TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

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DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU PREL KPAO
SUBJECT: TURKISH MEDIA REACTION
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2009

IN TODAY'S PAPERS

Four Important Warnings from Europe
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that a Turkey -EU summit will take
place next week. The meeting will be held in Brussels with the
participation of FM Davutoglu and State Minister & Chief Negotiator
Egemen Bagis. The EU is expected to warn Turkey about the effects
of the military on politics for the first time. The Union is also
expected to warn Turkey about judicial independence, revival of the
reform process and the opening of Turkish ports to Greek Cypriot
vessels under the additional protocol. Mainstream Sabah says the EU
prepared a position document in which there are praises for Turkish
efforts for normalization process with Armenia. The document also
says that Turkey needs a national strategy for compensating the
losses of displaced people in the fight against terror; applauds the
changes in article 301 of the penal code and welcomes Turkish
decision to start Kurdish TV and Armenian radio broadcasts but adds
that Turkey needs more measures to protect fully cultural and
minority rights.

Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Armenia-Azerbaijan

Amebrin Zaman wrote in leftist Taraf: "PM Erdogan made a U turn and
went to his old position by tying normalization process with Armenia
with Nagorno Karabakh. It is hard to understand why Turkey has
earlier made all the efforts for road map process with Armenia and
even signed it. This reminds me of Turkish government's false
promises on the eve of March 1 parliamentary motion [allowing
American troops to Iraq thru Turkey] as we had to say 'sorry' in the
end. There is no way to resolve Karabakh issue thru this [Turkey's]
approach."

Cengiz Candar wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "PM Erdogan
conducted a show in Baku which pleased Azeris very much but at the
same time put Turkish diplomacy in the Caucasus in a deadlock.
After the Baku show, Turkish diplomacy in the region has taken
hostage by Aliyev. PM Erdogan was also wrong to attach the Nagorno
Karabakh issue with border opening."

Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Following PM Erdogan's
trip to Baku, Turkey has placed itself in the Caucasus where we were
before the Turkey-Armenia road map. Erdogan clearly emphasized the
direct link between Nagorno Karabakh issue with any progress on the
Turkish-Armenia normalization. At this point, it will be
unrealistic to expect anything concrete from that process or see any
normalization."

Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "PM Erdogan's Baku trip
really served its purpose by boosting Turkish-Azeri ties and
eliminating worries related to Nagorno Karabakh regarding the road
map with Armenia. It was important for Erdogan to reinstate the one
nation-two states motto. With this morale boosting, PM Erdogan will
soon to travel Iran, and we may even see some surprising
developments regarding the Nabucco project with Iranian involvement
in the long run."

Charges of Police Brutality Emerge After Crackdown on Demonstrations
Against Demolition in Istanbul Neighborhood
Media outlets report violent clashes erupted yesterday between
residents and police during the demolition of illegally constructed
shanty-houses (Gecekondu) in Istanbul's Basaksehir district, with
hundreds of angry home owners throwing rocks at police and
municipality teams, trying to prevent the demolition. Protestors
made barricades out of wooden market tables, pavement and car tires
and set fire to them. The police responded with pepper gas and
high-pressure water cannons. The police reportedly fired a tear gas
canister into the garden of an elementary school building, hurting
61 children and several women, including a four-month-old baby.
Mainstream Haberturk says yesterday's riots resembled "the
resistance in Palestine." Mainstream Milliyet says the authorities

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"turned a blind eye to the construction of illegal buildings as an
election bribe prior to the municipal elections held in March."
Even residents said they had "bribed" municipality officials prior
to the elections in order to construct the buildings. Papers and
television news broadcasts strongly criticize the police brutality
and the "disproportionate use of force" during the incident. CNN
Turk played one video repeatedly of an apparent bystander who was
slapped in the face and kicked by police.

In a press conference following the riots, Istanbul Governor Muammer
Guler held the demonstrators responsible for the tear gas canister
fired into the school building, saying "militants" in the crowd took
the canister and threw it into the school garden.

Erdogan Criticizes Sarkozy and Merkel: Turkey Should be Treated the
Same As Other EU Members
Media outlets report in a joint press conference held Thursday with
Polish PM Donald Tusk in Warsaw, visiting Turkish PM Erdogan lashed
out at German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas
Sarkozy for their statements earlier this week against Turkey's full
EU membership. Erdogan said the two leaders were "using" Turkey's
EU entry bid to win voters' support prior to the elections for the
European Parliament. "I have already discussed these issues both
with Sarkozy and Merkel. I believe politicians need to stick to
commitments made in bilateral meetings," said Erdogan. He noted
Turkey should be subjected to the same accession criteria applied
for the other members of the EU bloc. Erdogan stressed Turkey was
working to meet the EU accession criteria, and was not expecting the
EU to admit Turkey before Ankara meets its obligations. Also,
Erdogan accused Sarkozy and Merkel of "not being elegant" in their
statements and of "changing the rules of the game in the middle of
the match."

