TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000751

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
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2009

In Today's Papers

FM Davutoglu Visits Baku, Supports Resolution to Karabakh,
Emphasizes Strategic Partnership
Media outlets report Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu gave warm
messages Tuesday in Baku regarding the future of Turkey-Azerbaijan
ties. In a joint press conference with the Azerbaijani FM Elmar
Memmedyarov, Davutoglu said, "Our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters
should know that, just as in the past, Turkey will be on the side of
Azerbaijan in the future," Davutoglu said. "Our message to regional
actors, including Armenia, is very clear. The region must be free of
occupations and tensions," Davutoglu noted. Davutoglu also
emphasized that the issue of Upper Karabakh must be resolved as soon
as possible within the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial
integrity. "Relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan are excellent.
Turkey and Azerbaijan are not merely friends and neighbors. They are
also strategic partners," Davutoglu said. Davutoglu wrapped up his
contacts in Baku and returned home after meeting President Ilham
Aliyev, Parliament Speaker Oktay Esedov and Prime Minister Artur
Rasizade.

Istanbul Workshop on Turkey-Armenia Ties
Papers report the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social
Research (SETA) is bringing together opinion makers from Turkey and
Armenia for a two-day workshop in Istanbul. At the end of the first
day of discussions Tuesday, the participants agreed that progress on
reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey looked more difficult now
than it did two months ago, especially after Prime Minister
Erdogan's visit to Azerbaijan. The Armenian participants repeated
their frustration that their closed border with Turkey constitutes
the last closed border in Europe. The Armenian participants also
expressed frustration that Turkish policies "are being taken hostage
by Azerbaijan." Mainstream Hurriyet says "While Armenian
participants backed the Armenian government's position that there
should be no preconditions to normalization, some Turkish
participants defended different views on normalization and the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem," and some other Turks agreed with their
Armenian counterparts that if the normalization process was taken
hostage by the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, there would not be any
progress in bilateral ties. Islamist-oriented Zaman quotes the
Caucasus Media Institute director Alexander Iskenderyan as saying,
"We don't expect the border to be opened soon. The betterment of
ties between the Turkish and Armenian peoples will take longer than
the political rapprochement between the two countries."

Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Armenia

Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Following PM Erdogan's
statement establishing a resolution to Nagorno Karabakh as a
precondition for normalization with Armenia, the whole process has
been brought into a de facto deadlock. Two conferences were held
recently in Istanbul by NGOs to brainstorm whether the process is
really over or whether something can still be done to salvage the
process. Even though the process is deadlocked there is still hope
for the future because both Turkey and Armenia do not want to give
up. Yet given the conditions, it would be realistic to not expect
any fast developments. This is going to be a long road that will
require patience."

Cengiz Candar wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "The motto 'One
nation, two states' continues to dominate the tone of the
Azerbaijan-Turkey relationship. It is something very nice to hear,
but far from representing a fact. Today this approach is harming
Turkey's regional interests and weakening its power. If Turkey
improves its ties with Armenia and does not allow its regional
policy to be captivated by Baku, it will also serve Azerbaijani
interests at the end of the day."

Papers: The PKK Wants its Own Parliament
Media outlets report about the interview PKK leader Murat Karayilan

ANKARA 00000751 002 OF 004


gave to The Times in the Qandil Mountains. "Britain accepted the
will of the Scots by giving them a parliament of their own, and
that's what the Turks have to do with us," said Karayilan.
Mainstreams Vatan and Milliyet comment that earlier the PKK had
demanded their own federation according to the Kosovo model and the
Basque model, but now the organization wants the "Scottish model."


Addressing his party group Tuesday, the pro-Kurdish DTP leader Ahmet
Turk said Prime Minister Erdogan and CHP leader Deniz Baykal should
take "new steps in the Kurdish issue" before the end of the PKK
ceasefire on June 1. Turk also stressed the support of the
opposition was essential for a settlement in the Kurdish question.


