TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000019 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 TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2010 US Embassy Ankara Media Reaction Prepared by Public Affairs Information Office on a daily basis Media Highlights New TSA Regulations --"Historic Discrimination." (Radikal) All media outlets continue to give prominent coverage to tightened US airport security measures, with many outlets portraying the new procedures as an anti-Muslim provocation. In a prominent front page story, accompanied by graphic depictions of body scanning technology, liberal Radikal reports that the US has started tight security checks for 13 Muslim countries and Cuba and emphasizes that the American Arab Committee has criticized the regulation. Islamist Yeni Safak in a skeptical tone headlines "Obama is Turning into Bush" while leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines "Tight Security in the US," and claims "Obama is under pressure to quickly reform security measures against terror." In "Emergency Rules in US Airports," mainstream Milliyet notes "The US has announced that anyone flying to the US from or through nations considered 'state sponsors of terror', as well as 'other countries of interest', would have to undergo 'extensive scanning' before boarding. The paper adds, "The US considers Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria to be state sponsors of terrorism, while 'countries of interest' include Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen." Leftist Birgun calls the extra security measure as resurrection of "Neocon mentality" while Islamist Yeni Safak's Ibrahim Karagul sees the developments only "an excuse for the US to open a new war front in Yemen." US Targets Iranian Revolutionary Guards (Cumhuriyet) Dailies Cumhuriyet and Zaman showcase Secretary Clinton's remarks about Yemen being a global threat. CNNTurk reported that Secretary Clinton announced that she is talking with partners about new targeted sanctions against the Iranian leadership and that she does not want new sanctions to affect the Iranian people. In "Clinton Warns About Yemen" and "Clinton Insists on Yemen as a Target," other online news web sites gave her Jan. 4 remarks prominent play, noting that Secretary Clinton said the situation in Yemen posed risks far beyond its region, and that the Yemeni government must reestablish stability. According to tabloid Star's website, Clinton praised the latest steps the Yemeni government took in the struggle against radicals, and added that if it wanted the support of the West, the Yemeni government must meet the "expectations and conditions" of the US and its allies at the conference in London to be held this month. Under the headline "The US Targets Revolutionary Guards," leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports Clinton said the US discussed with its partners new sanctions on the Iranian government and especially the Revolutionary Guards, without harming ordinary people who "deserve better than they get now." Iran: Turkey's "Backdoor Diplomacy" Liberal Radikal's Akif Beki writes today about "strong possibility of Iran to sit and negotiate with the US" and gives credit to Ankara's backdoor diplomacy. Beki, a pro-government figure as well as former press spokesman for PM Erdogan who is also Channel 24's Executive Editor, sees "strong indications about Iran to agree on negotiating with the US on the nuclear issue and also asserts that Iran will make some commitments in order to persuade Washington for [its sincerity about] the process." He comments: "The Iranian regime is feeling very pressured due to the internal crisis and wants to overcome it by opening itself to the international arena. It will not be a surprising development when Iran sits down to negotiate with the US on the nukes issue. Before doing that Iran has to make some commitments about the process and there is an ongoing backdoor diplomacy for this purpose." In the Headlines "Deep Strat 101" - Davutoglu's Lessons for Turkey's Envoys (Hurriyet Daily News) All media outlets report that Foreign Minister Davutoglu headed a gathering of 200 Turkish ambassadors from around the world ANKARA 00000019 002 OF 003 in a weeklong meeting in which Turkey's foreign policy in 2010 will be discussed. Mainstream and conservative alike, papers highlight Davutoglu's admonition, quoting Ataturk, that "there is no diplomacy of a line, but diplomacy of the surface, and that surface is the globe" and his call for Ankara to come up with a coherent, unique vision for Turkey's foreign affairs profile that takes into account "public diplomacy" and works to "draw support from the public audience both domestically and abroad." In "Ataturk's Strategy from Davutoglu," mainstream Sabah noted that Davutoglu predicted Turkey would be an EU member by 2023, integrated with its neighbors, influential in the global arena and a respected country among the leading 10 economies of the world. Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlined "Lessons in New Ottomanism," and noted Davutoglu stressed that "military power is never enough" in arguing for more support for Turkey's foreign affairs ministry. The paper also noted that Turkey's former Ambassador to the US Sensoy did not attend. Islamist Zaman and Today's Zaman noted the MFA is "understaffed and underfunded" and provided detailed budget and personnel breakdowns. Davutoglu said compared to other countries, Turkey had fewer diplomats and fewer funds for its Foreign Ministry. "We have a total of 1,464 diplomats while this number is 5,809 in France, 5,700 in Britain and 2,541 in Spain," he said. He called for greater budget support and noted that seven new embassies opened in 2009; with an additional 26 planned for 2010 in mostly Africa. Gul: Government's 'Kurdish Initiative' Historic Opportunity to End Terror Media outlets report President Gul as saying in an interview with CNN Turk television that there was no conflict between institutions in the country. Gul said the government's 'Kurdish initiative' was an "historic opportunity" to end the terror problem. Commenting on the closure of the Kurdish DTP, Gul said closure of political parties was "not right." "I oppose party closures. But what can courts do against a party which states that a terrorist organization is their basis of existence?" asked Gul. Gul said Turkey has been going through a process of "normalization." He added some mistakes might had been possible in the normalization process, and added that these mistakes should be corrected under the framework of law. Gul rejected speculations for a possible military intervention in 2010. Asked whether a military coup was possible in 2010, Gul said such speculations over military takeovers would have shown lack of respect for the military. Call from Europe to Ankara and Athens to Improve Minority Rights (Hurriyet) Mainstream Hurriyet reports that Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe called on Turkey and Greece to go beyond the Lausanne Treaty in their dealings with their respective minorities. A report and a draft resolution by the assembly urged both countries to treat minority groups in line with the norms of the European Human Rights Treaty instead of a reciprocity act defined by the Lausanne Treaty which secured protection for the Greek minority in Turkey and the Turkish Muslim minority in Greece. Re-opening of Halki Seminary, permission for Greek Orthodox Patriarch to use its ecumenical title, and resolving the murder of Hrant Dink, were among the demands from Turkey. Bulgaria - "A Neighbor Wants Money" (Radikal) Liberal Radikal, mainstreams Milliyet and Sabah, Intellectual/Islamist-oriented Zaman report that Bulgaria demands 10 billion USD for the properties of the Bulgarian citizens who migrated from Turkey after 1913. Bulgarian State Minister Responsible of Bulgarians living abroad Bojidar Dimitrov announced that Bulgaria will demand compensation from Turkey and noted that Bulgaria might obstruct Turkey'e EU membership if the compensation was not paid. TV Spotlight Amid scenes of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin skiing together at a Russian ski resort, Turkish ANKARA 00000019 003 OF 003 media report that PM Erdogan will travel to Russia for meetings January 12-13. President Gul will host Tuesday a luncheon for the heads of the legislative, the executive and the judiciary today. Kurdish BDP has held Monday its first party group meeting in the parliament. Turkey's banking sector reports profits of 18.8 billion lira in the first eleven months of 2009. Turkish Exporters' Union says exports for 2009 total USD 97 billion. Turkish Airlines (THY) will buy 20 Airbus planes between 2011 and 2012, and an additional 10 in 2013. Syria has raised foreign contribution in private banks from 49 to 60 percent in a move expected to pave the way for more Turkish banking investments in Syria. Flights out of one terminal at Newark Liberty International Airport are temporarily halted as officials investigate a possible security breach. SILLIMAN