ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000363 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: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2009 In Today's Papers Obama's Upcoming Visit to Turkey Illustrates Turkey's Importance and Angers Greece Media outlets hail the U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to visit Turkey as a sign of Turkey's significance in the region. Mainstream Sabah reports U.S. President Barack Obama's upcoming visit shows "Incirlik's importance will increase as the U.S. withdraws its forces from Iraq" and "Obama seeks to win over the Muslim world by visiting Turkey." Columnist Sami Kohen of mainstream Milliyet notes in "Obama's Strategy to Win Turkey" that "Washington is closely watching Turkey shore up its geopolitical significance" by "Ankara's efforts regarding Syrian-Israeli relations, and Ankara's initiatives toward Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan." Kohen calls the new administrations newfound approach to Turkey "an indication of American pragmatism in the region." Columnist Fikret Bila of the same paper also notes, "Obama's decision to come to Turkey shows that the new administration expect Turkey to contribute to efforts in Iraq, Palestine, Iran, and the Caucasus." Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines "Turkey Is An Ally Again." Columnist Murat Yetkin of liberal Radikal writes, "Obama understands that Turkey can play a key political, security, and economic role in the region only if it is aligned with the West" and "Obama is coming to Turkey during his first trip to Europe, which indicated Obama seeks to redefine the framework of U.S. ties to Europe." Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries the front page headline, "Obama Shocks The World By His Change of Course," in foreign policy. Also, Yeni Safak notes, "Obama's upcoming visit proves that Turkey's foreign policy has been a success" as "Turkey is a country of central importance." CNN Turk reports, "Circles in Washington describe Obama's decision to visit Turkey as 'Ankara's diplomatic victory.'" In a related story, mainstream Sabah, "Our Neighbor Is Seized with Jealousy," as U.S. President Barack Obama's plans to visit Ankara and bypass Athens "creates shattered dreams" in Athens and the Greek media reports this shows "Ankara is more important" to the new administration than Athens. Mainstream Milliyet reports, "Athens Is in Shock" as "Obama Is Not Coming." Liberal Radikal headlines, "Obama Makes Our Neighbor Jealous." Mainstream Aksam says Athens feels like "it has been given a cold shower" by Obama's perceived snub. Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "Greek officials are alarmed by the fact that U.S. officials have begun to skip Athens in high-level visits to Turkey." Editorial Comment on U.S. President Obama's Upcoming Visit Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Focusing only on Obama's message to Islamic world only reduces the importance of his visit to Turkey. Turkey must analyze Obama's important upcoming visit from a broader perspective. Turkey and the U.S. share similar priorities regarding Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Obama's visit is an indication Obama is embracing Turkey's potential to play a political and economic role." Nazli Ilicak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "Due to the Bush administration's policy, American image in Turkey fell to its lowest degree. The visit of Hillary Clinton reminded me of President Clinton's visit in 1999, which happened during an overall positive climate. Hillary Clinton made a shining start and President Obama's will reach the summit: This is the time to love America again." Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "With the new administration, Ankara and Washington are getting closer to each other. Ankara has some expectations from Obama in that regard and given the statements of Turkish officials, the following can be noted: Problems should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue; equating Islam with terrorism should end; the Palestine issue should be treated fairly; Syria should be encouraged to explore ties with the West. Finally, measures should be implemented for Iraq's unity ANKARA 00000363 002 OF 004 and integrity in the aftermath of the U.S. pull out." Sahin Alpay wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "The Obama administration is giving signals to act together with Turkey particularly on certain things, namely dialogue and diplomacy. Washington should once again realize, if not has done already, that anti-American sentiment in Muslim countries stems from equalizing terror with Islam, which was a tone set by the Bush administration. If the new administration uses its power and clout toward freeing Palestinians from Israel oppression and stops giving unconditional support for Arab dictatorships and Israel, then there will be a completely new friendship with Islamic world." Mumtazer Turkone wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "The Obama visit is more of an international project: The U.S.-Turkey joint production for a new Middle East. Washington wants to design the world, particularly starting with the Middle East and Turkey in hopes of using its influence as a regional power. We have to think in a broader context and focus on advantages of this new initiative instead of getting obsessed with 'The Greater Middle east Project' and 'Moderate Islam' which is on no one else's agenda but ours." President Gul Goes to Iran Today and to Baghdad on March 20-21 Mainstream Sabah and Islamist-oriented Zaman report that President Gul left for Iran today to attend the 10th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization. Gul will hold meetings with Iranian President Ahmedinejad and religious leader Khomeini and will give the message that they should make good use of a dialogue process with the United States. Sabah adds that President Gul was invited by Iraqi President Talabani to visit Baghdad on March 20-21. Reportedly, Gul will stay at Talabani's residence in the green zone and