Media outlets also report DTP lawmakers Ahmet Turk, Emine Ayna and
Selahattin Demirtas have been invited to the court to testify in
cases filed against them before they were elected members of
parliament. Turk has earlier said the court decision against the
DTP lawmakers was "unlawful," adding they will not go to the court
to testify. The court decided Tuesday to wait for the response of
the parliament to its warrant for bringing the lawmakers to the
court. The court also postponed the case to September 29.

Editorial Commentary on Turkey Confronting Its Past

Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in tabloid Posta: "PM Erdogan did the right
thing by acknowledging the banishment of different ethnic groups
from Turkey in the past. However this right thing should be
fulfilled with today's action as well. It is the very duty of Prime
Minister Erdogan to demonstrate that he does not repeat the mistakes
of the past. There are concrete things awaiting his action in that
regard, such as the opening of Halki Seminary, the restoration of
churches, addressing the Kurdish issue, positive steps toward
Armenian citizens of Turkey and steps toward eliminating
anti-Semitic rhetoric."

Yusuf Kanli wrote in English-language Hurriyet Daily News:
"Remembering that the same PM Erdogan was using recently a rather
xenophobic tone that bordered on hate speech, when he referred to
some 40,000 'illegal Armenians' living and working in Turkey and
reminded the Yerevan government that if they did not behave well,
the Turkish government might pack up and send back all, it becomes
difficult for me to feel happy over the acknowledgment that it was a
fascist practice to force emigration of the non-Muslim minorities of
this land. Even though we have serious questions about Erdogan's
sincerity in making that confession, I do have difficulty in
understanding why everyone is attacking the premier because he
qualified the oppression of minorities as 'fascist practices.' Why
don't we better ask ourselves why even today our Jewish population
or other minorities continue to emigrate from Turkey? Why is Turkey
still losing its gems? Why this resistance to facing our own
history? We only have a handful of minorities in this land today all
demonstrate the need for replacing the exclusive approach with an
inclusive one, the confrontation culture with a compromise one, the
rejectionist one with an engagement one. Without its gems this land
will be a barren one."

Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "It is better to
think about things we have done in the past. PM Erdogan's recent
statement about the banishment of ethnic minorities should be a
reason to confront the past rather than show anger. When we are
able to say 'where did we go wrong' then we can look at the future
with maturity. Today Turkey has to focus on answering another
question: How do minorities who currently live in Turkey feel
themselves? If they do not feel okay and if they have problems, it
is the duty of government to address these issues and eliminate any
complaints."

Ambassador Jeffrey on Kirkuk

ANKARA 00000751 003 OF 004


NTV's morning broadcast reported "In response to Iraqi Kurdish
Regional Government President Massoud Barzani's claim to Reuters
recently that the U.S. has not done enough to support Kurds' claims
in Kirkuk," Ambassador James Jeffrey said, "The United States is
committed to working with the United Nations, the Government of Iraq
and Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government to develop follow-on
processes to resolve these complicated and sensitive issues,
including the status of Kirkuk." While NTV did not source the
statement, the statement comes from Ambassador Jeffrey.

North Korea Won't Back Down, Turkey May Lead UNSC Efforts With North
Korea
Media outlets note with alarm that tensions are rising quickly in
Asia due to North Korea's missile tests. In "Nuclear Tensions Are
On The Rise in Asia," liberal Radikal reports, "U.S. President
Barack Obama has promised to shield South Korea and Japan against an
attack," while, "Pyongyang says the U.S. is preparing for war."
Conservative-nationalist Bugun reports in "Obama's Dead End," that
"Obama started his tenure calling for dialogue, not conflict," but
"the North Korean administration is insensitive to global
reactions," to its missile tests this week. CNN Turk reports, "North
Korea will not back down." In a related story, mainstream Sabah
reports "Turkey Will Administer the Nuclear Crisis," and notes
"Turkey will assume the role of the rotating presidency on the UN
Security Council as of June 1," and thus, "Turkey will have to play
a key role in the settlement of the crisis."

