TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

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DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT

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TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU PREL KPAO
SUBJECT: TURKISH MEDIA REACTION
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

In Today's Papers

Shoe Protest at IMF Meetings in Istanbul: Late Thursday morning,
Turkish TV reporting that IMF President was the subject of
shoe-throwing protest at Bilgi University. Amid shouts of "IMF Go
Home," the IMF President left the venue and 30 students reportedly
were detained. The protester is reportedly a journalist from
leftist oriented Birgun daily.

Iran: Talks Are An Opportunity for the West. (Cumhuriyet) Turkish
media is straightforward on the long-awaited talks today between
P5+1 officials and Iran on its nuclear program in Geneva.
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports Iran's top nuclear negotiator
Saeed Jalili said that talks are an "opportunity and test" for
Western countries and that Iran will start the talks with the hope
for goodwill and long-term cooperation. Liberal Radikal writes,
"Baradei Says Iran Violates the Law," and reports "IAEA Chief
Muhammed El Baradei blamed Iran for hiding the second uranium
enrichment plant and for violating the transparency policy of the
institution." The paper notes, Secretary Clinton told reporters that
Iran "must meet its international obligations over its suspect
nuclear program or face 'greater isolation.' Front page headlines
in fundamentalist Vakit ask "Nuclear: Good for Israel but Bad for
Us?" and explores why a Muslim country "doesn't have the right to
nuclear energy" in an interview with Iranian Ambassador to Ankara
Bahman Huseyinpur , who says " Iran doesn't hide anything from the
international community" and added, "the problem is not Iran's, it's
their problem." Liberal Radikal reports in "Neither Sanctions nor
Military Option Will Help" that "FM Davutoglu said the sanctions
will not produce results. They would harm people. In fact, Turkey
is working hard to block new sanctions against Iran."

Yeni Safak: A Blind Eye on Israel - Columnist Tamer Korkmaz blasted
the supporters of the "Iran poses a nuclear threat" argument in
Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "It is interesting to see some of
Turkish media members keep a blind eye on Israel's nuclear weapons
while they constantly portray Iran as a nuclear threat for Turkey.
Nowadays they have started it once again. These media figures are
embedded with the Americans and cannot be successful in this biased
campaign."

Davutoglu: October "Month of Peace" Will Feature Iran, Armenia,
Cyprus Initiatives
Media outlets report extensively on Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu's press conference upon his return from UNGA meetings in
New York. Davutoglu said he expects October to be a "month of
peace" while Turkey's role as mediator continues in the Middle East,
the Caucasus and the Balkans. On Iran's nuclear program, Davutoglu
said Turkey would do its best to prevent new sanctions imposed on
Iran. Davutoglu added sanctions would not bring benefits because it
would be Iran, Turkey and Iran's other neighbors that would be
negatively affected from such measures. Davutoglu said every
country had the right to develop a nuclear program for peaceful
purposes. Responding to a question on Iran's long-range missiles,
Davutoglu said Turkey was against any military actions, including
missile tests. "Our region cannot tolerate a new armed tension,"
stressed Davutoglu. Commenting on German election results,
Davutoglu said Turkish-German ties were so deep-rooted that the
election results would not cause radical changes. On Cyprus,
Davutoglu said no promises were kept over the last five years, since
the rejection by the Greek Cypriots of a UN-sponsored peace plan.
He warned that if the talks fail again, the will of the Turkish
Cypriot people to decide their own future would be respected. On
the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia, Davutoglu said
the protocols with Yerevan would be signed before the October 14
soccer game in Bursa between the two countries' national teams.
"It's important that President Sargsyan comes to Turkey to watch the
game. Even if he doesn't, the process will continue," stated
Davutoglu. He reiterated the fact that the protocols would have to
be ratified by the Turkish Parliament to enter into effect.


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Papers also report Davutoglu and President Gul are expected to meet
with the Azerbaijani president and foreign minister in Nakhcivan on
October 3 to review the latest developments.

