud Barzani should expel the PKK from his region of influence," and after that, "Turkey will increase its support for ANKARA 00000568 003 OF 003 Iraq." In conclusion, Hurriyet writes, "Turkish and U.S. officials see Cheney's visit as a continuation of the strategic dialogue between Turkish and American leaders." Mainstreams Milliyet, Vatan, Sabah and Hurriyet report that during a round table in Israel Cheney called Barzani 'President,' referred to northern Iraq as 'Kurdistan,' and called his visit to northern Iraq, "the first summit for Kurdistan." Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet writes in "I Came to Turkey Because Bush Wanted Me To," that Cheney told the Israeli reporters, "This was my first summit meeting in Kurdistan." Mainstream Milliyet also notes Cheney used the word "Kurdistan" in Israel, but not in Turkey. TV Highlights CNN Turk Domestic News - Vice-President Dick Cheney and his family visited Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. - On Tuesday, four policemen and one student were injured when fighting flared up between rival student groups at Ankara University. - 14 suspects were arrested in connection with Nevruz celebrations in the eastern city of Van. International News - Israel will let Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas deploy hundreds of his security forces in the West Bank city of Jenin after they complete a U.S.-funded training in Jordan. - General David Petraeus said he has evidence that Iran was behind the bombardment of the Green Zone in Baghdad on Easter Sunday. - A report by the British-based Jane's Information Group says Iraq has emerged as a more stable country than Afghanistan, thanks to lower violence, the presence of a large U.S.-led international force and high oil prices. WILSON