will also meet with KRG President Massoud Barzani in Baghdad. Gul will not go to Erbil, Kirkuk or Necef for security reasons. FM Babacan to Visit Yerevan in April Mainstream Hurriyet reports that as "Ankara seeks new ways to prevent President Obama from using the word "genocide" in the annual April 24 speech for the Armenian commemoration day of the incidents in 1915, Turkey has taken an important step and FM Babacan has accepted an invitation by his Armenian counterpart FM Nalbandian to participate in a meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation in Yerevan on April 16-17. "The Dollar Flies Upwards" (Cumhuriyet) Media note the sharp and fast rise in the value of the U.S. Dollar over the Turkish Lira (TL) is a signal that the Turkish economy is showing its vulnerability in the global economic crisis. Mainstream Milliyet writes in "Why Is It Rising?" that "Investors are pulling their money out of developing countries like Poland, Romania, and South Africa, which is affecting the Turkish Lira." Liberal Radikal reports, "The Dollar Reaches a New High" against the TL as "Factories Are Closed, and Industrial Production Fell by 21.3% to A Record Low" and "The impact of the crisis will be worse in Turkey than in the U.S." Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports, "The Markets Go from One Place to The Other As They Surrender to the General Crisis." Mainstream Hurriyet notes the latest economic figures indicate "A Red Alert in the Turkish Economy." Haber Turk reports "The Turkish Lira suffered the biggest losses among the international currencies." The Global Economic Meltdown Deepens in Turkey Papers report a "huge decrease in Turkish industrial output by 21.3 percent in January," signaling what Hurriyet calls "a red alert" for the contraction in the economy. Papers comment that the recent fall in industrial production was sharper than that during the crisis of ¶2001. "In five months, Turkey has lost one quarter of its industry," says the business daily Referans, underlining that the losses took place in a period when the ruling AKP government was "confident" that the global economic meltdown had "by-passed" Turkey. Automotive and textile sectors shrank by 54 and 28.3 ANKARA 00000363 003 OF 004 percent, respectively. Following the announcement of the Turkish industrial output figure, analysts predict a five percent economic contraction in the first quarter of the year. No increase in production is expected until the last quarter of 2009, and unemployment rates for the first months of the year might soar to 14 percent. Analysts also criticize the government for delaying a new stand-by agreement with the IMF, which has eroding effects on the "confidence" in Turkey's economy both at home and abroad. Mainstream Hurriyet reports the economic crisis has created "an army of three million unemployed people in Turkey." Excavations Under Way Yesterday at Silopi's BOTAS Facilities Hurriyet, Taraf, Sabah, Milliyet, Bugun: Today's papers report that three locations at Silopi's BOTAS facilities were excavated yesterday. The Sirnak Bar Association Chairperson Nisirevan Elgi said remnants of two bones and a piece from an undershirt were found. Elgi said they do not know for sure now whether the bones were those of an animal or not. "There are stains on the undershirt but we do not know now yet what these stains are. The bones and the fabric will be analyzed by the Forensic Authority. The excavations at the site at three spots were completed. We will continue either tomorrow or the next day to excavate a spot at a former restaurant located between Silopi and Cizre (in Sirnak)." 'Darwin Censor' in Popular Science Magazine Hurriyet, Milliyet, Vatan and Cumhuriyet report the Science and Technology journal, a 42-year old popular magazine published by Turkey's Scientific and Technical Research Institution (TUBITAK,) was "censored" by the organization's deputy head, Professor Omer Cebeci, for its cover and the contents on Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The magazine's March cover commemorating the 200th birthday of Darwin and the related articles were "removed," and replaced by files on global climate change. The chief editor of the magazine, Dr. Cigdem Atakuman, was sacked. The president of TUBITAK, Professor Nuket Yetis was appointed by the AKP government to head the institution in 2004. Former President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had vetoed Yetis' prior nominations and Yetis assumed the post in 2008 only after President Gul came to office. Omer Cebeci, a professor of chemistry, worked at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia from 1980-1989. TV News (CNN Turk) Domestic - Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal told a rally in Giresun the AKP will have to win at least 52 percent of the votes to claim success in the elections. - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will join the World Water Forum to be held in Istanbul from March 16-22. - President Abdullah Gul spoke with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak over the phone to discuss the Palestine question and regional developments. - The International Press Institute (IPI) urged the EU to use its influence on PM Erdogan to abandon his attitude toward the media in Turkey. World - Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari says Iraq and Iran are "seriously at odds" over defining their land and sea borders. - The semi-official Press Trust of India quotes a former Indian general as saying Pakistan's nuclear weapons prevented India from attacking it twice, one after the Mumbai attacks in November and the 2001 terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament. ANKARA 00000363 004 OF 004 - Some 80 leading Islamic intellectuals and Western academics have sent a letter to President Obama, urging him to support democracy and not the "oppressive regimes" in the Middle East. The initiative was led by the U.S.-based "Islam and Democracy Studies Center." - President Obama signs an order reversing the Bush administration's strict restrictions on stem cell research. JEFFREY