Controversy on Sweeping Landmines on Turkey-Syria Border Continues
Media outlets report that on the controversial issue of the ruling
AKP government's plans to remove around 600,000 landmines on the
Syrian border, President Abdullah Gul urged the government to
relieve doubts amid the mounting opposition against a bill leasing
the land to Israeli companies. Gul called on all lawmakers to aid
demining efforts, and also refrain from turning the issue into a
matter of treason.

Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal said Turkey has planted the
landmines itself, therefore it should clean the minefields on its
own. He noted, "We don't accept the transfer of the land to
foreigners; this would be a serious irresponsibility. Thousands of
farmers can be employed to earn their living there." Baykal also
said the issue gave an opportunity for making a small-scale "land
reform" in the region. MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, addressing his
party group yesterday, called on the AKP government to withdraw the
bill. "Turn from this mistake. The border is a nation's honor,"
said Bahceli. The pro-Kurdish DTP head Ahmet Turk said the swept
lands should be given back to their owners. Turk added the mine
clearance efforts should not be limited to border regions, and that
all mined zones should be swept.

Meanwhile, mainstream Milliyet reports Israel's Ambassador Gaby Levy
said Israel only wanted to "help" Turkey in the matter. "The
Israelis have no intention of seizing land in Turkey. You must get
rid of this phobia," said Levy. Levy was responding to criticism
that an Israeli company is conducting the demining process. Turkey's
high court Council of State (Danistay) has repealed a government
decision taken a few years ago to award the contract to an Israeli
mine-clearing company, without inviting others to the tender.

Britain's Miliband Visits Ankara
Media outlets report British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who
visited Tuesday Ankara for talks, said Turkey's EU accession would
strengthen the EU. Speaking to reporters at a joint press
conference with Turkey's chief EU negotiator Egemen Bagis, Miliband
said Europe would get economically richer by turning its attention
outwards and not focusing inside. "Turkey deserves EU membership.
Turkey's EU membership is important for the interests of Britain and
the EU's future," emphasized Miliband.

Bagis said Tuesday Turkey's EU process was "not an easy one." Bagis

ANKARA 00000751 004 OF 004


said he had no doubt that Turkey would complete the EU process with
patience, determination and efforts.

TV News (CNN Turk)

Domestic

- Fire broke out at a hospital in Bursa, killing eight patients who
were in the intensive care unit.

- More than 20,000 Kurds joined the funeral of PKK militant Ali
Gever in Yuksekova in Hakkari province. In Semdinli, 5,000 joined
the funeral of Leyla Savli, a high-level PKK woman leader.

- On May 28, the EU will open a new EU Information Relay Office in
Sanliurfa to provide people in the region with information about the
EU and Turkey's accession process. The opening ceremony will be
attended by the ambassadors of several EU member states.

- President Abdullah Gul kicked off Tuesday his five-day tour to
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

- State Minister Ali Babacan met with the economists of leading
foreign banks to discuss scenarios for possible developments in the
Turkish economy in the absence of a deal with the IMF.

- Former justice minister Aysel Celikel has been elected the head of
the Association for Supporting Modern Life (CYDD) after the death of
the CYDD chair Professor Turkan Saylan.

World

- Greek naval commander Admiral George Karamalikis will visit Turkey
next week as the guest of his Turkish counterpart Admiral Metin
Atac. Admiral Atac paid a visit to Athens last year.

- The Belgian federal prosecutor Johan Delmulle stressed at the
trial of the outlawed DHKP-C (Dev-Sol) organization that the court
was dealing with a "criminal and terror organization."

- Austrian politician Josef Proll, known for his firm opposition to
Turkey's EU membership, says it was too early to reject Turkey's EU
accession.

- A new mass grave believed to contain dozens of victims of the 1995
Srebrenica massacre has been discovered in eastern Bosnia.

- Authorities in Mexico announced three more swine flu deaths, and
the U.S. and Canada one more death each.

- Telman Ismailov, the Russian entrepreneur who opened a luxury
hotel in Turkey's Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya, draws the
criticism of the Russian media for making investments in Turkey
instead of Russia.

SILLIMAN