ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

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DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2009

In Today's Papers

Ergenekon Detentions Strike AKP Opponents (Cumhuriyet)
Media outlets report that on Thursday, Ankara witnessed a heavy flow
of meetings between military and political leaders as well as among
members of the judiciary following Wednesday's detentions in the
Ergenekon investigation. The detention of retired generals Tuncer
Kilinc and Kemal Yavuz and the former head of the Higher Education
Board (YOK) Kemal Guruz, combined with the search in the house of
the Court of Appeals former chief prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu stoked
tensions in Ankara, say papers. In "Emergency Summit over Latest
Ergenekon Detentions," mainstream Sabah reports the Turkish General
Staff (TGS) chief General Ilker Basbug held meetings with Prime
Minister Erdogan and President Gul while retired generals were
interrogated in Ankara. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says General
Basbug demanded from Erdogan and Gul that retired generals taken
into custody should be "treated politely" and that instead of
detentions, the retired generals should have been invited to the
prosecutor's office to answer questions. Basbug also said Hursit
Tolon and Sener Eruygur, retired generals who were detained last
year in earlier phases of the Ergenekon investigation, should also
be released. The Court of Appeals (Yargitay) held a meeting, but
released no statement. Later in the day, Erdogan held meetings with
the Interior and Justice Ministers.

While the Court of Appeals meeting was taking place, Government
Spokesman Cemil Cicek, in an interview with Islamist-oriented news
channel 24, warned the judges that a statement to be issued at the
end of their meeting would amount to "statement of opinion" which
would influence the process. Vatan claims following Cicek's
warning, the high court justices decided to not release a statement.
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says that in the meeting, the high
court members said action should be taken against Ergenekon
prosecutor Zekeriya Oz for using illegal wiretapping methods to
gather evidence.

Vatan lists the accusations directed against the prominent names
taken into custody Wednesday: The former head of YOK, Kemal Guruz,
together with former Istanbul University President Kemal
Alemdaroglu, was allegedly in charge of Ergenekon activities in
universities. Eleven Ergenekon suspects detained in the city of
Sivas were said to be plotting assassinations of prominent
intellectuals and politicians. Former Istanbul Mayor Bedrettin
Dalan, believed by some to be Ergenekon's "Number 1," was allegedly
in charge of generating public support for Ergenekon. Mainstream
Hurriyet says the warrant for searching the house of former chief
prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu contained "incredible accusations" such
as linking Kanadoglu to the bomb attacks on Cumhuriyet newspaper
offices in Istanbul and the armed attack on the Council of State
(Danistay) in 2006. The warrant places Kanadoglu among the members
of an organization which was plotting the assassinations of the
Prime Minister and renowned journalists, says Hurriyet. Cumhuriyet
says all those detained Wednesday were the opponents of the ruling
AKP, and were believed to be implicated in the February 28 process.


Papers also report Turkey's elite business group TUSIAD called for
calm after Turkish shares fell more than 5 percent, and the lira
weakened.

Editorial Commentary on Latest Ergenekon Detentions

Ertugrul Ozkok wrote in mainstream Hurriyet:" Neither the military
nor the Yargitay made statements to the public even though there was
a certain uneasiness regarding the ongoing Ergenekon investigation.
This is a very good step toward a democratic culture."

Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "General Basbug acted very
responsibly by having meetings with Gul and Erdogan, and did the
right thing by not trying to aggravate public tension via TGS

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statements."

Bilal Cetin wrote in mainstream Vatan: "Undeniably the recent
arrests created high tension in the military high ranks which
resulted in General Basbug's meetings with the president and the
prime minister. However all of this tension did not lead to a
statement from the military which is very good thing for
democracy."

Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak: "Both military and
opposition leaders are overreacting to the recent arrests and the
ongoing case. It is the government who should be concerned because
it does not have any control over the judicial process."

Nazli Ilicak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "Although the military did
not issue a statement yet the intensity of General Basbug's meeting
traffic was an intervention in the process, which wounds
democracy."

Rockets From Lebanon Raise Second Front Fears
Media outlets report on fears which were heightened on Thursday when
rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, raising the specter of
a second front opening alongside the confrontation with Hamas in
Gaza. Mainstream Hurriyet reports, "the rockets are thought to have
been fired by a small Palestinian group in Lebanon, not by
Hezbollah." Mainstream Sabah notes, "The United Nations will
suspend relief deliveries to the beleaguered Gaza Strip after
Israeli soldiers opened fire on a truck that was attempting to
deliver aid, killing one UN-contracted truck driver."
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "Israel bombed UN's aid
convoy just after silencing the weapons for three hours."
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak notes, "The UN Security Council has
called a special session to discuss the humanitarian situation in
the Gaza Strip."

In a related story, mainstream Milliyet reports on a Ha'aretz story
in, "Livni Told Not to Come to Turkey," and repeats the Israeli
story's allegations that "Ankara rejected an offer from Israeli
Foreign Minister Livni several days ago to visit the Turkish
capital. The official response was, "If she doesn't want to talk
about a cease-fire, she shouldn't come."

EU's Solana Comes to Turkey for Ceasefire in Gaza
Mainstream Sabah reports that the European Union's foreign policy
chief, Javier Solana, yesterday praised Turkey's efforts to forge a
truce in Gaza, calling these efforts "very constructive." Solana
arrived in Ankara late Wednesday for talks on the Gaza conflict and
the situation in the region amid deepening concerns over further
expansion of the conflict. At a press conference, Solana said that
all efforts have been focused on reaching a cease-fire and opening
crossings for transportation of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza
people, Solana said, noting that the EU and Turkey were of the same
opinion on this issue. While thanking Turkish leaders for their
efforts, Solana also said the EU is willing to send monitors, who
were once on Gaza's border with Egypt, to work at the crossing after
a cease-fire in Gaza is achieved.

Kemal Dervis Leaves his Post Early at the UNDP
Milliyet, Vatan, Hurriyet, Radikal: Today's papers report that
United Nations Development Program Administrator Kemal Dervis said
he would quit his post on March 1 instead of July 31. Responding to
a question whether he would be a candidate for the Istanbul Metropol
Mayorship from CHP, Dervis said "I did not resign to be involved in
politics. My duties at the UN would end next summer. I could ask
for a four year extension but for family reasons I decided to quit
now and become engaged in academic work on global and Turkish
economics."

TV News (CNN Turk)


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Domestic

- AKP MP Egemen Bagis has been named chief EU negotiator, a post
currently held by Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. Bagis has also been
given the post of State Minister in the cabinet.

- IMF delegation starts formal talks in Turkey. A stand-by
agreement is expected in March.

- The prosecutor has launched an investigation against Diyarbakir
mayor Osman Baydemir who said those who recognize the culture and
language of the Kurdish people will have to accept also the name of
their lands.

World

- A Greek Cypriot parliamentary committee has approved a 115 million
Euro tank deal with Russia.

- Russia and Ukraine have agreed to restart pumping Russian gas
through Ukrainian pipelines to EU countries.

- The US Navy will launch a force to combat piracy in the waters off
Somalia.

JEFFREY