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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000199 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Hrant Dink Murder Investigation 
All papers report it has been confirmed that Erhan Tuncel, a police 
informant, tipped off the police in Trabzon, Istanbul, and Ankara 11 
months before that Yasin Hayal, a key suspect in the Dink 
assassination, planned to kill Dink.  Three other suspects, Tuncel's 
three roommates in the university, were detained in Trabzon 
yesterday.  Orhan Ozbas, another suspect earlier detained in 
Istanbul, said to the police that prior to committing the murder, 
Ogun Samast told him he would shoot Hrant Dink.  Papers criticize 
the release by a court of Yasin Hayal after he bombed a McDonald's 
restaurant in Trabzon in 2004.  Opposition parties and NGOs urge 
Prime Minister Erdogan to sack the governor and the police chief in 
Istanbul.  Turkey's Human Rights Association (IHD) has filed a 
complaint against Istanbul police chief Celalettin Cerrah who said 
the murder of Hrant Dink was not part of an organized plot, but an 
act dictated by nationalist feelings. 
 
All papers say Prime Minister Erdogan regards the removal of the 
Trabzon governor and police chief following the murder of Armenian 
editor Hrant Dink as steps against the "deep state" in Turkey. 
Erdogan said determination and coordinated among the government, 
parliament and judiciary were needed to eradicate criminal networks 
in state institutions.  "Our steps in Trabzon are aimed at tackling 
this matter.  The governor and the security chief have been removed 
from their posts, and inspectors have been sent to Trabzon to lay 
the ground for the fight against the deep state." 
 
Debate over Freedom of Expression Statute Continues 
All papers report that PM Erdogan stressed that he was open to 
suggestions for possible changes to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal 
Code, the article relating to freedom of expression, under which 
Hrant Dink, Orhan Pamuk and others have been prosecuted, but nobody 
should expect them to abolish the article.  Erdogan said NGOs which 
participated in an earlier meeting held on this matter had not made 
any joint proposals on the issue yet.  Erdogan said, "We cannot 
accept assaults on our values.  There are similar regulations in 
several countries around the world."  Meanwhile, papers report 
Ozdemir Ozok, head of the Turkish Bar Association, has invited 
representatives of 18 NGOs to gather on February 2 to discuss a 
joint position regarding changes to Article 301. 
 
Ralston Visits Ankara 
All papers report retired General Joseph Ralston, the US Special 
Envoy for Countering Terrorism, said yesterday after his meeting 
with his Turkish counterpart Edip Baser that the Makhmour camp in 
northern Iraq has been cleared of the PKK elements and that a census 
was taken in the camp.  "I visited the camp at Makhmour.  I spoke 
with the US and Iraqi soldiers who are maintaining security in 
Makhmour.  We have cleared the camp of any PKK elements.  We took a 
census.  Everyone has been issued an identity card.  The UN is also 
included in the process.  However, there is still much that needs to 
be done," said Ralston.  Ralston noted the camp could be evacuated 
with UN support, adding that Ankara and Baghdad should also back 
such a humanitarian operation.  Ralston denied having made any 
statement at his meeting with Massoud Barzani, calling for a 
dialogue between Turkey and the PKK.  He said he might be able to 
convince Barzani that the PKK poses a threat to Turkey.  Baser said 
he believes "a certain amount of progress" has been recorded.  "No 
matter how much we would like to, we cannot share with you many 
details because of the sensitivity of the matter.  We will give you 
better news in the future," Baser stated.  Responding to a question, 
Baser said Ralston's meeting with Barzani should not be seen as a 
controversy.  Radikal sees the messages by Ralston as a sign of the 
pressure applied by the northern Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party 
(KDP) on the US for Turkey to launch dialogue with the Kurds. 
 
Ralston will have a meeting with Chief of the Turkish General Staff 
(TGS) General Yasar Buyukanit on Wednesday before departing Ankara. 
 
ANKARA 00000199  002 OF 004 
 
 
 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Iraq Oil Dispute 
Zafer Atay comments in the economic-political daily Dunya:  "Turkey 
is facing a game of vengeance.  Iraqi Kurds are trying to corner 
Turkey in a response to the recent secret session on Iraq at the 
Turkish Parliament.  The Iraqi National Oil Company has asked Turkey 
to seek permission from the northern Iraqi administration for 
Turkish oil trucks to cross into Iraq as opposed to the central 
authorities in Baghdad.  The northern Iraqi administration, under 
Barzani's control, is moving toward full independence.  The 
administration is currently autonomous - it has its own flag, its 
own constitution as well as its own parliament.  The primary plan 
for the future is to annex Kirkuk and gain full control over the 
majority of oil reserves, and of course to enjoy this wealth with 
the US.  Turkey should not fall into those traps and should continue 
to recognize the legitimate authority, i.e. Baghdad.  Barzani should 
keep in mind that the US will eventually have to go while Turkey 
will remain in the region.  Turkey's patience should not be tested 
at any time." 
 