Media Say Secretary Clinton to Attend Zurich Signing as Armenia Gets
Ready to Withdraw from Five Azerbaijani Territories
Conservative Bugun and Islamist-oriented Zaman report that Yerevan
has agreed to withdraw from the five Azerbaijani zones under
Armenian occupation if Baku and Yerevan agree. Presidents of the
two countries will meet on October 8-9 in Kishinev to discuss an
OSCE report on Lacin, an Azerbaijani territory under Armenian
occupation. In mainstream Sabah daily, columnist Erdal Safak says
he expects U.S. participation at the proposed Zurich signing, noting
"Even though Washington has not officially confirmed yet, Secretary
Clinton plans to attend the protocol signing. He also commends the
Turkish parliament for the task ahead on Armenia-Turkey
reconciliation, noting that "this is a long path but Turkey will get
a chance for better democracy standards and better handling of
problems in the end."

Council of Europe Asks Turkey to Expand Scope of 'Minorities'
(Hurriyet)
Mainstream Hurriyet reports on page one that a Council of Europe
report on minorities in Turkey warns that the "morning oath" which
ends "Happy is who says I am a Turk" taken by elementary and high
school students amounts to "ethnic discrimination," and calls for
the practice to be ended. The Turkish government reacted, and said
in a response, "The oath is not to glorify a particular ethnic
group, but expresses the loyalty of the citizens of this country."
The report, criticizing Turkey that the minorities in the country
were restricted with only non-Muslims, asks for the Kurds,
Assyrians, Laz and Alevis be named as minority groups. The report
says Turkey has 12 to 15 million Kurds, around three million
gypsies, three million Caucasians and some one million Laz people.
The report also stresses that Turkey should view this diversity as
an "asset," according to Hurriyet.

Turkish Ethnic Views: "Racism within Us"
Commentators continue to draw attention to the seriousness of the
growing intolerance among Turkish society. Evaluating recent survey
results, columnist Semih Idiz wonders in mainstream Milliyet:
"Strangely enough, Turks do not want Jews (42 %) or Christians (35
%) in their immediate neighborhood while the very same society makes
so much fuss when they see a report on anti-Turkish or anti-Muslim
attitude in European countries." Similarly, Islamist oriented Yeni
Safak writer Fehmi Koru expresses grave concern, "how come we became
so intolerant despite the fact we remain on a multi-culture mosaic;
this is a serious matter and requires public awareness campaign."

TV News (CNN Turk)

Domestic

Q In his address to the nation Wednesday night, Prime Minister
Erdogan said his government's "Democratic Initiative" would not
compromise Turkey's territorial integrity
Q Retired colonel Aytekin Icmez was found shot to death in his house
in Bursa. Terror organization Maoist Communist Party claimed
responsibility over the killing.
Q The new legislative year will be kick-started today with an
official ceremony in the Turkish Parliament, with President Gul
delivering the opening speech.
Q A court in Ankara rules that two other Kurdish DTP MPs, Sabahat
Tuncel and Aysel Tugluk, who have refused to make a deposition over
making PKK propaganda, be brought to testify by the police.
Q The Turkish Parliament will discuss October 6 a motion authorizing
for cross-border military operations into northern Iraq.
Q The IMF has released its Global Financial Stability report in
Istanbul, which says the likely losses from the financial crisis in
the three years to 2010 have been reduced by USD 600 billion to USD
3.4 trillion as the world economy grows faster than previously

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expected.
Q Kurdish DTP will hold on October 4 a party convention in Ankara.


World

Q President Obama meets NATO Secretary General Rasmussen to discuss
the efforts of the transatlantic alliance in Afghanistan.
Q Mevlut Cavusoglu, the ruling AK Party MP, is expected to head the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) next year.
Cavusoglu received 29 votes in a European Democrat Group election to
select the group's nominee for PACE chairmanship.

Q Massoud Barzani, the head of the Kurdish Regional Government of
northern Iraq, asks Iraq's former deputy PM Barham Saleh to form a
new government in northern Iraq.
Q The Telegraph of Britain says German Chancellor Merkel has warned
her Turkish counterpart Erdogan in a phone call that Germany foreign
policy was "under review."
Q The UN Security Council, chaired by Secretary Clinton, has
unanimously passed a resolution in a bid to stop sexual violence
during conflicts and to end impunity.
Q Two powerful earthquakes thousands of miles apart, in Indonesia's
western coast and islands of Samoa, cause death, injuries and panic.

Q A nine-month EU investigation into the 2008 war in the Caucasus
has concluded that Georgia triggered the conflict.

SILLIMAN