Media Summary

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000583 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: Media Summary TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009 In Today's Papers Deputy Prime Minister Cicek: Turkey Will Not Take Action with Armenia That Could Hurt Azerbaijan Hurriyet, Turkiye, Yeni Safak: After a meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday evening, Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters, "Turkey will not take any step in talks with Armenia that could hurt Azerbaijan. The goal of Turkey's foreign policy is to boost peace and prosperity in the Caucasus. In dealings with Armenia or any other country, it is not possible for us to take any steps to hurt Azerbaijan. Turkey has a clear policy on the Upper-Karabagh issue and that view has not changed. Our ties with Azerbaijan are based on brotherhood." Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Armenia-Azerbaijan Ihsan Dagi observes in the Islamist-oriented Zaman: "Armenia is at a turning point -- it's under pressure to normalize ties with Turkey and at the same time, to withdraw from the Azerbaijani territories as well. Some, however, are trying to block the process between Turkey and Armenia by inciting nationalism in Azerbaijan and Turkey. President Aliyev first threatened to cut the natural gas flow to Turkey, and then went to Russia, which was an apparent warning to Ankara. From 1992-94, it was Russia that backed Armenia's occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia is the only country which has a joint defense agreement with Armenia. Russia also keeps military bases in Armenia against Azerbaijan and Turkey. Today, Turkey is working, albeit gradually, to open the border with Armenia and to establish diplomatic ties. Aliyev, in return, sent a warning from its 'strategic partner' Russia that he will cut the flow of gas to Turkey. Do you think Aliyev's attitude can be called 'friendly?'" Okay Gonensin warns in the mass-appeal Vatan: "An Azerbaijani official recently warned Turkey that an Armenian can never be a friend to the Turks. In the city of Kayseri last year, a Turkish businessman had distributed sweets to 'remember the spirit of Adolf Hitler' during the Israeli attacks on Gaza. The same person now staged a signature campaign against the scheduling of a soccer game between Turkey and Armenia in a new arena built in Kayseri. Opposition CHP deputy Canan Aritman implied last year that President Gul has 'Armenian roots.' The examples are many. It must be kept in mind that those who claim an Armenian will never be a friend can say the same thing for the Kurds as well. Allowing such racist remarks and actions is a crime against humanity." DTP Leader Ahmet Turk in London Hurriyet, Sabah, Milliyet, Vatan, Tercuman: Today's papers report that the largely pro-Kurdish opposition DTP leader Ahmet Turk went to London to meet with British parliamentarians and other senior government officials. Speaking at Kurdish Society Center in Haringey, Turk criticized Turkey's recent operations against the DTP in Turkey. Mainstream Vatan reports "Turk delivered his speech in front of a map of Kurdistan" and the paper quotes him as saying "We will continue to pursue a democratic policy, if we can. If the doors to politics are closed for us, then, we will go to the streets of Diyarbakir, Mardin or Nusaybin and talk with our people there. If we are not allowed to do that either, then, we will be ready even for jail. I survived through regimes that imposed martial law. Even during the times of martial law, 70 percent of those who were detained were later freed. Unfortunately, now 70 percent of the detained people during the operations against the DTP, are arrested. We are going through a dangerous process and we will not remain quiet during this process." In a related story, mainstream Milliyet reports that, following the arrests of 51 DTP members, the DTP assembly convened an extraordinary session in Ankara and decided to take certain actions including sit-in protests, against recent operations against the ANKARA 00000583 002 OF 004 DTP. Editorial Commentary on the Crackdown on the DTP Offices Across Turkey Rusen Cakir writes in the mass-appeal Vatan: "On April 14, more than 50 DTP members were detained in the so-called security operations against the outlawed PKK in 12 provinces across Turkey. The detentions are seen as the AKP taking revenge for their losses in the March 29 local election in the region. The heavy crackdown can push the DTP towards becoming more like the PKK, and not the other way around. In southeast Turkey, we also have two other social and political actors, the Fettullah Gulen group and Hezbollah. Hezbollah has recovered, and is fast becoming an effective force the region. Likewise, the Gulen community has been continuing its intense activities both in southeast Turkey and in northern Iraq. The tensions between these two groups have intensified in recent days. Strange things have been happening in southeast Turkey, which must be followed carefully." The Ahmadinejad Wave Hits The UN Racism Conference (Hurriyet) Media outlets are split in their characterizations of the incidents yesterday during Iranian President Ahmadinejad's speech at the UN's Conference on Racism. Islamist outlets express concern over the way Ahmadinejad was treated by delegations who walked out on his speech and by protestors who threw clown noses at him, while liberal and mainstream secularist papers noted the international outrage he caused by calling Israel 'racist' during the UN conference. Islamist oriented Yeni Safak headlines "This Time at The Racism Conference There Was An Iran crisis" as "protestors dressed as clowns threw clown noses at Iranian President Ahmadinejad." Islamist-oriented Zaman reports "After Western diplomats walked out on Ahmadinejad's speech, other countries' delegations applauded the Iranian leader" despite the fact that "demonstrators threw clown noses at the Iranian leader." Leftist Taraf reports "As Soon As The Conference Began, It Was Over," as "Delegations left the room when the Iranian leader called Israel racist." Mainstream Milliyet makes a reference to Prime Minister Erdogan's actions in Davos (dubbed "the one minute" response) by saying, "The Delegations Said 'One Minute' to Ahmadinejad." Liberal Radikal notes "The EU Delegations Walked Out." Mainstream Hurriyet reports in "A Clown Protest" that "The Ahmadinejad wave crashed the UN conference." Mainstream HaberTurk reports in "A Circus Protest to Ahmadinejad," that "The UN condemned" the speech as Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said "This has caused my dreams to be broken." Leftist nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines "Ahmadinejad Ruined the Summit." A Letter Calls on Obama to Recognize Genocide Claims In "April 24 Pressure," Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak notes "400 people from 22 different European countries signed a letter to Obama that asked him to recognize claims to Armenian genocide" and the letter emphasized "European Armenians as well as the large democratic mainstream of Europe's civil society will continue to strongly oppose Turkey's membership in the EU as long as the Turkish state denies the Armenian Genocide, promotes racism and pursues a policy of discrimination towards its minorities." Mainstream Sabah reports "Armenian National Radio announced that the European Armenian Federation sent the letter to Obama." (Note: The petition the story refers to was sent to the White House on April 3rd and was reported in Armenian press this past weekend.) In a related report, CNN Turk's website is reporting "The US Vice President Met with Sargsian" and notes "According to Armenian sources, yesterday VP Joe Biden talked to the Armenian President on the phone about discussions between the Armenians and the Turks during the meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation," which recently took place in Yerevan. CNN Turk notes "until now, the White House has not commented on the telephone conversation." The CIA's Torture Crimes, Documented (Taraf) Mainstream Hurriyet headlines "In Two Months the CIA Tortured 266 ANKARA 00000583 003 OF 004 'Times,'" and reports "US President Barack Obama has stated that he will not prosecute the CIA agents who carried out torture against terror suspects during the Bush administration," but "it has been revealed that 9/11 suspect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Zubeydi were tortured at least 266 times in a two month period." Liberal Radikal reports in "The CIA Tortured 266 Times," that "in August 2002 Abu Zubaydi was water boarded at least 83 times" after which "he told everything he knew" and "in May 2003 Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was water boarded 183 times." Leftist Taraf reports "After the Obama administration designated water boarding a crime, the Justice Department has published information about how torture was used on suspects" in CIA custody during the Bush administration. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines "Two Suspects Were Water Boarded 266 Times." Ergenekon and Danistay Attack Cases to be Combined All papers: Ankara's 11th Heavy Criminal Court has decided to consolidate the attack on the Council of State (Danistay) case with the Ergenekon case. Formerly, the Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that it was obligatory to combine the two cases. If the Istanbul 13th Criminal Court, which is hearing the Ergenekon case, finds it appropriate to consolidate the cases, the Danistay file will be transferred to Istanbul. The Aftermath of Elections in Cyprus In an interview with mainstream Milliyet , UBP leader Dervis Eroglu told the paper, "President Talat will continue negotiations with the Greek Cypriots. My party supports the EU accession of Turkey and Turkish Cyprus after a compromise is reached on the divided island. Greek Cypriots are taking advantage of their EU membership to deadlock Cyprus talks. We will not bow to Greek Cypriot pressures." Mainstream Vatan says the elections have "changed the balances in northern Cyprus" as "President Talat's party CTP suffered a heavy defeat" and "the UBP's victory resulted from public reactions to the ruling CTP's efforts to manipulate the Ergenekon investigation against the UBP." Editorial Commentary on Turkish Cyprus Election Results Murat Yetkin notes in liberal Radikal: "The UBP leader Dervis Eroglu won Sunday's parliamentary elections in Turkish Cyprus. Up to now, Mehmet Ali Talat had the support of the governing party, the CTP, in reunification talks with the Greek Cypriot side. Progress, however, has not been made in these talks. Talks continue on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation whereas the UBP leader Eroglu wants a two-state solution on the island. Now, Turkish Cyprus has a president and a prime minister with two different political platforms. In order to see 'progress' in the reunification talks, the international actors will have to urge the Greek Cypriots to adopt a more compromising attitude towards negotiations." Turkish Business World React to Finance Ministry's Black Tax List Mainstream Hurriyet reports that the business world voiced strong reactions to reports that the Finance Ministry prepared a 'black list' of companies involved in alleged tax irregularities. Hurriyet says that some of the companies on the black list, entitled the "Code 5 List," have been cleared of any irregularities, yet they still remain on the list. TV News (CNN Turk) Domestic - PM Erdogan returns to Ankara after nine days holiday. - The Council of Ministers held its first meeting after the municipal elections. Speculations regarding a cabinet shuffle continue. - The High Electoral Board rejects objections to the results of the municipality elections in Adana. ANKARA 00000583 004 OF 004 World - Saudi Arabia has decided to recognize the independence of Kosovo. - Italian authorities bring ashore 140 migrants who were stranded on a ship in the Mediterranean. - China announces that it intends to build at least five nuclear plants. JEFFREY