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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001575 
 
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 
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
President Gul to Visit Yerevan 
Media outlets predict President Gul will decide to accept the 
invitation of President Sarkisian for going to Yerevan and report on 
it in a very positive manner.  Liberal Radikal carries a banner 
headline, "Turkish President is going to Yerevan," saying "President 
Gul will attend the football match on September 6 between the 
Turkish and Armenian national teams."  Mainstream Hurriyet notes, 
"The Foreign Ministry is worried about anti-Turkey groups because of 
strong anti-Turkey slogans during a match between junior national 
teams from the two countries in Yerevan two weeks ago." 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet speculates that President Gul's trip 
will only last three hours, while leftist Taraf supports Gul's trip 
"regardless of what opposition figures are saying."  Meanwhile 
liberal Radikal and other papers highlight criticism from MHP leader 
Bahceli that "such an effort will only cause a serious blow to 
Turkey's national pride and will be an historic mistake.  Given 
Armenia's anti-Turkey policy and the Armenia-PKK relationship, a 
trip to Yerevan would not be legitimate or politically correct." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Gul to Yerevan 
 
Nuray Mert wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Turkey must 
normalize its relations with Armenia, and should be able to debate 
the Armenian issue in a composed way. If the Turkish President goes 
to Yerevan it will certainly be an historic event.  The 
rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia would also benefit US 
foreign policy interests.  Turkey should not pull away from the 
Armenian issue which of international interest whether we like it or 
not.  Instead of being defensive against international efforts, 
Turkey must lead and shape the agenda on the Armenian issue." 
 
Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist leaning Yeni Safak: "If President Gul 
goes to Yerevan, understandably he wants to, his visit will have 
more impact than a usual soccer match between the two national 
teams.  There are problems between the two countries, but these 
problems should not be an obstacle to recognition of each other.  In 
addition, Armenia suffers more than Turkey from this 
no-official-recognition situation.  President Gul should go to 
Yerevan, and we should both win the game, and win hearts and 
minds." 
 
Erdal Safak questioned in mainstream Sabah:  "If President Gul 
doesn't go to Yerevan, it will be disappointing for many 
intellectuals, academics, businessmen, NGOs, media, the EU countries 
and the Bush Administration.  The Presidential Palace should be very 
careful in its messages about the visit so that Armenians do not 
have high expectations ( example:  opening the borders, lifting 
trade bans, etc.).  The Kremlin should not think that this visit is 
an effort to isolate Armenia from Russia.  Every effort should be 
exerted to minimize Azerbaijan's bad feelings about this visit. 
More importantly, Yerevan should be told that any positive 
developments on Turkey-Armenia and Azerbaijan-Armenia relations, 
from now on, will depend on Armenia's stance." 
 
Okay Gonensin wrote in mainstream Vatan:  "President Gul should not 
listen to the extreme voices in Turkey, and should definitely go to 
Yerevan.  Of course, Yerevan also has the responsibility to treat 
this visit positively, and should not listen to its own radicals 
either.  The message Gul and Serkisyan will give to the world 
through a football game is very important.  This first sign of 
improvement of Turkish-Armenian relations can have only positive 
results." 
 
Government Shelves Trade Retaliation Against Russia 
Media outlets report that the proposal made by State Minister Kursad 
Tuzmen for Turkey to begin implementing reciprocal measures against 
Russian trade in response to blockage by Russian customs of Turkish 
exports was not approved by the Council of Ministers.  Mainstream 
 
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Hurriyet reports "State Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil 
Cicek said the Cabinet did not make a decision to take measures 
against Russia," adding "I hope recent trade problems between Turkey 
and Russia will be resolved during Russian FM Lavrov's scheduled 
visit to Turkey on September 2."  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports 
"the commercial crisis with Russia, which began after the Russians 
blocked the entry of hundreds of Turkish commercial trucks into 
Russia, will be handled at the table during Lavrov's visit, not at 
customs." 
Prime Minister Erdogan at the Victory Day celebrations told 
journalists, "Following the developments in Georgia, some powers 
have tried to push us to side with the US or Russia.  The US is our 
closest ally.  Russia is a very important energy resource for Turkey 
and an important trading partner.  I will not allow Turkey to be 
pushed to one side only.  We will act according to Turkey's national 
interests." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Russia-Turkey-Caucasus 
 
