TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001047

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DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU PREL KPAO
SUBJECT: TURKISH MEDIA REACTION
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2009

In Today's Papers

- Ankara Determines New Strategy for Turkish-Iraqi Council Meeting
- Public Support Civilian Trial of Soldiers
- Nalbandyan on Turkey-Armenia
- High School Coefficient System Abolished
- U.S. Representative Glenn Nye on Turkey
- Guantanamo
- Secretary Clinton's Asia Trip

Ankara Determines New Strategy for Turkish-Iraqi Council Meeting
Hurriyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet: Today's papers report that several
ministers participated in a preparatory meeting of the Turkish-Iraqi
High Level Strategic Cooperation Council on Tuesday at the Foreign
Ministry. During the meeting FM Davutoglu announced that he would
depart for Baghdad in August, where he would discuss in detail with
the Iraqi authorities the action plan drafted at the meeting in
Ankara. Besides FM Davutoglu, State Minister for Foreign Trade
Zafer Caglayan, Interior Minister Besir Atalay, Energy Minister
Taner Yildiz, Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim, Public Works
Minister Mustafa Demir, Health Minister Recep Akdag and Environment
Minister Veysel Eroglu attended the preparatory meeting. Mainstream
Hurriyet notes that the Ankara talks came just before another
comprehensive meeting scheduled to be held in Iraq in October where
PM Erdogan is expected to be present.

In a related story, mainstream Sabah reports that the government has
prepared a two-stage plan to address the Kurdish issue and end
terror; the plan is expected to be announced by August 15. Sabah
notes that this issue was on the agenda of the meeting between
Minister Cicek and U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey which took place last
week.

Editorial Commentary on Turkey/Iraq/PKK

Oktay Eksi wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "There is so much talk and
speculation about finding a solution to the Kurdish problem. This
is the wrong approach because much of the discourse is divisive.
Freedoms and human rights for individuals must cover everyone in
this country. Thus we should think about this issue as a way to
improve human rights for the nation. Has anyone heard of the
establishment of different human rights methodology for Hispanic
Americans and African Americans?"

Cengiz Candar wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Turkey should
be proactive and declare a road map on toward settling the Kurdish
issue before [imprisoned PKK leader] Ocalan makes a similar move.
Ankara's performance regarding this issue will determine whether
Ocalan will be treated as part of the problem or part of solution."

Ibrahim Karagul wrote in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak: "If the
ongoing Kurdish-Arab tension in Turkey's immediate neighbor Iraq is
somehow brought under control, we can expect some positive
developments in the future. Ankara is preparing for a comprehensive
cooperation plan with Iraq which comprises of a vast variety of ways
to integrate Turkey and Iraq. Along with this, Turkey is also
working on some radical steps to address the Kurdish issue. In sum,
there will be an enormous gate for opportunities between Turkey and
Iraq in the days to come unless there happens to be an accident,
i.e. a Kurdish-Arab conflict."

Public Supports Civilian Trial of Soldiers (Yeni Safak)
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries a survey which shows the ruling
and the main opposition parties have increased their support base.
Asked which party they would vote for if general elections were held
today, 41.8 percent said the AK Party, and 25.4 percent said CHP.
Those whose views were canvassed also gave large support to the
trial of soldiers by civilian courts -- by 60.4 percent. The survey
was carried out by GENAR polling company with 1,560 people in 17
provinces.


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Nalbandyan: Armenia-Turkey Normalization Still Possible
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports the Armenian FM Edward
Nalbandyan said in Yerevan after meeting an EU delegation that
"There is still a possibility for the normalization of ties between
Armenia and Turkey." Nalbandyan said such "normalization" would
also affect positively the prosperity in the region, of which
Azerbaijan is a part. He also noted no agreement had been signed
between the two countries regarding normalization, and if signed,
such an agreement would contain the establishment of diplomatic ties
and the reopening of borders.

Meanwhile, the Minsk Group's French co-chairman Bernard Fassier told
Islamist-oriented Zaman in Paris that Armenia first should withdraw
from the land it occupies around Karabakh and give it back to
Azerbaijan. Fassier also stressed Turkey cannot be an intermediator
in the talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan because of Ankara's
close ties with Baku. Fassier rejected criticism that Moscow and
Paris are closer to Yerevan in the efforts to find a solution
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He also stressed that risks for a
new conflict in the region were still alive, particularly if a
solution is not reached.

