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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001402 
 
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, MARCH 16, 2006 
 
  In Today's Papers 
 
  Upcoming Nevruz Celebrations 
  Vatan, Yeni Safak, Zaman:  Tensions escalate in Turkey as 
  the Kurdish spring festival Nevruz approaches.  Yeni 
  Safak reports that the committee organizing the 
  celebrations in Diyarbakir has asked the Diyarbakir 
  Governor for permission to use the Diyarbakir Fair 
  Grounds.  Reportedly, President Sezer, PM Erdogan, Iraqi 
  President Talabani and KDP Leader Barzani, as well as 
  Ambassadors in Ankara from 49 countries, have been 
  invited to the celebrations.  Zaman reports that in the 
  Kurdish language invitations sent to Barzani and Talabani 
  by the Democratic People's Party (DTP),  Diyarbakir was 
  called "Amed," a Kurdish name for the city, and Barzani 
  was addressed as the "leader of the Kurdistan Region." 
 
  US Raid in Northern Baghdad Kills Women and Children 
  All Papers:  Eleven people, most of them women and 
  children were killed when a house was bombed during a US 
  raid north of Baghdad on Wednesday.  Aksam carried the 
  news with the headline saying "The US Targeted the 
  Children," and Posta, under the photo of the dead 
  children, runs the headline, "Here are the Freed 
  Children!" 
 
  Is Democracy to Blame for the Chaos? 
  Expressing worry about the political situation in the 
  Middle East following the Israeli raid on the Jericho 
  prison, columnist Semih Idiz wonders if the region does 
  not deserve democracy.  Making a distinction between 
  democratic and non-democratic goals, he concludes in the 
  mainstream Milliyet: "The Middle East is moving toward 
  more chaos.  Given the current situation, can we actually 
  conclude that democracy is bad?  The answer is a definite 
  no.  We should not blame democracy for all of this chaos. 
  The blame should be put on those exploiters of democracy 
  for their non-democratic goals." 
 
  Turkey Uneasy over Annan's New Cyprus Rep. Moller 
  Vatan, Yeni Safak, Cumhuriyet:  Turkey has conveyed its 
  uneasiness on the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's new 
  Cyprus Special Envoy Michael Moller of Denmark.  Turkey 
  believes that being pro-Greek, Moller cannot act 
  objectively on the Cyprus issue.  Cumhuriyet reports that 
  Moller requested an appointment from Turkey to hold talks 
  with the Turkish officials on the Cyprus issue but the 
  request was rejected by Turkish officials. 
 
  Tolerance in Turkey Declines 
  Milliyet draws attention to a survey carried out with the 
  support of Bosphorus University and the Open Society 
  Institute.  The survey, based on interviews with 1644 
  people in 15 provinces, reveals that there was major drop 
  in Turkish people's tolerance for different ideas and 
  views.  36 percent of the interviewed say they were 
  disturbed by those refusing to observe Ramadan, 24 
  percent were disturbed by women who did not wear 
  headscarf, 71 percent of the interviewed said the main 
  task of women was to serve their husbands, 76 percent 
  were disturbed by homosexuals, 65 percent were disturbed 
  by couples living together without getting married, 63 
  percent were disturbed by men wearing earrings, 56 
  percent were disturbed by those who go to discos and 
  nightclubs. 
 
  Armenian Symposium 
  Aksam:  Turkish and foreign academics gathered at 
  Istanbul university yesterday for a three day conference 
 
ANKARA 00001402  002 OF 002 
 
 
  to discuss whether the killing of Armenians during World 
  War 1 amounted to genocide.  Turkey denies that Armenian 
  subjects under the Ottoman Empire, were victims of 
  genocide, but acknowledges that at least 300,000Armenians 
  and as many Turks died in civil war during the last years 
  of the Ottoman Empire.  Foreign Minister Gul's message 
  was read at the opening of the symposium which said 
  "Turkey is a country that is at peace with its past. 
  There is no era in our history that makes us feel 
  ashamed.  However, Turks are very sensitive to slander 
  and insults against their ancestors.  I am happy to see 
  that the same sensitivity is shown by our citizens of 
  Armenian origin who adopt Turkey as their homes, who 
  contribute to this country's economy, art, culture and 
  social life."  The Rector of Istanbul University, Prof. 
  Mesut Parlak, said "genocide is a crime against humanity 
  but there is no doubt that such a serious crime should 
  have a legal basis.  Nobody can be considered guilty 
  before his/her offense is proven.  The international law 
  on the recognition of genocide was enacted in 1948 and it 
  does not cover the past.  So, it is not legally possible 
  to describe the 1915 incidents as genocide." 
 
  TV Highlights 
  NTV, 8 AM 
 
  Domestic News 
  - Police captured four suspects preparing for suicide 
  bomb attacks in the southeastern province of Batman. 
 
  - Turkey and Syria are to open a new border gate to ease 
  the heavy traffic through the Habur border crossing. 
 
  International News 
  - Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic will be 
  laid to rest on Saturday in his hometown of Pozarevac, 
  east of Belgrade.  Belgrade said it will not hold a state 
  funeral for Milosevic. 
 
  - Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas lashed out at Israel 
  over the Jericho prison raid, saying his people had been 
  humiliated. 
 
  - The UN General Assembly has adopted a proposal to 
  create a new human rights council to promote and protect 
  human rights around the world. 
 
  Economy News 
  - Turkish Central Bank acting governor Erdem Basci said 
  he will continue tight monetary policies. 
 
  -    Tourism sector representatives asked for state 
     incentives at a meeting with PM Erdogan yesterday. 
 
  -    Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
  http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON