ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000403

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
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2009

In Today's Papers

Talabani to Gul: The U.S. Will Disarm The PKK If There Is An
Amnesty Law (Sabah)
Mainstream Sabah carries an interview with Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani, who told the paper, "If The PKK Gets Amnesty, The U.S.
Will Disarm Them." In addition, he said, "In April, all Kurdish
groups will come together for a meeting in order to call for
disarmament." Talabani said "I think the PKK will accept this call
to all Kurdish parties. It will be an important step. I hope
Turkey would later take measures to persuade them to come down from
the mountains." Talabani also issued a message to PKK saying "the
period of armed struggle has ended but the period of political
struggle has begun."

Finance Ministry Freezes Dogan Media Group Shares
Media outlets report the Finance Ministry has frozen shares in Dogan
Media Group's (DMG) Dogan TV company. The freeze came following the
Finance Ministry's rejection of DMG's offer of shares from Kanal D
and Star TV as "collateral" for a USD 534 million tax fine.
Mainstream Sabah says that according to the law, cash, credit
letters issued by banks, Treasury bonds and immovable property are
accepted as collateral by the tax office. The tax office, however,
has the authority to make their own decisions on different
guarantees offered by taxpayers.

President Gul and President Talabani Hold Bilateral Talks on
Sidelines of World Water Forum
Mainstream Vatan reports that Presidents Gul and Talabani met in
Istanbul at the World Water Forum. Papers report Gul said the two
countries should take advantage of ways to cooperate with each other
and he told Talabani "we will share happiness if we act rationally;
we will share sorrow if we don't act accordingly." Islamist
oriented Zaman reports that the two leaders did not discuss details
of Gul's upcoming visit to Baghdad.

Al-Qaeda Alarm in Turkey
Mainstream Sabah cites intelligence reports that indicate the new
Al-Qaeda leader Mohammed Al-Gazawi infiltrated into Turkey to launch
Gaza revenge attacks against Israeli interests in Turkey. It is
believed that Gazawi, who changes appearances often, is staying in a
cell house connected to the terror organization.

5 Detained After More Human Bones Were Uncovered in 'Death Well'
Excavations in Sirnak
Media outlets report five people were detained after the discovery
of 20 human bone fragments in excavated wells near the village of
Kustepe in Cizre in the province of Sirnak. Former Cizre Mayor and
head village guard, Kamil Atak, is also being sought in connection
with the investigation. Liberal Radikal reports an informant
testified that in the 1990s, Atak used the Hezbollah organization in
Turkey to interrogate and kill those who were suspected of aiding
the PKK. According to the informant's testimony, Hezbollah buried
the people they killed near Kustepe. The informant, who helped the
prosecutor find the bones, said the Kustepe village was used by
Hizbullah for training. Excavations were made in the pits known as
"Death Wells" in Sirnak last week. Papers reported parts of a human
skull, burnt clothes and bones were found in the excavations despite
claims that some of the wells were 'cleaned up' after the
excavations were announced 10 days prior to the diggings.

A cartoon in today's leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet depicts Justice
hogtied and prepared for execution by the sword. Cumhuriyet's
Ankara Bureau Chief, Mustafa Balbay, currently faces charges in the
Ergenekon coup plot case, so the paper is clearly expressing its
views that the AKP government's Islamist roots are threatening the
judiciary.

Editorial Opinion on Mustafa Balbay Diaries and Ergenekon Trial


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Ali Bayramoglu wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Journalist
Mustafa Balbay was obviously involved in plotting a coup, along with
some army generals. Before organizing solidarity events to protest
Balbay's detention, members of the media should think first about
their ethical standards."

Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Even though it is
inappropriate for a journalist to talk about ways to overthrow the
government, Mustafa Balbay's diaries also indicate he was planning
to write a book about these developments. And we must remember the
basic legal philosophy 'innocent until proven guilty' because these
are notes coming from a website, not from an official court
document."

