Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report

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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
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2006

Ralston-Baser Attend Conference in Istanbul
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak
and others report Turkish and American special envoys for countering
the PKK, retired generals Edip Baser and Joseph Ralston participated
Thursday in a conference held by Turkey's Eurasia Strategic Studies
Center (ASAM) in Istanbul. Baser said Turkey was running out of
patience with the failure of Iraq and the US to halt the PKK attacks
from northern Iraq into Turkey, stressing that military operations
could come on the agenda. 'Logistic and financial support going to
the PKK in northern Iraq must be cut, the PKK's communication
channels and human resources abroad must be disrupted, and the
terrorist organization must be forced to lay down its arms,' Baser
maintained. Responding to a question, Baser said the PKK in
northern Iraq was gaining a considerable amount of revenues from
border fees, which made a second border crossing between the two
countries necessary.

In his speech, General Ralston challenged 'some rumors' with regard
to the role of the US, such as Americans were not doing anything
against the PKK, by saying that the US considered the PKK as illegal
since 1997. He noted that the US was exerting efforts to cut
logistic and financial support to the organization. Ralston
underlined that in US foreign policy, the PKK is a terrorist
organization, not a tool. Regarding another 'rumor' that the US was
using the PKK to take revenge for Turks' Mach 2003 rejection of the
deployment of US troops through Turkey into northern Iraq, Ralston
said Americans found Turkey help invaluable and were using the
Incirlik Airbase to support democracy in Iraq, that Turkey and the
US are NATO allies, and that the US is supporting Turkey's
membership to the EU. Ralston asked for the patience of the Turkish
nation. Asked after his address whether there are maps in the US
showing a restructured Middle East, Ralston said the US Defense
Department did not support such maps as the one published in the
private publication Armed Forces Journal. On the controversy
concerning the Mahmur camp, General Ralston said Turkey, Iraq and
the UN need to agree on this issue, adding such an agreement has not
been made yet. Ralston also noted that the US would send a team to
Europe in the coming weeks in an effort to cut the flow of funds to
the PKK.

State Department Hosts 'Iftar'
Zaman devotes its entire page 16 to a State Department Iftar hosted
by Undersecretaries Nicholas Burns and Karen Hughes because
Secretary Rice was on a tour of Asia. In a positive and

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straightforward tone, the paper's Washington reporter Ali Aslan
quotes Burns as telling the guests that the principal problem in the
Islamic world today has been 'the conflict between extremity and
tolerance.' Hughes is also lauded in the report for citing a verse
of the Koran to the effect that 'The Night of Power [when the Koran
was revealed] is holier than a thousand months.' Hughes also
emphasized the leadership traits of the Prophet Muhammad's wife
Hatice and daughter Ayse. The report also recounts an anecdote how
a meeting with a Turkish woman in Germany inspired U/S/ Hughes to
launch her 'Citizens' Dialogue' project.

Baykal Slams Baydemir Remarks at Kurdish Conference
All papers quote the main opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal as
saying 'Terrorists in the mountains and some politicians in the
cities work for the same political cause,' in criticism of a
statement made by the Kurdish-majority city Diyarbakir's Mayor Osman
Baydemir to a Kurdish conference held in Brussels under the auspices
of the European Parliament earlier this week. Baydemir had called
on Ankara to share with local administrations the oil reserves and
hydro-energy resources in southeastern Turkey.

Reports into Controversial Killing Investigated
Radikal reports prosecutors have opened a legal probe into human
rights reports on the September 5 killing by security forces of a
nine-year-old Kurdish girl, Mizgin Ozbek, while she was riding in a
car with two outlawed PKK militants. Acting on a complaint by the

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Turkish jandarma, prosecutors questioned human rights organizations
IHD and Mazlum-Der as well as Batman Bar and two local dailies for
preparing a report on the incident that could be in violation of
Article 301. The complaint by the jandarma was that the reports
'insulted the identity of security forces' and interfered with the
official investigation into the killing of the girl and the two
militants. Radikal criticizes the fact that those responsible for
the killing were not investigated whereas reports on the incident
were prosecuted.

Armenian Turks Not Happy with Foundations Bill
Sabah, Radikal and Yeni Safak report the Patriarch of the Armenians
in Turkey, Mesrob II, complained that the non-Muslim foundations
bill is not compatible with the principle of constitutional
equality, warning that it will not solve their problems if it is
passed. In a letter to Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul,
Mesrob II said 'We feel sorry to be considered as foreigners in
accordance with the principle of reciprocity, and no one consulted
us regarding our views. We, naturally, ask the parliament to solve
our problems since we are the nationals of this country.'

Broadcasting Watchdog Calls for a Ban on French Films
All papers report Turkey's state broadcasting watchdog RTUK has
recommended a boycott of French-made programs and movies in protest
of the French Parliament's adoption of a bill making the denial the
genocide of Armenians at the hand of Ottoman-Turkish troops in early
20th century a crime. In a statement issued Wednesday, the RTUK
said Turkish television and radio stations should avoid airing
French-made programs until France drops the Armenian genocide bill.