High School Coefficient System Abolished
Media outlets report the Higher Board of Education (YOK) lifted the
coefficient system that differentiated between the Islamic cleric
high school (Imam-Hatip) or vocational high school graduates versus
other public high school graduates while taking university exams.
Four members of the 11-member YOK objected to the decision. The
grade point average for all students, regardless of what type of
high school they attended, will be multiplied by the same
coefficient, 0.15. This means that high school graduates will
compete on an equal playing field with graduates from vocational
schools and Imam-Hatip Islamic cleric schools. The decision gives a
green light for the Imam-Hatip and vocational high school graduates
to enter different departments at colleges such as law, political
science or others, reports pro-government mainstream Sabah.

Editorial Commentary on Abolishment of High School Co-efficient
System

Abbas Guclu wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "The Higher Board of
Education (YOK) has made a complete political decision by lifting
the co-efficiency system that differentiated between students who
graduated from Koran courses [imam hatip schools] and students who
attended regular high schools that applied a standardized college
preparatory curriculum. This method negates the Ministry of
Education's project to provide an early guidance system to direct
students to university branches based on their talents and
interests. YOK's decision is a clear invitation toward further
chaos in the education system and it will only serve the interests
of private courses and tutors. Children will be alienated from
school education and will be forced to worry more about university
exams."

Nye: Obama Made a Right Choice in Visiting Turkey (Zaman)
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports from Washington that U.S.
Representative Glenn Nye told the Rumi Forum in Washington that
President Obama has made the "right choice" by visiting Turkey, a
country at the "crossroads of cultures," in the Islamic world.
"Turkey has given the other Muslim countries examples they can look
at in merging Islam and democracy. It is, of course, not perfect;
but nobody's perfect," emphasized Nye.

"A Shadow Falls Over The Guantanamo Election Promise" (NTV)
Media note with disappointment that the release of the Obama
Administration's report on the closure of the Guantanamo Bay
detention facility has been delayed for another six months. In
"Guantanamo Closure Faces Delay Upon Delay," liberal Radikal notes,
"The Obama Administration's plan to close Guantanamo has suffered
another blow." Mainstream Hurriyet reports, "Obama's ability to
fulfill his election promise to close Guantanamo has been struck

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with another delay." Mainstream Haberturk reports, "the report is
still not complete." Meanwhile, leftist Taraf reports, "Guantanamo
detainees are waiting on the U.S. to make a decision about itself."


Clinton Wins In Asia
Media cover U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Asia
as a huge success, with special attention paid to gains made between
the U.S. and India and expected gains to be made in relations with
ASEAN. Mainstream Sabah headlines, "A Farewell to Russian Arms and
Hello to the U.S." and the article notes, "India decided to halt the
purchase of weapons from Russia and agreed to the formulation of a
nuclear cooperation with the U.S." Mainstream NTV headlines
excitedly, "India Will Now Ask for Weapons from The U.S.!" and the
report notes, "India and the U.S. have reached an agreement in which
India will now purchase U.S. weapons instead of Russian weapons."
Mainstream CNN Turk headlines, "A Message from Clinton: The U.S. Is
Again in Asia," and the report points out, "The Obama administration
is targeting the broadening of relations in Asia."

TV News (CNN Turk)

Domestic

- One soldier died when a land-mine was detonated by remote control
in the southeastern province of Sirnak when security teams were
patrolling around an area on Mount Kupeli between Sirnak and Cizre
town.

- Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP has issued a statement saying that
the proposals of the PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan should
be taken into account while discussing ways for resolving the
Kurdish question in Turkey.

- Three lieutenants were arrested by the court for making
assassination plans to kill generals and admirals and providing
financial support to the 'Ergenekon' organization through drug
trafficking and prostitution.

- The decree that would rotate 1332 judges and prosecutors was
signed by members of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors
(HSYK). The board will discuss on Thursday the future of 300 judges
and prosecutors including the prosecutors of the 'Ergenekon' case.


- On Tuesday, U.S. dollar continued its fast downward trend and saw
below 1.5 TL level. U.S. dollar closed the day at 1.5 TL.

- The representatives of YouTube have visited Transport Minister
Binali Yildirim to discuss the possibilities for lifting the "access
restrictions" to the website.

World

- Iranian riot police are reported to have arrested a number of
pro-reform protesters in Tehran following the demonstrations staged
against President Ahmadinejad.

- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has dissolved the parliament's
lower house and called for national elections to be held August 30.


- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is heading to Washington to
visit President Barack Obama.

- Secretary Clinton says the Obama administration is concerned by
the possibility that North Korea was developing military ties with
Myanmar.

- Ten people have been killed in sectarian clashes between Sunni and
Shiite Muslims in Yemen.

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JEFFREY