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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007534 
 
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 
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Erdogan: TUSIAD Commits a Constitutional Crime - Hurriyet 
TUSIAD's Constitutional Crime - Aksam 
Erdogan: TUSIAD Commits Crime - Sabah 
Erdogan: TUSIAD Committed Crime - Sabah 
Accusing TUSIAD to the Judiciary - Milliyet 
Investigation of Rector Tezic - Bugun 
Bush's Effort to Counter Darwinism Did not Work - Hurriyet 
Response to TUSIAD - Star 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
AKP and CHP Alliance in Favor of Election Threshold - 
Radikal 
Fight Against TUSIAD - Cumhuriyet 
TUSIAD's Constitutional Crime - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
PM Erdogan Harsh Reaction to Businessmen's Remarks:  All 
papers cover extensively the harsh reaction from Prime 
Minister Erdogan as he not only refused to take advice from 
businessmen, but also accused them of committing a 
constitutional crime.  At the Turkish Industrialist and 
Businessmen Association (TUSIAD) meeting, which Erdogan did 
not attend, business leaders Koc and Sabanci called for more 
progress on reforms and a reduction in the election 
threshold -- a major change to the electoral system.  The 
business leaders also mentioned the ongoing court case filed 
against Van University Rector Askin as an example of 
undemocratic judicial practices.  PM Erdogan said he was 
displeased to hear these comments, adding that businessmen 
should focus on economy not politics.  Following his 
remarks, day time television news programs report that today 
(12/22) a prosecutor has begun an investigation into the 
remarks of the businessmen. 
 
Parliamentary Parties Say No to Lowering Election Threshold: 
In a response to recent comments by politicians and business 
leaders regarding the election threshold, both ruling the 
party AKP and the opposition CHP agreed that a change is not 
necessary.  "Radikal" fronted the story proclaiming an 
alliance between AKP and CHP, while "Birgun" blasted the 
consensus by voicing the concerns of out-of-parliament 
parties. 
 
Israeli Army Chief in Turkey:  Israeli Chief of General 
Staff Dan Halutz arrived in Ankara for two days of talks, 
several papers reported.  "Radikal" characterized it as an 
important visit since General Halutz is making his first 
visit abroad.  "Sabah" reported that during the visit Halutz 
will focus on defense bids of Turkey as well as the Iranian 
nuclear program. 
 
Turkish and Armenian Diplomats Met:  A conference on Turkish- 
Armenian relations was held in Toronto, Canada reports 
"Hurriyet."  The conference brought Turkish and Armenian 
diplomats together for the first time.  One diplomat from 
the Turkish Embassy in Canada as well as the Armenian 
Ambassador to Canada attended this Zoryan Institute- 
 
ANKARA 00007534  002 OF 002 
 
 
sponsored event, the report emphasized. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: IRAQ ELECTIONS 
 
"Who is the Actual Winner?" 
Sami Kohen commented in the mainstream daily "Milliyet" 
(12/22):  "Iraqi elections didn't result as coalition 
members planned or neighboring countries, including Turkey, 
hoped.  The expectations of the US and many other countries 
were for a democratic, secular, united and stable Iraq. 
Unfortunately, the result shows that not secular but 
fundamentalist powers will gain control. Now the main issue 
is what the impact of these developments will be on Iraqi 
reconstruction.  The worst scenario is that some Sunni 
elements will boycott parliament or choose to use violence 
to gain power.  This will lead to chaos, and maybe to 
disintegration.  A good scenario would be for the Sunnis, 
Shiites and Kurds to establish a coalition government, but 
this is too optimistic an expectation.  There are some other 
coalition possibilities as well, but it is obvious that a 
radical fundamentalist majority in the parliament will 
control the administration.  There is no doubt that Iran 
will be very happy about the rise of Shiite power in Iraq. 
In short, Iran is the party most benefiting most from the 
Iraqi elections and the US is the most disappointed." 
 
"Greater Middle East Project Dumped in the Trash in Iraq" 
Akif Emre wrote in the pro-government/Islamist oriented 
"Yeni Safak" (12/22): "As the election results start coming 
out of Iraq, concerns over Iraq's political future grow. 
Even US Ambassador to Baghdad Zalmay Khalilzad stressed that 
the chaotic situation in Iraq could be overcome only by 
cooperation among religious groups.  However, the results 
show that the winners of the elections are parties with 
religious identities.  Western observers already question 
why an already secular Iraq was occupied to establish an 
anti-secular administration.  If the Greater Middle East 
Project cannot even reach its goals through elections 
imposed by force, then it has no future.   Even though it 
looks like an assertive project, it seems that the GMEP has 
already been thrown onto the trash heap. There is another 
way to look at the elections: if from the beginning the US 
wanted a divided Iraq, the elections have been the best way 
to achieve this. They will now be able to answer neighboring 
countries that are unhappy with a divided Iraq, that it was 
the result of a democratic election and there's nothing to 
be done about it." 
 
WILSON