TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001165 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 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2009 In Today's Papers Erdogan Calls On Doors To Be Kept Open To "Democratic Move" Initiatives All papers: Speaking at his party group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Erdogan said that doors should not be closed to the Kurdish initiative to expand democratic freedoms. "We do not expect help from the circles that deepened the problem so far but they should not overshadow and impede our efforts. Don't close your doors to this brotherhood, peace, integration, and national unity project. Let us fulfill this work together. Turkey would be at a different point if it had not wasted the past 25 years on energy, budget, tranquility and welfare to terrorism. The "democratic move" process continues under the coordination of Interior Minister Besir Atalay. My party will do its best to find a permanent solution and for the restoration of tranquility and a climate of friendship." Mainstream Hurriyet quotes PM Erdogan as saying "we will do whatever the cost will be." Mainstream Sabah headlines, "Nothing Is More Painful Than Losing Your Child" and reports that Erdogan delivered "the most emotional speech of his life" and many of the AKP deputies were unable to hold back their tears. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak and liberal Radikal quoted PM Erdogan as saying "The suffering of a mother of a martyr shook my world. A mother doesn't have ideology or policy. It is clear that there is a very serious mistake if a mother in Yozgat and a mother in Hakkari say the same prayer." Reactions to the AKP's "Democratic Move" Initiatives Media outlets report that on Tuesday, the opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal told his party group in the parliament they could meet with the government only after the "plan is made public." The CHP has no problem with "granting rights to the Kurds with an aim to improve their lives without hurting the country's unity," said Baykal. In order to further integrate Kurds with the rest of the nation, Baykal proposed the AKP should, "Launch an education campaign in the southeast, build the country's best schools there, and create employment through state plants." Baykal also recalled Erdogan's promise in 2007 to invest USD 12 billion in the region, but said the government had not kept its pledge. Chairman Devlet Bahceli told his MHP lawmakers, "Those who gamble over the destiny of the Turkish nation aimed to direct Turkey toward division and separation." Bahceli said Turkey was fighting for its survival due to the AKP's "foreign-crafted" policies, adding the government had already recognized the PKK's imprisoned chief Abdullah Ocalan as the "fourth coordinator in the process alongside the U.S. and northern Iraqi leaders." Bahceli stressed his party would never be part of this treason project." The pro-Kurdish DTP's deputy chair Emine Ayna told a gathering in Igdir that a "peace process" could not succeed without the involvement of the PKK and its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. Ayna stressed the DTP was looking forward to the "roadmap" to be unveiled by Ocalan on August 15. Mainstream Milliyet reports the ruling AKP lawmaker Dengiz Mir Mehmet Firat suggested the Turkish military could allow the withdrawal of the PKK militants to their camps. Firat noted it was possible to hold secret talks with the PKK for a settlement, and added the government might already have kicked off such talks. Firat said some 200 PKK militants in Iraq wanted by Turkey could be sent to a third country, and the remaining others could be allowed to return to Turkey without facing any sanctions. Editorial Opinion on The Kurdish Settlement Initiative Okay Gonensin wrote in mainstream Vatan: "It is good to hear from the PM as well as other government officials that the Kurdish plan is a democratic initiative. If that is the genuine intention and if that will be the AKP's guidance for a settlement, the government has to take steps toward expanding democracy in every aspect of life which calls for political courage and a democratic spirit." ANKARA 00001165 002 OF 003 Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "The leaders of two opposition parties, CHP and MHP, are stubbornly playing the impossible. In fact politicians have no luxury to close the door for dialogue because the political system is for finding reconciliation and bringing solution. On the government's Kurdish initiative, the attitude of these two leaders is a typical example of leadership failure." Hasan Bulent Kahraman wrote in mainstream Sabah: "The truth is the PKK is an armed organization and has politicized itself through the DTP. At this current stage, there has to be strong intellectual capacity within PKK to overcome the armed action and its imprisoned leader Ocalan from the Kurdish settlement process. Therefore DTP should take the lead on this for the sake of a successful outcome." Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Clearly two main opposition parties have no intention even to talk with government on Kurdish settlement process. They are pursuing a wrong attitude and neglecting the very essence of politics. Political system is meant to be problem-solver not to create new animosity." Turkey, Iraq Strategic Partners AA, Sabah, Hurriyet, Milliyet, Zaman, Turkiye and others: Sabah reports that following his meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Foreign Minister Davutoglu, held a joint press conference in Baghdad yesterday. Davutoglu said "We are planning to re-convene the trilateral mechanism involving Turkey, Iraq and Syria, which met in March 2007 in Antalya and in Damascus in April 2008, the controversy over the sharing of the mighty rivers at the root of Iraq's ancient name of Mesopotamia - meaning "between the rivers" in Greek - is almost as old as the country itself. In July, Iraq's water-resources ministry called for talks with Turkey and Syria after the flow of water in the Euphrates River fell by more than half in less than a month. We want the Mesopotamia region to again become one of the world's most productive and the most prosperous regions in all areas, including water. We are offering limitless cooperation to friendly and brotherly countries, particularly Syria and Iraq, to make our region the world's rising star again." Zebari said one of the topics in the talks was the trilateral mechanism involving Turkey, Iraq and the United States, which met in Ankara last month, to combat the PKK. He stressed that Iraq would remain committed to its promises. "Terror is a very serious problem. We discussed it in detail with Mr. Davutoglu ... The Iraqi administration and the regional administration in the North will implement all the decisions made to counter terrorism and be loyal to the decisions. We are working for this cooperation to enhance even more," Zebari was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency. Bryza to Sargsyan: Go to Turkey-Armenia Soccer Game in Turkey (Aksam) Mainstream Aksam reports Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Bryza called on Armenian President Sargsyan to continue "soccer diplomacy" and "go to Turkey" to watch the soccer game between the two countries in October. "We were very happy when President Gul visited Yerevan; and we will be very happy when President Sargsyan visits Turkey," Bryza told Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty's Armenian radio. Bryza said that in the last period, the U.S.-supported Turkey-Armenia dialogue almost came to a standstill. TV News (CNN Turk) Domestic - From August 17-21, Turkey, Israel and the U.S. will hold "Reliable Mermaid" joint search and rescue exercises off Turkey's East Mediterranean shore. The exercises will mark the first coming together of the Turkish and Israeli militaries after PM Erdogan's outburst at Davos against the Israeli President Peres. ANKARA 00001165 003 OF 003 - The Turkish Parliament has approved unemployment insurance law, overriding the veto of President Abdullah Gul. - Officials report almost 100 percent compliance around Turkey to smoking restrictions that entered into effect on July 19. World - Human rights lawyers urge the Pentagon to take control of an Iranian exile camp in eastern Iraq, accusing Iraqi security forces there of human rights violations against camp residents. - Tensions at the border in Cyprus escalate after press reports that Greek Cypriot motor bikers were planning to attempt to cross the border. JEFFREY