TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001453 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, OCTOBER 7, 2009 Media Highlights: US on PKK Pressure; U/S Hormats on Turkish Economy; Turkey-Armenia Commentary; Armenian Diaspora and Little Armenia; MHP Opposed to Kurdish Initiative; Erdogan Intolerant of a Free Press; Afghanistan; Obama's Iran Talks Positive "US Pressures Northern Iraq to Cut off PKK's Resources." (Hurriyet.com.tr) Mainstream Hurriyet's online page carries an exclusive interview with Ambassador Jeffrey. Ambassador Jeffrey said "The US has urged the Baghdad government and the northern Iraq administration to put more effort for cutting off equipment and money transfer to the PKK terrorist organization. " On the Turkey-Iraq-the US three-party security talks to be held in Erbil next week, Jeffrey said one of the main topics of the gathering would be the struggle against the PKK. Jeffrey noted the US had learned a lot from Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, and stressed that the struggle against terror should be made not only against the terrorists but also against the reasons that cause terror. Jeffrey stated that the international community provided huge support for the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia, adding, "Both countries have their own approval processes. Sometimes it's difficult to take such steps, so we will just wait and see." On the heavy tax fine imposed on the Dogan Media Group, Jeffrey said "We don't know the details. We will be greatly concerned to see any sign which aims to suppress or intervene on the free press." Hormats: We Are Impressed By Turkey's Economic Success. Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that U/S Robert Hormats praised the Turkish economy during IMF meetings in Istanbul. Hormats noted that "We see Turkey not only in the security and strategic sense, but also from the perspective as a strong economic partner," adding that because Turkey pursued a "right policy" during the global crisis, its economy shows strong improvement." Asked to comment on the Dogan Media Group's tax battle with the Government, Hormats stressed that he didn't have all the details but "All I can say is the United States is a strong defender of press freedom." Turkey is Ready for Protocol Signing with Armenia on 10/10 (Zaman) Islamist-oriented Zaman reports Turkey was "ready" for the signing of the protocols with Armenia on October 10. The paper reports unnamed Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) sources said they were "ready to jump on a plane to go to Zurich" for the signing. The Foreign Ministers of the US, Russia and France, and representatives of the EU and the UN are expected to join the ceremony. Zaman says Ankara has been "surprised" in the delay of the Swiss announcement about the venue and time of the meeting, but the sources say the delay was linked to "logistic problems" due to the high number of participants. Editorials on Turkey-Armenia A Turning Point: Mainstream daily Milliyet's senior columnist Sami Kohen notes a division between Yerevan and the Armenian Diaspora for the first time: "President Sarksyan feels trapped because the Diaspora is forcing the Armenian president not to go ahead with the normalization process. Thus the upcoming protocol signing between Turkey and Armenia will be a turning point, not only for bilateral relations but also for the relationship between Yerevan administration and the Diaspora." Successful Diplomacy: In mainstream daily Hurriyet, Ertugrul Ozkok observes a successful diplomacy on the eve of protocol signing: "The signing represents an historic step on Turkey-Armenia relations. As Turkish officials note, the signing ceremony between the Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers will take place on the 10th and representatives from the US and Russia are expected to attend. All of this signifies a successful outcome of diplomacy." "Sarksyan Faces Diaspora Protests Everywhere He Goes" (Sabah) Today's mainstreams Hurriyet and Sabah focus on the recent protests by Diaspora against Turkey-Armenia protocol signing. Sabah predicts that given the protests he faces everywhere he visits, it will be ANKARA 00001453 002 OF 003 very difficult for Armenian President Sarksyan to have Diaspora's support during the normalization process. Sarksyan will be visiting Lebanon and Russia as well. There are 140.000 Armenians living in Beirut and already the signals of protests are coming from there. Armenians are reacting to the protocol by questioning "How could an enemy of 100 years become a friend so suddenly?," and emphasizing that the reconciliation involves all Armenians in the world. Hurriyet quotes Sarksyan in France as saying "I cannot give any guarantees on the genocide issue." In order to get Diaspora's support for the protocol between Turkey and Armenia, Sarksyan held a critical meeting in France and responded to the Armenians who asked for guarantee on the genocide issue, saying that "I cannot give any guarantees; we started the initiative like this. First of all, the relationship with Turkey should be normalized and the borders should be opened. We will be very careful and follow Turkey closely to find out whether they are sincere or not." Little Armenia in Turkey A translated AFP story in mainstream Vatan explains the life of the Armenians in Istanbul. The report talks about "20,000 illegal Armenian workers living in Istanbul. There are five to six bus loads coming in every week from Yerevan, usually arrive in Istanbul after a grueling 35-hour journey via Georgia. They apply for one month's visa and start working illegally. Their existence is no secret for Turkish authorities: in April, President Abdullah Gul said there were more than 70,000 Armenian citizens working in Turkey. These immigrants established a school for their children in the basement of an apartment and educating them through Armenian textbooks. In a major breakthrough, Turkey and Yerevan announced in August a deal to establish diplomatic ties for the first time and open their border, sealed since 1993. The two countries are expected to ink the deal on Saturday in Switzerland before submitting it to their respective parliaments for ratification. If the process succeeds, it would change the picture for the immigrants and they will start to deal with trade between the two countries." Bahceli Fears Government's Kurdish Initiative Will Lead to the South and North War Papers report opposition MHP leader Devlet Bahceli slammed the ruling AK Party government's Kurdish "democratic initiative," saying it was a "project of destruction." Bahceli said the government's so-called efforts for a solution had "empowered" the "killer in Imrali," Abdullah Ocalan, making the PKK's imprisoned leader and PM Erdogan "twins." Bahceli said that in this "process," the initiative was taken by "external forces," and Turkey was beginning to "kneel down" as the side defeated in war. Erdogan Intolerant of a Free Press - Consequences Loom (Radikal) Emphasizing the potential threat to a free press in Turkey caused by the government's tax feud with the Dogan Media Group, Murat Yetkin writes in liberal Radikal: "The Prime Minister's Al Capone rhetoric is related to his intolerance about the free press. His depiction is a demonstration of government's intimidation against freedom of expression. When you talk to Europeans and Americans, they are all aware of it as well as concerned about the press freedom but they prefer to remain silent. This choice might bring very serious consequences in the end." Mainstream Sabah's popular columnist Hincal Uluc thinks PM Erdogan's rhetoric will backfire to himself: "It is very unfortuante that country's prime minister puts a murderer and a media owner in the same category. This approach will only backfire and harm himself, not the accused." Gates Says 'US Won't Leave Afghanistan'. Media emphasize today the Obama administration is having an internal debate on the US strategy in Afghanistan. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports on the CNN interview with US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at Georgetown University and says "as the internal debate rises inside the Obama administration, Secretary Gates told the US will stay in Afghanistan and stay in cooperation with Pakistan whatever President Obama's ANKARA 00001453 003 OF 003 decision is." The paper also writes, "Reaction to Afghanistan's General." Business daily Referans carries the headline, "Afghanistan Report Splits the Administration," and says "US General Mc Chrystal's insistency to send more troops to Afghanistan split the US administration." Iran's Nuclear. In "Is There any Reconciliation?" mainstream daily Sabah Columnist Bulent Aras finds the first phase of talks as encouraging for the future and advises Iran to cooperate: "If Iran cooperates, President Obama will have a strong hand both inside and outside. If Iran does not cooperate in the following phase of Geneva process, problems will be folded and at the same time it will take really long to achieve a proper climate for international action." Upcoming events: Q October 7-9: President Gul travels to France on an official visit. Q October 7: Foreign Minister Davutoglu goes to the Netherlands for a working visit as the guest of his Dutch counterpart Maxime Verhagen. Q October 10-11: 12th International Balkan Conference, attended by 40 Balkan leaders, will be held in Istanbul to discuss Turkey-EU relations. Q October 13: Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu and his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moualem will sign an agreement on visa exemption for visitors. JEFFREY