TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000287 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 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010 Media Highlights US Embassy Ankara-Turkey Media Reaction, as prepared by the Public Affairs Information Office How the US is Playing Ambassador Tan Will Present Credentials, Work against AGR (Sabah) Mainstream Sabah reports the new Turkish Ambassador to Washington, Namik Tan, will present his credentials to President Obama on February 24, and will kick off work with the US congressmen and the Jewish lobbies for the prevention of the AGR to be voted March 4 at the US Congress Foreign Relations Committee. General Petraeus Wants Pressure on Iran (NTVMSNBC) NTVMSNBC online reports General Petraeus said in a statement to NBC TV time has come to put pressure on Iran for Tehran to comply with the demands of the international community. Petraeus said the US has done everything for a friendly solution of the problem, but that Tehran's attitude pushed the US to take a more rigid position. Genocide Bill Makes Caglayan Postpone His Visit To the US. Tabloid Aksam reported on 2/21 that State Minister Zafer Caglayan postponed his visit to the US to avoid being there when a controversial draft of the AGR comes to the agenda of the US Congress. He was to hold talks on the new model partnership project between Turkey and the US and for boosting economic and commercial ties. Aksam reports that the visit has been postponed on recommendations of the Turkish MFA. In the Headlines March 4 Genocide Bill Alarm (Vatan) Mainstream Vatan gives front page coverage to the fate of the AGR in the US House of Representatives on March 4. Noting that "Turkey is on its own now," Vatan reports that the Jewish lobby in the US is withdrawing it support this year because of the recent tension between Turkey and Israel. The paper concludes, as a result, that it is almost definite that the resolution will pass Congress this time. Turkish Foreign Ministry sources say that if the draft is adopted, turmoil in Turkey will be huge and Turkey will re-evaluate its alliance with the US. Commentary on Turkey-Armenia, AGR and Israel Lobby Support In mainstream Sabah, Omer Taspinar does not quite agree with Ankara's contentions that a deliberate timeline was set for the AGR: "The American system is based on checks and balances, and no administration is capable of asking Congress about a resolution." On the other hand, writer talks about factors which are making the Armenian lobby stronger than before, including the lack of Jewish lobby support for Turkey. His suggestion for Turkey is to establish steps to enhance dialog and communication with Armenia: "Any concrete step vis-`-vis Armenia will enhance Turkey's position in the Congressional process." Similarly, Ali Aslan in Islamist/pro-government Zaman advices Ankara to "remain committed to the normalization protocols" while Washington "should work for steps toward solution to the Karabakh problem." In mainstream Vatan, Okay Gonensin has a different take: "With the lack of Jewish lobby support, it seems more likely to see a genocide resolution passing from the Congress. However it might not be a really bad thing after all because Turkey will be able resolve its annual 'April 24 in the US' syndrome once for all." On 2/21, mainstream Milliyet's Semih Idiz reports on the Armenian Parliament's starting the ratification process for the Turkey-Armenia protocols last week. The writer opines that the goal of Armenia is to convince the international community that Turkey was blocking the normalization process. Yerevan also wants to use the protocols to give impetus to genocide claims, says Idiz. The writer notes that the normalization protocols might deal a heavy blow to Turkish ties with the US. The writer reminds that Turkish officials recently scolded US Ambassador James Jeffrey who issued warnings about the importance of the ANKARA 00000287 002 OF 003 protocols. He concludes that the scolding has not helped improve the image of Turkey. Commentary in leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet decries the lack of control by the GoT regarding the Turkey-Armenia protocol debate in parliament and predicts that when the protocols fail, the international community will blame Turkey. Erdogan: "We are Determined for Judicial Reform" (Yeni Safak) Media outlets report Prime Minister Erdogan, prior to his departure last night to Spain, told the press both political parties and nongovernmental organizations were looking forward to judicial reforms, and stressed that "referendum" could be held to pass the reforms. "We want to bring all political parties together for constitutional changes," said Erdogan, and noted that his colleagues were working on a draft judicial reform. "My colleagues will visit the political parties. If they accept working together, we will take the necessary steps. Otherwise, we can hold a referendum." On the other hand, papers report Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc has strongly criticized the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) as well as the previous governments of the last 20 years. "Some biased members of the judiciary made our party a target. We never thought of interfering in the judiciary's work but we will not allow any new tricks," he said. Arinc condemned previous governments for their inaction regarding the illegal actions of "shady networks," saying that the burden of the unresolved murders committed before the AKP came to power lied on the previous governments. Afghanistan. In "Taliban Rejects Peace, Continues War," mainstream Sabah, as well as Islamist-oriented Zaman online, notes in an inside page story that "after his government collapsed over the dispute about troop withdrawals, Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkenende said "Dutch troops will leave Afghanistan as planned if nothing else takes its place." Sabah also notes that "despite the continuing joint Operation Mushtarak by NATO and Afghan forces in the Marja district, the Taliban has announced that they won't give up. Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf is quoted as saying they rejected President Karzai's call for peace talks." Mainstream Milliyet in "Capture of Mullah Baradar is A Blow on Peace," cites British Sunday Times report saying "Taliban's number two figure, Mullah Baradar who was captured in a joint operation by US and Pakistani forces was a supporter of reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan. The capture of such a figure caused concerns by Afghan officials." Talabani: "Kirkuk Belongs to Kurdistan" (Hurriyet) According to Kurdish News Agency PNA, Iraqi President Talabani, at a meeting with the NGOs in Kirkuk said "Kurdish population in Kirkuk is more than any other ethnic groups. The best document to prove that is the census results which was held during the Ottoman Empire time. According to these censuses, there were around 97.000 Kurds, 70.000 Turkmen and 8.000 Arabs in Kirkuk. Kirkuk is a Kurdistan city where Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen and Christians lived together and peacefully for centuries." TV Spotlight (CNN Turk) Prime Minister Erdogan, accompanied by ten cabinet ministers, visits Spain for the second Spain-Turkey Summit. Higher Education Board (YOK) President Professor Yusuf Ziya Ozcan said there were preparations to introduce "elective" Kurdish-language lessons. A report prepared by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) says Turkey was the second-largest market around the world for counterfeit products of famous brands. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has lifted Turkey's sovereign credit rating to BB with a positive outlook. ANKARA 00000287 003 OF 003 Turkish director Semih Kaplanoglu's "Bal" (Honey) film won Sunday the Golden Bear, the top prize of the Berlin Film Festival. Greek PM Papandreou said his country is not looking for an EU bailout to help cut its debt levels effectively. Greek Cypriot daily Alithia says Britain offered to hold three-party negotiations in Cyprus with the participation of Cyprus guarantor states -- Greece, Turkey and Britain. A new drone, Heron Tp, that can remain airborne for more than 24 hours and reach as far as Iran is added to the Israeli air force's arsenal. The US State Department lifted an advisory warning American travelers of security concerns in Syria. JEFFREY