ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000372 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 THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2009 In Today's Papers Iran Rejects Turkey's Mediation Offer Media outlets highlight that, during President Gul's trip to Tehran, Iranian President Ahmadinejad reneged on his prior acceptance of Turkey's offer to mediate between the U.S. and Iran. CNNTurk reports, "Iranian President Ahmadinejad rejected Turkey's offer to act as a mediator between Iran and the Obama administration," and NTV reports Ahmadinejad told Gul, "If there is justice in the world, there should be no problems." Liberal Radikal carries the headline, "The Iranian Leadership Is Not As Optimistic as Gul" about the new U.S. administration as the paper notes religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini told Gul, "We have not seen any signs yet that Obama is any different from Bush." Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "Tehran Reneges on Ankara's Mediation between the U.S. and Iran," even though "Turkey was prepared to help initiate efforts toward dialogue between the two countries for the first time in 30 years." Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines, "Ahmadinejad Says He Doesn't Need a Mediator." While all other papers report that Tehran dismissed Turkey's mediation offer, mainstream Sabah reports that President Gul's efforts to mediate between the U.S. and Iran have influenced the Iranian leadership to refrain from politically criticizing the U.S. In "Gul's Mediation Between the U.S. and Iran," Sabah says, "Gul is breaking the ice between the U.S. and Iran" because he "took U.S. messages to Tehran" and Gul will "take Iran's messages to the U.S. when he meets U.S. President Obama at the NATO's 60th Anniversary." The front page of today's liberal Radikal carries columnist Murat Yetkin's interview with U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey under the headline, "Gul Conveyed Our Message to Iran Sincerely," and the article notes Jeffrey said, "We are prepared to discussed the topic of integrating Iran into the international system," and for this reason, "Turkey's relations with Iran and Syria could be helpful." Columnist Cengiz Candar of Radikal notes, "Gul's actions in Tehran indicate to Washington that Gul is ready and willing to make progress in negotiations with Iran," and "Washington watched Gul closely as he urged Iranian leaders to take advantage of this opportunity to restart dialogue with the U.S." Papers yesterday noted that Gul had urged both Ahmadinejad and Khomeini during his visit to consider dialogue with the U.S. by saying "You can't shake hands when your fists are clenched." Editorial Opinion on the Turkey-U.S./Obama Visit Kadri Gursel wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "The U.S. is actively involved in eliminating the post-Davos stress and is working toward normalization between Turkey and Israel. Gul is doing his part by planning to visit Israel. Obama is now visiting Turkey not because of what happened in Davos, but because Erdogan's Davos attitude is dead." Yasin Dogan wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Obama's visit demonstrates his appreciation Turkey's role and influence in the region. Washington is also showing its political will to work with the AKP." Talabani Comes to Turkey Mainstream Sabah and Islamist-oriented Zaman report that Iraqi President Talabani will come to Istanbul on March 16 to participate in the World Water Forum. Presidents Gul and Talabani are expected to have a "mini summit" bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the forum. Gul is expected to travel to Baghdad before the end of March to meet with Talabani and others in Baghdad. EU Parliament Takes up Turkey Report Vatan, Hurriyet, Milliyet,Zaman,Sabah, Aksam: EU Commissioner Olli Rehn spoke to the European Parliament regarding the latest Turkey report and said, "The freedom of press is a basic principle of Turkey's democratic transformation process and should be respected ANKARA 00000372 002 OF 002 fully." In stark contrast, Islamist-oriented Zaman instead notes that during the debate, "The European Parliament issued a warning to Turkey regarding law suits that seek to ban political parties." Sabah notes that the European Parliament was "hopeful for reforms in 2009." Reaction from the Scientific Community to TUBITAK's Decision to Censor an Article on Darwinism Milliyet, Zaman, Cumhuriyet: The Administration of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK),which censored articles in a scientific publication recently regarding Darwin's evolution theory, was asked to resign from their posts by a group of scientists. Milliyet notes that leading world academics described TUBITAK's censorship as "unacceptable and a source of concern." Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that "the truth was different" and "the science magazine, so far, has never carried a cover story about Darwin." Instead, Zaman says, "The editor of the magazine decided on her own to devote the cover of the March issue to Darwin while the original plans were to publish a cover story about climate change." Editorial Opinion on the PKK/Kurdish Issue Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "The government must realize the magnitude of the problem with imprisoning vast numbers of the youth on charges of terrorism. Those kids who are in prison on terrorism charges will be recruited and used by PKK because the PKK uses jails as recruitment centers. If Turkey is truly a social state, then this issue must be addressed." TV News (CNN Turk) Domestic News - Excavations of BOTAS wells in Silopi revealed more remains of bones and hair. - CHP leader Deniz Baykal says the left and the right should unite to defend secularism in Turkey. - The Turkish lira rebounds against the US dollar, closing at 1.7340. - Turkey's Privatization Administration says there will be no bank privatizations in 2009. International News - Police shot dead a 17-year-old gunman who killed 16 people in a school shooting in southwestern Germany. One of the victims was a Turk. - President Nicolas Sarkozy announces France intends to become a full member of NATO, 43 years after France pulled out of the alliance's military command. - An Iraqi court sentences Iraq's former foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, and Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as 'Chemical Ali,' to 15 years in prison for their role in the killing of 42 merchants in Baghdad in 1992 for profiteering. - The US Congress votes to ease travel and medicine sales restrictions to Cuba. JEFFREY