TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001119 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 PREL KPAO SUBJECT: TURKISH MEDIA REACTION FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 2009 In Today's Papers Milliyet Examines Viewpoints on The AKP's 'Kurdish Initiative' Mainstream Milliyet carries a front-page feature regarding the different views towards the AKP's "Kurdish Initiative." Sonmez Koksal, former undersecretary of intelligence service MIT, says "The PKK must be expelled from northern Iraq," and, "The PKK leadership must be given asylum in northern European countries." Koksal also warned against the involvement of the PKK's imprisoned leader Ocalan in the talks. DTP lawmaker Aysel Tugluk, however, says that Ocalan "plays a critical role in the process for resolving the Kurdish question." Tugluk stresses that "a ceasefire is needed to prevent provocations." Labor union DISK leader Suleyman Celebi says that instead of opting for violence, the state should "display determination to find a democratic settlement to the problem." However, Celebi added no one should be allowed to debate Turkey's integrity, democracy, secularism and its respect for law, reports Milliyet. 'Kurdish Workshop' Held at the Police Academy in Ankara Turkey's interior minister met with a group of journalists at a workshop titled "Solution of the Kurdish Issue: Towards a Turkey Model" at the Police Academy in capital Ankara on Saturday. Interior Minister Besir Atalay, head of the Police Academy Zuhtu Arslan, as well as journalists Deniz Ulke Aribogan, Hasan Cemal, Oral Calislar, Cengiz Candar, Fehmi Koru, Ibrahim Kalin, Mustafa Karaalioglu, Rusen Cakir, Mithat Sancar, Muharrem Sarikaya, Okan Muderrisoglu, Nasuhi Gungor, Ali Bayramoglu, M|mtaz'er Turkone and Ihsan Dag attended the workshop. Police Academy Director Arslan said after the meeting, "Participants have emphasized that the basic problems in Turkey can be solved through democratization." Mainstream Milliyet says that most of the journalists who attended the workshop were the representatives of the newspapers standing close to the AKP government. Mainstream Vatan columnist Rusen Cakir says the participants agreed that the initiative would be useful for Turkey. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports Atalay would travel to Diyarbakir soon to meet with prominent Kurdish intellectuals including novelist Yasar Kemal and other names such as Altan Tan, Muhsin Kizilkaya, Tarik Ziya Ekinci and Serafettin Elci. Domestic and International Reactions to the AKP's 'Kurdish Initiative' MHP leader Devlet Bahceli harshly criticized the AKP government's Kurdish Initiative, saying that the government has begun to define "separatist terror" as the "Kurdish issue." Bahceli also lashed out at the participants of Kurdish Workshop at the Ankara Police Academy, saying the twelve journalists who attended were "The 12 Bad Men," report papers. The PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan said he would "pull out of the process" after announcing August 15 his "roadmap" for a settlement regarding Turkey's Kurdish question. Ocalan said no one should expect him to resolve this problem on his own. In response to Bahceli, Ocalan said the MHP wanted to finish off the leftists in 1970s, and now it wants to finish off the Kurds. "You must understand that if Kurds are finished, Turks will also be finished," said Ocalan through his lawyers in response to Bahceli. EU term president Sweden's Ambassador Christopher Asp told mainstream Aksam over the weekend that in the past, Turkey failed to make commitments for dealing with the Kurdish issue, and that it also failed to meet its pledges. "We expect CHP, MHP and DTP to contribute to the process," said Asp. Editorials on Turkey's Kurdish Question Okay Gonensin wrote in mainstream Vatan: Whenever someone expresses an opinion that differs with that of MHP leader Bahceli, he accuses them of treachery. Every individual in Turkey should ask whether or not they want the bloodshed to stop, whether they want a peaceful Turkey or a place where people kill each other every day. Bahceli's ANKARA 00001119 002 OF 004 rhetoric indicates that he wants the continuation of the bloodshed. Mehmet Barlas commented in the mainstream Sabah: I fully agree with Milliyet columnist Hasan Cemal's road map for the Kurdish issue. In the process towards a solution, the ties should be cut between violence and the Kurdish issue. The PKK should silence their weapons and the state should halt their military operations. Then, we should look for the reason behind why people move to the mountains and join the PKK. We should not ignore the facts. The Kurdish language, culture, and identity have been ignored throughout the history of the Turkish Republic. This is the main reason for all the pain both sides have suffered for years. We should advance this process without imposing any time limits and by taking time to find the solution." Kadri Gursel wrote in mainstream Milliyet: In order to find a solution to the Kurdish issue, first of all, the Turkish people should be convinced that the political solution will not divide Turkey, on the contrary, it will strengthen the unity of the country. Of course, before that, the AKP government should pass the sincerity test. Polarization should be eliminated. The path to the solution goes through supremacy of law, pluralism, freedom and respect of life styles. Ali Bulac wrote in Islamist-oriented/intellectual Zaman: In its research for a solution for the Kurdish issue, the government should free itself from mistaken alliances and from misleading advice. Moreover, the government should be modest enough to get the opinions of the others than the ones who keep telling them what they want to hear. The Turkish Parliament to Elect Its New Speaker August 4-5 Monday papers report the Turkish Parliament will hold its first round of elections tomorrow for picking a new speaker to replace the outgoing Koksal Toptan. If no one is picked in the first round, the second round will be held August 5. Papers speculate that Koksal Toptan, Mehmet Ali Sahin, Burhan Kuzu or Murat Basesgioglu may be nominated by the ruling AKP. Papers speculate PM Erdogan has also in mind Cemil Cicek, Nimet Cubukcu or Murat Basesgioglu. Opposition CHP has earlier said it would back Toptan if re-nominated; and if not, it would nominate Onur Oymen. Bryza on Turkey's Kurdish Question, Turkey-Armenia Ties (Cumhuriyet) Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Matt Bryza, gave Sunday an exclusive interview to the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet. The following are excerpts from what Bryza said: "The basic relationship between Turkey and Iraq is carried through Baghdad, but we welcome Turkey's launch of direct talks with the KRG under the umbrella of the government in Baghdad. Turkey, being a very large country and a vibrant economy, has lots to offer to Iraq as a partner. It is, financially and geographically, a natural passage for Iraq toward Europe. There are, of course, thorny issues such as Kirkuk. "The ideal way in the eyes of the U.S. to handle Turkey's Kurdish question would be the Kurdish population feeling itself integrated into the Turkish society while preserving its cultural norms under Turkey's territorial integrity. The same is true for other minorities as well. Today's definition of Turkey is a merger of diverse ethnic origins. An ideal solution would be the consideration of the Kurds, and for them to feel as hundred percent Turkish citizens. For this to happen, we need economic development, a desire in the Kurds for integration, tolerance in the Turks to accept Kurds, and of course, the resolution of the PKK terror as well as the problems of Kurdish separatism. Both sides of the equation must move forward simultaneously." "It's not up to the U.S. how Turkey will solve the difficult issue of amnesty for the PKK members. We are not included in this process ANKARA 00001119 003 OF 004 and we are not pushing for anything --- we just want Turkey to accomplish its goals." "Compared with the common goal set by Ankara and Yerevan, the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia move forward very slowly. I hope this process will speed up. Our open policy for years has been the opening of the border between the two countries, and I hope this will happen soon. And we must not forget that the normalization process covers much more than only the opening of the border; and this will not happen at the immediate beginning of the process. We want to see this process moving forward." "If we see progress in one of the two processes of normalization and the Nagorno Karabakh, the other will move forward easily. These two processes will proceed at equal speeds." Maliki's First Visit to Northern Iraq Since 2006 (Sabah) Media report today Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited northern Iraq for the first time since 2006 when he met with Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud Barzani in the town of Suleymaniye on Sunday. Mainstream Hurriyet writes in, "Maliki Is in Northern Iraq," that, "Iraqi PM Maliki visited northern Iraq to lessen the tensions over the disputed city of Kirkuk." Islamist-oriented Zaman headlines, "A Joint Committee Eases the Tension," and reports, "Both sides agreed on the establishment of a joint committee to resolve the disputes over land and oil that have threatened to escalate into fighting." In a related story, liberal Radikal writes in, "Barzani's War Hint over Kirkuk," that, "Barzani implied that war was an option on the table during a Newsweek interview on August 1 when he said, 'If the Kurdish people's rights are taken away, we'll claim our right to defend ourselves.' Barzani also warned that efforts to work out a military solution to the problem would lead to more bloodshed. Mass Trial of Protestors Stirs Up Iran Media draw attention to the mass prosecution of political activists in Iran that began over the weekend on the eve of Ahmadinejad's inauguration. Mainstream Sabah reports in, "They are Accused of Being God's Enemies," that "The defendants, including some reformist politicians, are charged with treason and rebellion." Liberal Radikal reports "Reactions were polarized regarding the 100 detained opposition members," as "Some raised questions about whether their confessions were coerced by torture." Mainstream Milliyet notes, "Some of the politicians who are charged are high ranking figures in the administration." Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "The reformists who were taken to court in Iran made statements blaming their leaders," for the post-election violence. TV News (CNN Turk) Domestic - Semdin Sakik, formerly from the PKK's leadership, said that differences in Turkey should not be manipulated for political goals, stressing that Turkey should not be divided. - Turkish tourism revenues dove by 9.6 percent in the second quarter of the year. - Auto-parts supplier Federal-Mogul calls back 135 of the 224 workers fired in a crisis in its plants in Turkey. - A restaurant owner in Bursa has been shot to death by a smoker who was angered by the smoking restrictions in the restaurant. World - Greece is preparing for oil exploration in the Aegean by the end of this year, probably in an effort to stoke more tensions with Turkey. ANKARA 00001119 004 OF 004 - NATO's new Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says that he wants to pay his first official visit to Turkey. - Press reports say that the Myanmar junta was secretly building a nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction facility with North Korea's help, with the aim of acquiring its first nuclear bomb in five years. JEFFREY