Fikret Bila comments in the mainstream Milliyet:  "The issue of oil 
trucks from Turkey to Iraq has reached a point where both sides are 
boycotting each other.  We shall see whether Ankara will eventually 
make a deal directly with northern Iraq or if northern Iraq will 
eventually change its position.  The current situation is just like 
arm-wrestling between the two.  On the other hand, the US, in its 
capacity of being the genuine authority in Iraq, is giving Turkey a 
clear message by asking Ankara to cooperate with the northern Iraq 
administration not only on commercial matters but also on political 
issues.  The stubborn stance of northern Iraqis toward Ankara 
basically stems from the fact that they have US backing.  The 
Turkish government should make up its mind as to how to treat 
northern Iraqi Kurds.  The current rhetoric making references from 
the past events is just not working.  It requires a decision be made 
on whether Kurds in northern Iraq are our brothers like Turkmens. 
If they are, why to we have to be so harsh to them?  What happened 
to certain concepts, like a brotherly attitude and as strategic 
partnership?" 
 
Al-Qaeda Crackdown 
Sabah, Milliyet, Radikal and Cumhuriyet report 48 al-Qaeda suspects 
captured in security operations in Konya, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli, 
Afyonkarahisar, and Mardin earlier this week were preparing to 
attack US representations in Turkey, key state institutions and the 
headquarters of large companies.  Sabah says that among the suspects 
were those who were earlier taken into custody in connection with 
the suicide bombings in Istanbul in November 2003 in which over 50 
were killed.  Not only al-Qaeda, but other fundamentalist 
organization members such as the Cemalettin Kaplan group and IBDA-C 
were also captured in Konya in February. 
 
The leftist/nationalist Cumhuriyet says that the operation against 
al-Qaeda suspects across Turkey was conducted after a warning coming 
from the US Defense Department in early January that al-Qaeda was 
planning to intensify its activities in Turkey in 2007.  Security 
officials in Istanbul confirmed the tip off received from the 
Pentagon, adding some other countries had also been warned to take 
action against al-Qaeda.  Four days after press reports about the 
Pentagon briefing, Turkey and other countries were praised by the US 
intelligence chief John Negroponte for their cooperation in the 
fight against al-Qaeda, and the latest operation against al-Qaeda 
elements in Konya came two weeks after the praises of Negroponte. 
 
Kars-Tbilisi-Baku Railroad to be Finalized 
Cumhuriyet and Zaman report that Turkey sees the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku 
(KTB) railway project, to be finalized soon, as a "victory" over the 
efforts of the Armenian diaspora to stop it.  The KTB, meshing with 
the Chinese and Kazakh railway networks, is to connect Asia to the 
European railroad network through the Bosphorus.  Prime Minister 
 
ANKARA 00000199  003 OF 004 
 
 
Erdogan will participate in the February 7 ceremony in Tbilisi where 
the parties will sign the framework agreement for the project, say 
papers.  Yerevan opposes the network due to fears that the route 
bypassing Armenia will further isolate the country. 
 
New Tension with Cyprus over Greek-Cypriot Oil Move 
Yeni Safak, Radikal, Cumhuriyet and others:  Turkey warned Lebanon 
and Egypt not to go ahead with oil and gas exploration deals signed 
with Greek Cypriots.  The Foreign Ministry issued a written 
statement saying 'Turkey and Turkish Cypriots also have legitimate 
rights in the region.  Turkey is determined to protect its rights 
and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and will not allow 
attempts to erode them.  The Greek Cypriots do not represent the 
whole of the island.  Therefore laws on the issue enacted by the 
Greek Cypriot government or agreements made with other interested 
parties have no validity for us.  We remind them to also take into 
consideration the will of the Turkish Cypriots and not to take any 
initiatives that may negatively affect the process of the resolution 
of the Cyprus issue.' 
 
Draft Resolution for the so-called Armenian Genocide is with the 
Congress 
All papers report that the "leading names of the Armenian lobby," 
Democrat deputies Frank Pallone, Adam Schiff and Republican deputies 
George Radanovich and Joe Knollenberg introduced into the US 
Congress the so-called Armenian genocide draft resolution with the 
signature of 150 congressmen.  Meanwhile, House Democrat 
Representative James Crowley submitted a draft resolution to the 
Congress condemning the assassination of Hrant Dink and urging 
annulment of the Turkish Penal Code Article 301, reports Milliyet. 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Professor Baskin Oran has been granted close protection by Ankara 
governor following his notification that he received death threats. 
 
 
- Visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem will meet Wednesday 
with President Sezer, Prime Minister Erdogan, and Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul. 
 
- Swedish Minister of European Affairs Cecila Malmstrom expressed 
support for Turkey's EU accession during her visit to Ankara. 
 
- Turkey's tourism revenues declined by 7.2 percent in 2006. 
 
International News 
 
- Ambassador David Satterfield, US State Department Iraq 
Coordinator, told NTV the US takes the fight against the PKK very 
seriously. 
 
- The European Court of Human Rights ruled Turkey's 10 percent 
election threshold does not amount to violation of human rights. 
Reacting to the decision, Turkey's former Kurdish MPs said "the EU 
has turned its back on the Kurds." 
 
- US Ambassador to UN John Bolton said, "The United States has no 
strategic interest in the fact that there is one Iraq or three 
Iraqs." 
 
- Israeli airliner El-Al is to cancel flights to Istanbul and 
Larnaka as of March 1 due to rising security expenses and low number 
of passengers. 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
ANKARA 00000199  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
WILSON