ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000966 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, MAY 21, 2008 In Today's Papers Austrian President Fischer: "The AKP Closure Case Puzzles Europe" All papers report President Heinz Fischer of Austria, during a state visit to Turkey, told a joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, "Europe has been astounded by the closure case against the ruling AKP." Fischer added a similar court case would not have been filed in Austria. "I don't want to meddle in Turkey's internal affairs. We will respect the ruling of the court because there is no other choice," Fischer said. On a question regarding the parallels between the lawsuit for banning the AKP and the fate of the Austrian far right leader Jorg Haider, Fischer said that the two cases were not similar because there was no lawsuit for ousting Haider from politics. He noted it would be difficult to predict whether or not Turkey's accession talks would be suspended if the AKP was closed. President Abdullah Gul said Turkey would become a country that "fulfilled reforms and upgraded its standards to the EU level." Gul emphasized Turkey was the sixth biggest economy in Europe with "great investment opportunities." In addition Gul noted, "Turkey, linking east and south energy corridors to Europe, would ensure the energy safety of Europe." Kilic: "AKP Closure Case Result will Strengthen Turkish Democracy, Secularism" All papers report Constitutional Court President Hasim Kilic told economic daily Referans Tuesday whatever decision the court makes regarding the lawsuit on closing down the ruling AKP might be, "Turkey's secularism and democracy" would be "strengthened." Kilic also said he would set a date to take up the opposition CHP and DSP application to annul the headscarf reforms. Editorial Commentary on AKP Closure Case "The Decision Has Already Been Given" Okay Gonensin wrote in mainstream Vatan (5/21): "During an interview with Referans newspaper, Constitutional Court President Hasim Kilic repeated himself three times saying, 'No matter what the court decision might be regarding the AKP's closure, you will see that not only our democracy, but our secularist foundations and our judiciary will emerge stronger from this. Believe me this is not a wish...' The last sentence shows that Kilic has his own leaning. I wonder if this leaning could be toward the third solution that is circulating in speculations in Ankara lately. We hope that Kilic's desire for a solution will lead the court to speed up its work and reach a decision. Today's ambiguity creates a worse atmosphere than any court decision. In short, no matter what the court decision might be, a new era will start in Turkey. It will be very good if the new era starts as soon as possible." "Closure of the AKP" Ergun Babahan commented in mainstream Sabah (5/21): "Constitutional Court President Hasim Kilic's remarks to Referans newspaper are very interesting. Those words seem to be parallel to the words of Parliamentary Speaker Koksal Toptan, who is lobbying for a third solution for the AKP closure case. Europe's pressure on this issue continues while Turkey is trying to find a solution internally. In Ankara, more and more people realize the sensitivity of the situation. Hasim Kilic's remarks can ease the tension among the secularists and also ease the concerns of the people who believe that the judiciary will be used as a tool of politics. Turkey has to find a way to keep its secular democracy alive without pressuring the judiciary. The Constitutional Court is going through a very stressful time and it is under pressure. If the court manages to reach a decision that pleases everyone, it will successfully pass a very important test." Baykal, Bahceli Criticize AKP at Party Group Meetings Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and ANKARA 00000966 002 OF 003 others report CHP leader Deniz Baykal addressed his party group meeting yesterday and accused the ruling AKP government of pursuing an "election economy" strategy. Baykal stated the CHP would call an agriculture convention in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa on June 4th to introduce solutions for this summer's impending drought. Following the convention, the CHP will visit the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir to listen to the problems of local people, Baykal emphasized. During an address to his party group meeting in the parliament, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli said the closure case filed against the AKP "weakened the management of a government that is already mishandled." In addition, he noted, "Prime Minister Erdogan is rapidly losing his cool because of the closure case and the possibility he will be tried in court." He stressed the AKP was dragging Turkey into "a dictatorship of fear," and "a totalitarian structure in which the private lives of its citizens were monitored." He added, "Our democracy is no longer able to protect its people. Turkish democracy is about to become a system that closely scrutinizes its citizens and fuels suspicions about them." Kurds Place Ad in International Herald Tribune Hurriyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report 1,000 people, including the pro-Kurdish DTP lawmakers, mayors, writers and intellectuals, placed a full page advertisement in The International Herald Tribune calling for a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish question in Turkey. The ad notes the use of Kurdish in Turkish government offices is still a crime. The intellectuals demand the Kurdish identity be recognized in the Turkish Constitution, and request Kurdish education rights at all levels. They also call on Turkey to declare a general amnesty for PKK to return home. They also stress the PKK should lay down arms. Figures such as Bernard Kouchner, Tony Blair, Martti Ahtisaari and Felipe Gonzales were requested to serve as "international arbitrators" who could work toward a resolution to the problem. Workers to Strike to Protest Shipyard Deaths in Tuzla Milliyet, Sabah, Vatan, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report labor unions and civic organizations call on the government to take swift action in regulating the shipbuilding industry following the tragic deaths of two workers at Istanbul's Tuzla shipyards last week. Shipyard workers will go on strike on June 16. Mainstream Hurriyet reports a ship owner in Tuzla said the deaths of workers at the shipyard should be investigated as "criminal cases, not accidents." Islamist-oriented Zaman writes, "Accidents are inevitable if shipyards continue employing unqualified workers." A front page headline in liberal Radikal says "Dead Workers Blamed for Fatal Accidents in Tuzla," and quotes the business owners as saying that accidents as well as negligence that lead to accidents were "inevitable." Leftist Taraf writes, "The opposition denounces the deadly accidents in Tuzla, while the government keeps silent." Mainstream Milliyet reports the Maritime Under secretariat has prepared a package of "emergency measures" for enhancing work safety at the shipyards. Turkey's shipbuilding industry is the world's fourth largest after Japan, South Korea and China. Since 1983, 74 workers have died from work-related accidents when shipyards began operating in Tuzla neighborhood in Istanbul. The number of accidents has increased over the years. In 2002, 73 deaths were reported; in the past year, 227 people died on the job in Tuzla shipyards. TV News: NTV Domestic News - Turkish and Greek Cyprus leaders Talat and Christofias decided to ANKARA 00000966 003 OF 003 meet May 23 to review preparations for the peace negotiations that will commence in June. - Top representatives of the Turkish judiciary will meet in the Mediterranean city of Antalya on Wednesday to discuss the judicial reform strategy draft submitted earlier this month to the EU. - On Tuesday, 17 people were fined in Istanbul's Sisli neighborhood for violating smoking bans. International News - The European Parliament will vote on the "Turkey Progress Report" on Wednesday. The non-binding report calls on Turkey to speed up reforms. - Iranian authorities have blocked access to several websites and blogs belonging to women's rights activists and journalists who are critical of the government. - President Bush apologized to the Iraqi people after the Koran shooting incident by an American soldier near Baghdad, Prime Minister al-Maliki's office said on Tuesday. WILSON