TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001418 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, SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 In Today's Papers US Active Diplomacy on Armenia-Turkey Normalization (Vatan) Media continue to emphasize Secretary Clinton's direct engagement on Armenia-Turkey normalization and highlight that she urged both countries to follow through on their commitment to the process. Mainstream Vatan headlines, "Don't Bother the Opposition, Just Do It," and reports, "Secretary Clinton, in her meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA, told the foreign ministers of the two countries that they should proceed rapidly to a deal, without a slow down due to the political opposition." Mainstream Haberturk writes, "Go to The National Game, Says US to Sarkisian," as "Secretary Clinton called on Armenian President Sarkisian to accept the Turkish invitation for watching the game between the football teams of Turkey and Armenia." Mainstream Milliyet headlines, "US Tells Sarkisian to Go to Turkey," and reports "Secretary Clinton said to the two foreign ministers that normalization "should take place without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe." Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet writes in "US Suggests Sarkisian Go to the Game." Media continue to give prominent coverage to the remarks from USG officials and Congressmen. Cumhuriyet notes, "US Special Envoy for European Affairs Philip Gordon said the normalization process should continue and the US was eager for the deal. Gordon also said the US supported what has become known as "football diplomacy" between the two countries and would like to see Armenian President Sarkisian visit Turkey for the game between Turkey and Armenia." Meanwhile, liberal Radikal reports, "Senator Richard Lugar, chairman of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, said the protocols to be signed by Turkey and Armenia were 'historical agreements' for both countries as well as the world." Iran Supports its Nuclear Program "Iran Makes a Surprise Invitation" says a front page headline story in nationalist Tercuman, highlighting remarks from Iranian Atomic Energy Institution Chairman Salihli. Similarly, Islamist oriented Zaman says "Iran is working on a calendar to allow IAEA inspectors visiting the second nuclear facility which was recently announced." In "Iran Threatens to Withdraw" liberal Radikal highlights the Iranian parliament's call to the P5+1 "to use this historic opportunity for lowering tension, otherwise Iran will have to limit cooperation with IAEA and will continue with its uranium enrichment program." Columnists continue comment on a perceived international double standard regarding Iran's nuclear capacity. In Islamist oriented Yeni Safak, Abdullah Muratoglu complains: "The U.S. is very biased and insincere about nuclear states. Iran cannot be the only focus while the world is silent about Israel's nuclear." Cengiz Candar writes in liberal Radikal: "Iran and Turkey are the two seriously important states in the region. Turkey should do everything possible to integrate Iran into the global system and work through all peaceful methods to achieve this goal." In mainstream Milliyet, however, Sami Kohen is skeptical. "A complete nuclear-free world is a wonderful goal," he writes, "but the entire world is very far from achieving it." President Gul in Office Until 2012 Following Tuesday's Council of Ministers meeting, Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek told the press about a bill drafted by the Justice Ministry regarding presidential elections. President Gul will stay in office for five years until 2012, and may run for office again for a second term. The draft will be submitted to the parliament for approval. Court Rules Kurdish MPs Brought by Force for Deposition A court in Ankara ruled that the Kurdish DTP vice-president Emine Ayna and the acting head of the party group in parliament Selahattin Demirtas must be brought to court by force to testify in a lawsuit for making PKK propaganda. Mainstream Milliyet and ANKARA 00001418 002 OF 004 Islamist-oriented Zaman say the controversial decision was likely to harm the government's democratic initiative while it was striving to end terror and expand freedoms. DTP officials have earlier said the decision was illegal since they have parliamentary immunity, and refuse to go to the court to make deposition. DTP officials had added they will not show up in the court unless they are stripped of their parliamentary immunities. The next court hearing is scheduled for December 29. DTP leader Ahmet Turk denounced the court ruling as "illegal," and said Turkey would lose if the lawmakers are taken to court by police force. Turk also criticized the parliament for giving no support to its members expressing freely their views. Poll Shows the 'Racism within Us' (Radikal) Several papers give extensive front-page coverage to a survey on religious and ethnic discrimination, which reveals the lack of tolerance for different identities in Turkey. The survey with 1108 respondents was conducted from May 18-June 18 by Frekans polling company to measure the prevailing attitudes towards different identities, and especially toward the Jews. Mainstream Milliyet says the survey was conducted on the request of the Turkish-Jewish congregation with the financial support of the EU. The paper notes Israel's operations in Gaza had a negative impact regarding the attitudes toward Turkish Jews. According to the survey, 57 percent of the interviewed say they don't want to have "atheist neighbors." The Jews are the second "unwanted" group -- 42 percent of the interviewed say they don't want Jewish neighbors, and 35 percent prefer to live without Christian neighbors. Kurds and Alevis, two other communities that had been the victims of intolerance, also fall under the "unwanted" group. The respondents object to proposals for giving to non-Muslims posts in state offices. 