Protestors Deported after Demonstration at The World Water Forum
Sabah reports that two protesters were deported after holding up a
banner during the opening ceremony of the 5th World Water Forum on
Monday. As Turkey's President Abdulah Gul opened the forum,
Ann-Kathrin Schneider of Germany and Payal Parekh of the United
States, members of the nongovernmental organization International
Rivers, expressed their disapproval of the Ilisu Dam project in
Southeast Turkey with a banner reading "No Risky Dams."

The Armenian Lobby Isn't In Danger of Losing Their Jobs
(Cumhuriyet)
Media outlets note two major developments regarding the Armenian
Genocide issue - first that U.S. President Barack Obama may decide
against using the word 'genocide' in his speech on April 24th,
Armenian Remembrance Day. In addition, the AGR was officially
introduced in Congress this week. Mainstream Hurriyet reports from
an LA Times article published yesterday, "Obama could delay his
genocide statement." Far Right Ortadogu reports, "Obama Is
Hesitating on His Promises To Accept Armenian Claims." Mainstream
Sabah reports, "The Genocide Resolution Is With Representatives in
Congress," but the paper reminds readers, "In 2007, the Bush
administration exerted efforts that succeeded in keeping the
Congress from voting on the resolution." Mainstream Milliyet reports
"The 'Armenian Genocide' Resolution Officially Enters the U.S.
Congress," and notes, "The Armenian lobby in the U.S. is angered by
Turkey's view of the events (of 1915) and has placed heavy pressure
on President Obama to recognize the genocide claims."
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "It is likely that, due to the risk
of losing Turkey's support for U.S. endeavors in the Middle East and
other regions, Obama may delay his April 24th statement." Elcin
Poyrazlar of leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet comments that, in the
midst of an economic crisis and rising unemployment in the U.S.,
"Armenians Are Not Unemployed."

Editorial Opinion: Afghanistan; Azerbaijan

Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "There is very dim hope for
the future of Afghanistan since the current situation resembles the
same situation eight years ago. Observers who know the regional
realities well say it will take at least two more generations before
Afghanistan can truly become stable. Currently, the Taliban is
gaining more power and control. Additional forces from the U.S. and
NATO will not change the negative direction in which Afghanistan is
heading."

Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Azerbaijani President
Aliyev is following a path cut by every authoritarian figure in the
world. Today's referendum to extend the president's term to a
lifetime term is a mistaken approach and there are great political
risks for the future of Azerbaijan if the referendum passes."

TUBITAK Editor Keeps Her Post after 'Darwin Censor'
Media outlets report Turkish science board TUBITAK said Cigdem
Atakuman, the editor of popular science journal Science and
Technology, was not removed from her post. TUBITAK board had
"censored" several articles on Darwin in the March issue of the

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journal. Mainstream Milliyet comments "Atakuman had to be kept in
her position in the face of strong reactions that came from the
domestic and international circles."

Meanwhile, the opposition CHP lawmaker Mehmet Sevigen submitted a
motion to the parliament, asking why the Natural History Museum in
Ankara displaying fossils in support of Darwin's evolution theory
was kept closed. The museum was closed for 'renovations' after the
AKP came to power in 2002.


TV News (CNN Turk)

Domestic

- On March 18, Turkey marks the 94th anniversary of the Battle of
Gallipoli, which paved the way for the War of Independence and the
foundation of the Turkish Republic.

- Interior Minister Besir Atalay says the population registration
offices will work "day and night" to give voters new identification
documents needed for the municipality elections.

- Energy Minister Hilmi Guler says assessments related to the first
nuclear power plant to be constructed in Turkey will be submitted to
the government after the elections.

- An F-4 military training plane crashed Tuesday near Altinekin town
in the province of Konya, killing one pilot and injuring the other.


World

- Gazprom deputy chair Alexander Medvedev said Russia will not join
the Nabucco Project, emphasizing they continued work on the South
Stream project.

- Egypt seeks in Washington "relaxation" of the US conditions for
Hamas to join an internationally recognized Palestinian government.


- The Taliban's Islamic courts start to function in northwestern
Pakistan's Swat Valley.

- A survey shows one in every seven young Germans, or 14.4 percent,
could be considered "very hostile to foreigners."

JEFFREY