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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000960 
 
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, FEBRUARY 27, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Iraqi PM to Visit Turkey 
All papers: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan speaking at a 
party function Sunday said that Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim 
Jafari is to visit Turkey Tuesday to discuss how neighbors 
can help defuse the sectarian violence in his country. 
Erdogan added that Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr is also 
expected to visit Turkey soon.  Erdogan charged that the 
unrest was the result of "provocation" aimed at deepening 
the security crisis in Iraq.  Milliyet expects Turkey to 
express to Jafari concerns over the military exercises held 
by the heavily armed Kurdish militia in northern Iraq, and 
the campaign launched by the PKK for the release of Abdullah 
Ocalan.  A news commentary in Cumhuriyet claims that US has 
permitted the sectarian clashes in Iraq to replace the 
Shiites' prime minister nominee Ibrahim Jafari with the 
Sunni politician Iyad Allawi.  Papers cite a New York Times 
article which said Turkey, in an effort to protect the 
Turkmen, may enter northern Iraq in the event of a civil 
war. 
 
Columnists continued to express worry about the future of 
Iraq because of the ongoing sectarian violence.  Washington- 
based Yasemin Congar focused on what US official circles are 
thinking.  In mainstream Milliyet she elaborated on the 
possibility of a failure to prevent a civil war in Iraq: 
"the failure to prevent a civil war will bring everybody 
involved to a losing situation. The concern is that a civil 
war will not only mean sectarian war but also war between 
the sects. A failure to prevent civil war in Iraq will lead 
to the overall blame of the Bush administration, both 
domestically and internationally.  The Republicans will 
likely go through a political tremor if that happens.  And 
it goes without saying that if that happens, a predominant 
majority of the American people will call for the return of 
the US troops." 
 
Addressing speculations that Turkey could intervene in case 
of a civil war in Iraq, columnist Ferai Tinc said in her 
Hurriyet column entitled, "Better Watch Iran Than Turkey" 
that an empowered Shiite influence in Iraq has the 
"potential to inspire the entire region, from Jordan to 
Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.  Southern Iraq now has 
the potential to create more troubles than the north, if the 
current conflicts move deeper into the country." 
 
The Samarra bombings as well as situations in Iran and 
Palestine are all indications of the failure of the Bush 
administration's policy, says Kamuran Ozbir in the 
nationalist Ortadogu: "It is still not very clear whether 
Washington will give up its 'democracy missionary' role or 
try to establish a dialogue with fanatic leaders in hopes of 
converting them to a moderate position in the long run. The 
US seems to be in a deep quagmire." 
 
 
Annan Hails Turkey's Hamas Initiative 
PAPERS: United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan praised 
Turkey regarding the visit of Hamas officials to Ankara last 
week.  "It was very beneficial," Annan said in his meeting 
with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Qatar.  On Sunday, 
Prime Minister Erdogan said that Turkey, the co-chairman of 
the Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative 
(BMENAI,) had been selected for a mission that targets 
peace.  Erdogan claimed that in time, Hamas would soften its 
rhetoric: "Because you cannot achieve a result if guns are 
not silenced," Erdogan stressed. 
 
 
ANKARA 00000960  002 OF 003 
 
 
UN, OIC Call for Restraint in Prophet Muhammad Cartoons Row 
Hurriyet, Radikal, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others:  United 
Nations Secretary-General, the Organization of the Islamic 
Conference (OIC) Secretary General, the foreign ministers of 
Turkey, Spain, and Qatar, and Arab League chairman attended 
a UN-sponsored meeting to discuss the crisis over the 
cartoons of the prophet Muhammad in Doha this weekend. 
Freedom of speech should not be exploited to disseminate 
hatred, warned the joint declaration of the meeting in Doha, 
calling for restraint and dialogue to ease tensions.  Annan 
said in the joint statement that the UN deeply regretted the 
offence given by the cartoons, as well as the loss of life 
and damage to property in several countries. 
 
Gul to Visit Athens 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Vatan, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and 
others:  Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis told To 
Vima that she was looking forward to the visit of Foreign 
Minister Abdullah Gul to Athens soon.  Bakoyiannis 
reiterated the Greek support for Turkey's EU membership, 
adding that the support was not unconditional.  She noted 
that Greek Cypriots must be given access to Turkish ports 
and airports by the end of 2006. 
 
US: Trade with Northern Cyprus Not Illegal 
Milliyet, Turkiye:  Sunday papers report State Department 
Spokesman Adam Ereli as saying that "commercial transactions 
with the northern part of Cyprus are not illegal."  Milliyet 
says that the US had revealed documents showing that since 
2004, the US administration had taken a series of measures 
to encourage American companies to launch direct trade with 
Turkish Cyprus.  The released documents say that the visit 
of US officials to north Cyprus would send an important 
signal that the US is doing all it can to help fulfill the 
promise of the international community to take steps to ease 
the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. 
 
Pro-PKK Protestors Clash with Police in Diyarbakir 
All papers:  A group of PKK supporters clashed with riot 
police in the mainly Kurdish southeastern province of 
Diyarbakir on Sunday.  The group was waiting at Diyarbakir 
hospital to receive the body of a PKK terrorist killed, 
together with six other militants, in Mardin over the 
weekend.  After receiving the remains of the PKK member, the 
group began to chant slogans in favor of the PKK and its 
imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan, and pelted the police, 
shops and official buildings with stones.  Ten were injured, 
and police detained 12 demonstrators. 
 
Land forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit, in Diyarbakir 
for inspections, pledged that Turkish security forces will 
continue the struggle against terrorism.  Interior Minister 
Aksu reported to Parliament that in the past three years 246 
members of the Turkish security forces were killed by 
terrorists and that 1325 terrorists were captured. 
 
TV HIGHLIGHTS 
NTV News (7: 00 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
- Prime Minister Erdogan said Turkey would fulfill its 
responsibilities as co-chairman of the project for alliance 
of civilizations and would continue to play an active role 
in the Middle East. 
 
- Six terrorist PKK defectors turned themselves in to the 
security forces in Sirnak. 
 
International News 
 
ANKARA 00000960  003 OF 003 
 
 
- Iran and Russia have agreed in principle Sunday to 
establish a joint uranium enrichment venture. 
 
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned that he will 
resign if Hamas does not begin peace talks with Israel. 
 
- Greek Foreign Minister Bakoyiannis said Greece's support 
for Turkey's European membership "is not unconditional and 
terms have already been set both by us and the rest of our 
partners." 
 
- Four people have been killed in an inmate uprising at a 
jail in Afghanistan's capital. 
 
- 30 were killed yesterday in Iraq in rising violence 
following the attack on a holy Shiite shrine in Samarra. 
 
Economy News 
  -    Turkey is expected to become the 13th largest economy 
     among the OECD countries in 2006. 
  -    World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink said the 
     floating exchange rate regime was more effective than a 
     fixed one, and Turkey should continue it.  State Minister 
     Ali Babacan said Turkey will not abandon its free exchange 
     regime. 
 
 
WILSON