TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000700 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: TURKISH MEDIA REACTION THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2009 IN TODAY'S PAPERS PM Erdogan Mends Ties with Baku, Insists Karabakh Must Be Resolved Before Turkey Will Open Border with Armenia All papers: Media report that Prime Minister Erdogan assured Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani Parliament that Turkey will not open its border with Armenia as long as there is no solution to the Karabakh issue. At a joint press conference with Aliyev, Erdogan said "We had the opportunity to discuss Turkey-Azeri ties comprehensively with my brother and friend, Aliyev. Our unity is unquestionable. This meeting is the best answer to those who are trying to damage our relations. Our bilateral relations are based on the one nation two states understanding. We are as sensitive as Azerbaijan regarding the Karabakh issue. This is an issue of cause and result. The occupation of Karabakh is the cause and closing the border between Turkey and Armenia is the result. The border cannot be opened if the occupation of Karabakh doesn't come to an end. The Minsk group should exert extra efforts to speed up the process. Naturally, the final decision will come after the Aliyev-Sargsian meeting. After that, if we are given any responsibilities to fulfill, we will." Erdogan added that he had the opportunity to discuss regional problems and energy issues with Aliyev. At his address to Azeri Parliament, PM Erdogan once again, repeatedly emphasized that no progress in bilateral ties or in the region can occur unless Armenia withdraws its forces from Karabakh. He decorated his speech with poems in order to emphasize Turkey's feelings of brotherhood with Azerbaijan and emphasize the "one nation two states" motto. He stressed that Turkey's stance regarding the Karabakh issue was delivered by himself personally to all world leaders. He added "With the Turkey-Armenia normalization process, we aim to contribute to whole region's peace." In addition, he said, "Our stance is clear. The occupation of Karabakh should end. No country in the region will benefit from regional disputes. And we have to pursue our targets by talking to each other directly, not through the media." Azerbaijani President Aliyev expressed gratitude to Erdogan and said "there couldn't be any other open response. I am very grateful to this response. There is no place for suspicion in our relations with Turkey." Price of Azerbaijani Gas Might Increase Sabah, Referans: Economic daily Referans reports that in response to a question from an Azerbaijani journalist at the press conference in Baku yesterday, PM Erdogan admitted that the price Turkey pays for Azeri natural gas was not fair in comparison to the higher rates Turkey pays for natural gas from Russia and Algeria. Mainstream Sabah reports that Turkey pays $400-450 for Russian gas and $300-350 for Algerian gas while pays only $120 for Azeri gas. PM Erdogan said that this was the price set when Turkey and Azerbaijan first signed a contract and Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz will meet with Azeri gas company Socar regarding the price increase soon. President Aliyev, on his part, noted that the increase in natural gas prices was not related to recent developments but it was fixed in line with the fluctuations of international markets. Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Azerbaijan Oktay Eksi wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "PM Erdogan did the right thing as his comforting statements put Turkey and Azerbaijani bilateral relations back on the right track. Azeris understandably reacted after Ankara started making deals with Armenia after Obama's visit, which presented an image of neglecting Azeri concerns over Nagorno Karabakh." Ibrahim Karagul wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Erdogan's visit to Baku achieved its purpose. PM Erdogan successfully and correctly cleared the air between Turkey and Azerbaijan." ANKARA 00000700 002 OF 003 Suleyman Kurt wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "Erdogan gave clear and sharp messages to Baku which served as a full stop against all speculations that Ankara might neglect Azerbaijan's national interests. The ongoing process between Ankara and Yerevan will certainly continue but will run parallel to the Baku-Yerevan process." CHP Supports the Kurdish Initiative Mainstreams Sabah and Hurriyet report that at his party board meeting, CHP leader Deniz Baykal said "We want to contribute to the Kurdish initiative. Our reaction wasn't to obstruct the resolution, however, we have to know clearly what president Gul meant by his use of the term 'historic opportunity.'" Deniz Baykal also gave a green light to the return of the Kurdish names to villages, which were changed during the military coup of 1980. He said "There is no need to act with complexity on these issues. Whatever the old, rooted name is, it should be used, there is no need for changes. It is wrong to change village names by force. I told all my mayors not to do such things." In a related story, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports that the AKP government will give priority to cultural rights while launching the Kurdish initiative. Accordingly, Kurdish Language and Literature departments will be established at universities in eastern and southeastern Anatolia or in Istanbul. Moreover, Kurdish language will be offered as a selective course at secondary schools. Editorial Commentary on the Kurdish Issue Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Given the conditions, there are two options to address and settle the issue. One way is to grant autonomous rights to Kurds as suggested by PKK as well as the DTP, or the second way is to grant full individual cultural and ethnic rights under Turkish citizenship as the primary identity. The latter is the way Ankara wants to do but this approach will not satisfy the PKK or the DTP." Sahin Alpay wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "There are examples throughout the world on how to cope with separatist movements in democracies. All democracies succeed in marginalizing separatism by expanding freedoms. Turkey can do this as well." President Obama Opposes the Release of Torture Photos Mainstream CNN Turk reports, "Obama Is Against the Publication of Torture," and reports, "U.S. President Barack Obama has stated that he is opposed to the release of photos of detainee mistreatment at the hands of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan." Mainstream NTV headlines, "Don't Publish Torture Photos," and notes, "Obama fears the photos' release would lead to reprisals against U.S. soldiers who are currently serving in the field." Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak headlines, "Obama Censors Torture." Barzani Criticizes U.S. for Lack of Support on Kirkuk Settlement Mainstream NTV reports in, "The U.S. Has Created Broken Dreams," that Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani told Reuters Washington failed to provide strong support to a Kurdish-backed plan in Iraq's 2005 constitution regarding the fate of Kirkuk, "We have had a historic and friendly relationship, but frankly speaking, we were expecting more." Barzani also criticized the U.S. by saying, "They could have played a much larger role in solving this problem than they did." Mainstream Hurriyet headlines, "A Kirkuk Reproach from Barzani to the U.S.," and notes "Barzani says the U.S. has not given enough support to Iraqi Kurds." TV News (CNN Turk) Domestic - Batman prosecutor finds five skulls and many bone fragments in a ANKARA 00000700 003 OF 003 cave in Helkis mountain. The bones are sent to Istanbul for DNA identification. - Higher Education Board (YOK) President Prof. Yusuf Ziya Ozcan gave a nod to the opening of a Kurdish Language Research center in Istanbul University. - German Ambassador Kuntz said an investigation related to irregularities in Deniz Feneri charity was advancing normally. - Swiss authorities transfer $196 million from the accounts of Uzan group in Switzerland to the state banking fund. World - A Survey conducted by poling company Option Way shows that 67 percent of French voters are against Turkey's EU accession. - The Belgian government on Wednesday confirmed the first case of the H1N1 flu virus in Belgium. JEFFREY