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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000493
SIPDIS
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
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT
MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2007
In Today's Papers
Gul Joins Arab League Meeting in Cairo
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Zaman and others report Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul, in Cairo to attend the Arab League Foreign
Ministers' meeting over the weekend, told a press conference held
after meeting with Secretary-General Amr Moussa that Turkish
territories would never be used in attacks against Turkeys'
neighbors. Gul also underlined the importance of protecting Iraq's
unity, warning a divided Iraq would become a source of big trouble
for the region. He also noted that the fate of Kirkuk was important
for keeping Iraq intact. Radikal reported over the weekend that the
meeting was a preparation for a meeting of Iraq's neighbors
scheduled to take place in Istanbul or Cairo in April. On his
return from Cairo, Gul told the press Turkey was "not in a hurry" to
impose sanctions on Iran. "We will do as others do; I must remind
you that UN resolutions are binding for all members," said Gul.
Lantos to Back Turkey against Armenian Resolution
Mainstream Sabah reports Congressman Tom Lantos has promised to work
against the Armenian genocide resolution in the US Congress. While
Lantos was holding talks with visiting Turkish Chief of General
Staff Yasar Buyukanit in Washington last month, Ankara told the
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that the approval of the genocide
resolution would harm not only Turkey-US ties, but Turkey's ties
with Israel too. Olmert spoke with Lantos and other representatives
of the Jewish lobby, convincing them to work against the bill, says
Sabah.
Ergun Babahan noted in the mainstream Sabah that over the weekend
The Wall Street Journal published an op-ed written by Mark Parris,
US Ambassador to Turkey from 1997 to 2000, in which Parris argues
that it would be "wrong for a country's parliament to adopt a
resolution in order to try some other nation." Babahan writes that
"after stressing Turkey's importance for the US interests in the
region, Parris concludes that the passage of the resolution will
definitely be against US interests."
US Draft Calls on Turkey to Establish Ties with Armenia
Mainstream Milliyet reported Sunday that on March 6 the US Senate
foreign relations committee will discuss a draft condemning the
murder of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and pressing Turkey to
scrap article 301 of the penal code. The draft praises Turkey for
inviting Armenian clerics and politicians to the funeral of Dink,
stressing Turkey should establish diplomatic, political, and
economic ties with Armenia. Even if approved by the Senate, the
draft will not be binding.
Editorial Commentary: Turkey in the Middle East
Semih Idiz commented in the mainstream daily Milliyet: "The meeting
between Iranian president Ahmedinejad and Saudi King Abdullah in
Riyadh and the meeting in Baghdad on March 10 which will bring the
US, Iran and Syria to the same table are concrete signs of new
developments in the region. Turkish Foreign Minister Gul will
attend this meeting in Baghdad as well. But Turkey never seems to
be right in the middle of these developments in the region -- never
takes an active role in the regional problems but acts more like a
reactive regional power. President Sezer continues to reject
meeting Kurdish leaders, one of whom is the president of the country
and the other is the leader of the regional administration. With
this kind of stance, Turkey will always be left out of developments
occurring right next to us while Saudi Arabia, Iran and others steal
our role with their more relaxed attitudes. While we are shaping
our world according to personal understandings, the world is moving
us to the back seat."
Prosecution of DTP Members on the Rise
The liberal/opinion maker Radikal reports an increase in operations
against Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP, as seen in the arrest and
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detention of more than 60 party members over the last ten days.
Hilmi Aydogdu, the DTP head in Diyarbakir, was arrested for saying
they will perceive an attack on Kirkuk as an attack on Diyarbakir.
Four DTP officials in Batman have been detained for supporting
Aydogdu. Twenty DTP members were arrested in Van for making PKK
propaganda. DTP co-chairpersons Ahmet Turk and Aysel Tugluk were
given prison sentences for distributing declarations in Kurdish,
calling Abdullah Ocalan a "public leader." The Ankara prosecutor
has launched an investigation into the DTP congress held on February
28. The DTP head in Silopi was detained for saying in a statement
"Mr. Ocalan," and now faces investigation for praising criminals.
Evren Investigated for Proposing Federation in Turkey
All papers over the weekend and Monday report a prosecutor launched
a lawsuit against former president Kenan Evren for proposing to set
up a federation in Turkey. The prosecutor asked for a 15-year
prison sentence for the junta leader of the September 1980 military
takeover in Turkey. Evren backpedaled by saying he was not
suggesting a federation, but was just proposing to appoint regional
governors.
Hrant Dink Commemorated 40 Days after His Death
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and
others report Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was remembered
at the Armenian Virgin Mary Church and at his grave in Istanbul
forty days after he was murdered on January 19. Armenian Patriarch
Mesrob Mutafyan said prayers for Dink, and lamented the fact that
those behind the murder were not caught yet. After the mass, two
unidentified persons shot in the air in front of the church and
escaped.
TV News:
(NTV, 8 A.M.)
Domestic News
- Turkish political parties agreed on a new regulation to lower the
election age to 25 years to take effect in the next general
elections.
- Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said charges about the
poisoning of PKK's imprisoned leader Ocalan were "provocation."
- Turkish Council of Ministers will discuss Monday a report drafted
by Environment Minister Osman Pepe on the impact of global warming.
- Turkish banks are expected to open 600 new branches this year,
recruiting 8,000 new employees.
International News
- The Turkish government is to make a deal with a new lobby company
in the US, DLA Piper, a company close to the Democrats, before the
discussion of Armenian genocide claims in the US Congress.
- Iraq's Prime Minister said he will reshuffle his cabinet within
two weeks and pursue criminal charges against political figures
linked to extremists.
- Former US Ambassador to Turkey Mark Parris said the approval of
Armenian genocide resolution in the US Congress would harm American
interests.
- Major powers failed to settle differences over a second UN
sanctions resolution against Iran for its nuclear program.
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
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WILSON