Meanwhile, Turkey's influential business grouping TUSIAD released a
statement in response to Merkel and Sarkozy, saying that "privileged
partnership" was "not an option for Turkey" in Ankara's drive for
full membership.

FM Davutoglu Declares Turkey Seeks Full EU Membership or Nothing
Milliyet, Sabah, Zaman, Radikal: Liberal Radikal reports that in a
press conference in Stockholm after the meeting with EU Commissioner
Olli Rehn, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned EU members not to
use Turkey's EU entry bid for their domestic political goals and
said "EU membership is strategic priority for Turkey. We have only
one goal in the negotiations, full EU membership. We will either
join the EU as full member or will not join the EU at all."
Mainstream Sabah reports that Olli Rehn on his part said "we had a
constructive meeting. The European Commission supports Turkey's
full EU membership. We expressed our support especially on the
diplomatic contacts Turkey recently made with Armenia."

Obama Censors Bush's Torture (Haberturk)
Media continue to report on Obama's refusal to release photos of
U.S. forces' mistreatment of detainees in U.S. custody in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak headlines, "Obama Brings
Censorship to Torture," and reports, "The Defense Department said it
would share the photos with the public at the end of May," but,
"President Obama has blocked the release of the photos." Mainstream
Sabah reports, "Censorship Comes from Obama Towards the Torture
Photos," and notes, "Obama said he would publish the photos," but
"after he saw them he changed his mind because of his concern about
anti-American sentiments" that could result with release of the
photos. Mainstream Milliyet reports, "Obama Blocks Investigation
Photos," and notes, "Obama has made a 180-degree turn on his promise
in April to release close to 2000 photos documenting U.S. forces'
mistreatment of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan."

In a related story, far right Ortadogu reports in "Obama Is
Evaluating The Probability of Holding Terrorism Suspects in the
U.S." that "U.S. President Obama is considering transferring some

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Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. for trial."

Obama to Israel: Don't Surprise Us (CNN Turk)
Media note that President Obama warned Israeli Prime Minister
Netanyahu against conducting a surprise strike against Iran.
Mainstream CNN Turk headlines, "Obama Tells Israel: Don't Surprise
Us and Strike Iran Without Warning. " Mainstream Haberturk
headlines, "Don't Surprise Me," and reports, "CIA Director Leon
Panetta took a guarantee from Israel during his May 18th visit that
Israel would not engage in a surprise attack against Iran," and
"Obama was also given a guarantee by Prime Minister Netanyahu that
Israel would not launch a surprise attack." Leftist-nationalist
Cumhuriyet reports in "An Iran Promise to the U.S.," that "Israel
Will Not Create A Surprise."

Fighting, Controversy, and Intelligence Sharing in Pakistan
Mainstream Sabah reports, "In 19 Days, 834 Thousand People Have Been
Displaced," and notes, "The Pakistani government insists the
fighting will continue until the end." Mainstream NTV reports, "The
Pakistani government continues its offensive against the Taliban,"
as "hundreds of thousands of civilians flee the fighting," and yet,
"the Taliban remains in control of the majority of the territory in
which the fighting is taking place." Liberal Radikal reports in "The
Pakistani President Calls Out The U.S.," Pakistani President Zerdari
was interviewed by NBC and criticized the U.S. for not apprehending
Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora when he said, "You lost Tora Bora, not
me." In response to U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan he said, "We
want our own drones." Meanwhile, CNN Turk headlines, "Intelligence
Sharing Between The U.S. and Pakistan," and reports, "Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen has announced that the U.S. will share
intelligence with the government of Pakistan. The intelligence in
question is gathered from U.S. drone planes that patrol the border
between Pakistan and Afghanistan."

TV News (CNN Turk)

Domestic

- Istanbul governor Muammer Guler said no swine flu cases have been
detected in Istanbul so far.

- On May 17, the Ataturk Thought Association (ADD) and 130 other
NGOs will stage "Republic Rally" in support of secularism in Ankara.


- President Abdullah Gul will travel to Syria on a three-day visit
as the official guest of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Gul will be
accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Farming Minister
Mehdi Eker and Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay.

- The UN's special envoy for Cyprus, Alexander Downer, will visit
Ankara on May 18 to meet Foreign Minister Davutoglu.

World

- Germany said it will allow Turkish nationals to visit Germany
without visas if they are making "business trips."

- In a blow to the Nabucco project, Kazakhstan signed an agreement
for the construction of a natural gas pipeline with the Russian gas
giant Gazprom.

- Iran's Defense Ministry has announced plans to manufacture a
licensed version of Ukraine's Antonov An-148 mid-range jet airliner.


- The 28th annual Turkish Day Parade will be held in New York on May

23.

JEFFREY