Hadi Uluengin wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Obviously Russia has no 
intention to backpedal in the current tension.  The difficulty 
created in the flow of Turkish trucks to Russia is not an ordinary 
incident.  Moscow is imposing a de facto embargo on Turkey, and at 
the same time issuing threats to the Western community via Turkey. 
Turkey is trying to stay calm in the face of Moscow's attitude, 
however, if Russia continues to escalate tension with the West, 
Ankara will eventually be forced to make its choice.  That choice 
must be to side with the West." 
 
Erdogan to Join Middle East Summit in Damascus 
All papers report that on September 4, the Prime Minister will go to 
Damascus for a summit meeting to be attended by EU Term President, 
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Gulf Cooperation Organization Term 
President, Qatar's Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani, and the Arab 
League Term President, Syria's Head of State Bashar al-Asad.  The 
summit is expected to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, Iraq, 
and Lebanon, according to papers. 
 
Turkish-Greek Cypriot Leaders to Meet September 3 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Taraf, Radikal, Zaman and 
others report Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders Mehmet Ali Talat and 
Demetris Christofias will meet September 3 to discuss the procedure 
to be followed in direct negotiations for a settlement in Cyprus. 
Leftist Taraf reports that on July 25, both sides in Cyprus had 
agreed to open the Yesilirmak border gate for civilian visits to 
both sides.  In the beginning of August, 1,200 Turkish Cypriots 
crossed the gate.  The Greek Cypriots, however, were blocked by the 
Turkish Peace Force from using the gate to join a mass in a church 
in northern Cyprus Sunday.  Taraf says the move had been a 
last-minute blow to Turkish Cypriot leader Talat, ands warns that 
the intervention of the military could hamper the direct talks in 
the divided island. 
 
Gustav Forces Republicans to Tone Down 
Media outlets cover the Republican Convention by focusing on the 
fact that Hurricane Gustav forced the Republicans to scale down 
their convention and its highly partisan speeches.  Mainstream 
Hurriyet carries the headline, "Gustav Opposition," as "Republican 
Party presidential nominee McCain called off most of the convention 
activities saying "we'll act like Americans, not like Republicans.'" 
 Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak writes in "Gustav Hit McCain," that 
"following Democrat Party presidential nominee Barack Obama 
announcing his nomination officially, the Republican convention was 
hit by Hurricane Gustav."  Mainstream Milliyet carries the headline, 
"McCain Will Fix Image With Gustav," as "Gustav made President Bush 
and VP Cheney cancel their programs, Senator McCain turned this to 
his favor and escaped the risk of refreshing the memory of the bad 
handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005." 
 
TV News: 
 
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CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Having delivered aid to the Georgian port city of Batumi, the 
American destroyer USS McFaul passed through the Bosporus on its way 
back to the Aegean Sea. 
 
- Four Turkish gendarme soldiers killed by PKK terrorists on Sunday 
in the southeastern province of Bingol have been laid to rest in 
their hometowns yesterday. 
 
- Energy Minister Hilmi Guler will travel to Turkmenistan on Monday 
and Kazakhstan tomorrow to discuss oil and natural gas matters. 
 
International News 
 
- Tens of thousands of protestors staged an anti-Russian rally in 
the Georgian capital Tbilisi. 
 
- Iran denies reports it had bought Russia's advanced S-300 
anti-aircraft missile system. 
 
- On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will travel to Jeddah to 
participate in talks to activate a "senior level strategic dialogue" 
mechanism between Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). 
 
WILSON