Babacan Meets Bakoyannis in Athens
All papers report that on Thursday, Turkey's chief EU negotiator Ali
Babacan, after meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis,
told a press conference that 'Ankara's January proposal concerning
opening Turkish ports and airports to Greek Cypriot vessels and
planes is still on the table.' 'Following the April 26, 2004 twin
referenda in Cyprus, the EU decided to lift sanctions on Turkish
Cyprus, and Turkey clearly stated that it will not make any
unilateral attempt. Greek Cypriot products are already allowed into
Turkey, the limitations are about vehicles. We can open our ports
and airports, but first, the isolation of north Cyprus must be
ended,' Babacan said. On Turkeys' EU process, Babacan said the
reality necessitates that 'a train crash' on Turkey's path to EU
membership not happen. He noted Bakoyannis reiterated Athens'
support to Turkey's EU drive. 'It will take time for Turkey to go
through a reform in mindsets,' stressed Babacan, adding 'Political
reforms are easy on paper, but the implementation becomes difficult
sometimes.'

New ' Formula' to Save Cargill
The economic/political Dunya reports an interim formula has been
found to save from closure the US food giant Cargill's corn
processing facilities in the Bursa province, by extending an earlier
amnesty for those using agricultural areas for other purposes.
Turkish Glucose Producers' Organization welcomed the decision,
saying Cargill accounted for 55 percent of the 550,000 tons of
market, stressing that the domestic sectors of chocolate, candies
and soft drinks would enter into a crisis and turn to imports if
Cargill was closed.

Editorial Commentary on North Korea, Iraq

Sami Kohen commented in the mainstream Milliyet (10/20): "There was
only one encouraging voice, from Iran, about North Korean nuclear
testing, and this is not surprising. Tehran considers itself in the
same league with the North Korean regime, and Kim Jong-Il's defiance
to the world comes as good encouragement for the Iranian regime's
Ahmedinejad. When it comes to sanctions, Iran and North Korea

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present different pictures as the former is an oil-rich country
while the latter is absolutely poor and living in despair.
However, sanctions are very unlikely to make an impact on both given
the nature of dictatorial regimes. The truth is that the
international community has limited capability to force North Korea
or Iran to give up on their nuclear program. Using military force
against them will be as dangerous as their capacity to possess
atomic weapons. Consensus and dialogue through diplomacy seem to be
the only option. Given the current situation, the danger continues
to be a fact for everyone, regardless of the distances to and from
these countries."

Kamuran Ozbir wrote in the nationalist Ortadogu (10/20): "The North
Korean regime plans to use its nuclear program as a bargaining card
in order to start direct negotiations with the US. However, North
Korea has already killed this bargaining card by conducting a
nuclear test that led to a greater isolation for the regime. The UN
is incapable of imposing certain sanctions, and it can even pave the
way for a military option in the end. Even China might be forced to
be harsh on North Korea. In any case, there is still a possibility
of North Korea being more extreme and taking more radical steps.
This possibility should always be kept in mind by the super
powers."

Haluk Ulman opined in the economic-politic Dunya (10/20): "The Bush
administration created a unique situation in Iraq with the current
picture even worse than the pre-occupation period. Americans cannot
find a proper civilian regime to transfer authority or cannot work
through a proper security system so that they can leave the country.
Chaos and anarchy are the indispensables of Iraq. There's a
dilemma for President Bush. Pulling out American forces from Iraq
will pose a serious blow to the credibility and prestige of the US.
Moreover, a US pullout will create more chaos in Iraq that will be
even worse than before, including a strong possibility of a divided
Iraq and a strong ranian influence. The US has already started t
think about 'the way out' from the Iraq problm. At this point, the
upcoming report by the Iraq Working Group headed by James baker will
be very important to watch for."

TV Highlights
NTV (8 a.m.)

Domestic News

- Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal lashed out at DYP leader Mehmet
Agar inviting the PKK to join politics, saying an amnesty would only
be possible if secessionist aspirations are abandoned and terrorism
is destroyed.

- The EU Commission draft report warns no discussions would be
opened under social policy and employment chapters unless Turkey
removes restrictions on collective bargaining and strike rights.

- The Turkish Prime Minister's Office said Thursday that Turkey has
sent to Palestine USD 1 million worth of flour, sugar, rice and
lentils. The office said the aid will be conveyed to the
Palestinian people through the UN Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Israel.

International News

- Le Nouvel Observateur writes the French Foreign Ministry is
preparing to open an office in northern Iraq in January in an effort
to assist French businessmen in their dealings in the region.

- A poll commissioned by the BBC shows that 29 percent of people in
25 countries around the globe support the use of torture in prisons
under certain circumstances whereas 59 percent oppose.

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- Sixty-two Greek Cypriots have applied to a Turkish Cyprus
commission demanding a return or compensation of their assets left
in the north, marking an increase in applications for resolving
property disputes.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at

http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON

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