57 percent say non-Muslims should not be given positions in the intelligence service MIT, and 55 percent oppose the appointment of non-Muslims in judicial institutions. Liberal Radikal says the dimensions of religious and ethnic discrimination in Turkey were "horrifying." Editorial Commentary on Hatred and Intolerance in Turkey Ismet Berkan wrote in liberal Radikal: "The results of this survey clearly demonstrate how Turkish nation is turning into a hate society and driven by intolerance. There has to be a public awareness campaign to fight against such an alarming tendency which leads to discrimination and anti-Semitism." Hasan Bulent Kahraman wrote in mainstream Sabah: "We have to think very carefully about those results which indicate a clear intolerance and dehumanization when it comes to think about others with different ethnic and/or religious identity. Otherwise, the roots of such tendency will take us to racism." Children Under 18 Will be Tried in Juvenile Courts; 645 Missing Children in Turkey Government spokesman Cemil Cicek said Tuesday the government was making arrangements regarding children charged with throwing stones at the security forces. Papers report the Justice Ministry has taken an important step to help children arrested for throwing stones at the police and given heavier penalties than the members of terror organizations. A draft prepared by the Justice Ministry has cleared the way for the trial of children under the age of 18 by juvenile courts. The heavy penalties given so far to children throwing stones at the police have sparked heated controversies. Liberal Radikal reminds that Adana prosecutor has demanded 533-year prison sentence for 11 children who joined illegal demonstrations to protest the alleged mistreatment of the PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. Experts told the court the children have acted under the influence of others, and criticized the fact that the case was taken up by heavy penal courts. Under the headline, "Black Picture for Turkey," leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports police records show that over the first five months of 2009, 645 children went missing in 43 provinces. ANKARA 00001418 003 OF 004 Poll: CHP, MHP Increase Votes, AKP Declines Slightly Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet carries a survey conducted by Sonar polling company from September 1-20 days to measure "political trends and expectations in Turkey." The survey was conducted in 20 cities and 20 villages with the participation of 3,000 respondents. Voters' preference of the political parties in Turkey is as follows: AKP 34.44 percent, CHP 27.21, MHP 19.03, DTP 6.08, and SP 5.72. The survey shows that voters have begun favoring more opposition parties CHP and MHP in reaction to the ruling AKP government's Kurdish democratic initiative, comments Cumhuriyet. Blackberry Inventor Lazaridis to be Given Turkish Citizenship Mainstream Aksam reports on its front page Mike Lazaridis, the inventor of Blackberry, would be given Turkish citizenship. Lazaridis, a Greek origin Turk, was born in Istanbul and moved to Canada when he was five years old. Aksam says Turkish authorities want Lazaridis to build a large Blackberry "research and development" unit in Turkey. TV News (NTV) Domestic Q The Council of Ministers has decided to ask the parliament to extend by another year the authorization given to the military for cross-border operations into northern Iraq. Q In a press conference on September 30, FM Davutoglu said Turkey is in favor of only diplomatic ways regarding the Iran nuclear crisis, and that there is no need for sanctions. FM Davutoglu expressed hope and progress on both Turkey-Armenia normalization as well as the Minsk Group efforts. Q In an interview with NTV on September 30, Deputy PM Bulent Arinc said he expects the normalization protocol with Armenia will not approved by the parliament until a solution is achieved on Karabakh. Q Talking to NTV, veteran journalist Mehmet Ali Birand said he anticipated a mid-way formula when the protocol comes to parliament for approval. The parliament will hold it for final ratification until a solution on Karabakh is done, but he added that "effort for solving the Karabakh issue in very near future is just about achieving the goal." Q Veteran Kurdish politician Abdulmelik Firat died Tuesday in a hospital in Ankara, where he had been receiving treatment for leukemia. Q The fourth Alevi Workshop will be held with the participation of government representatives and various civic organizations. Q The new legislative year starts Thursday with an official ceremony in the Parliament. Q World Bank-IMF annual meetings will be held in Istanbul on October 6-7. Q Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay said State Theaters will be allowed to stage Kurdish-language plays. Q Foreign investments made in Turkey over the first seven months of the year totaled USD 4.9 billion. World Q The military General Staff (TGS) website reports Greek F-16s and M-2000s taking off from Ankhialos and Skiros air fields interfered three times Turkish Air Force F-16s conducting training flights in the international air space over the Aegean. Q Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a meeting of the UN Security Council that next year Turkey will assume a leading role regarding Afghanistan. Q The lawyer of Turkish company Horizon says they were close to compromise with Somali pirates holding their bulk carrier for more than two months. Q Turkey is convicted by the European Court of Human Rights for violation of human rights in connection with the complaints of 21 people dismissed from the army or from military schools. Q Thorbjorn Jagland, a former prime minister of Norway, is elected ANKARA 00001418 004 OF 004 secretary-general of the Council of Europe (CoE). SILLIMAN