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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001579 
 
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 
FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
US Senate Delegation Meets Turkish PM, MPs in Ankara 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Aksam, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, 
Zaman, Yeni Safak and others: 
A six-member US Senate delegation headed by John Warner, 
Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, met with 
the Turkish Parliamentary Defense Committee on Thursday. 
Senator Warner told Turkish lawmakers that Turkey was an 
important partner for the US, particularly in the fight 
against terrorism.  US senators said they shared Turkey's 
concerns about the PKK presence in northern Iraq.  They 
stressed the US will not allow a civil war in Iraq but will 
continue to work for democracy in the country.  Several 
papers report Warner as expressing appreciation for Turkey's 
support in efforts to establish a new government in Iraq. 
Some dailies claim Turks criticized the senators for US 
"mistakes" in Iraq.  Cengiz Kaptanoglu, the Chairman of 
Parliamentary National Defense Committee, underlined the 
importance of relations with the US, a "friend and ally." 
"We have not forgotten the US support for Turkey's EU 
membership claim as well as in the fight against terrorism 
and the opening of new energy corridors," Kaptanoglu said, 
and added:  "We should have confidence in Turkey-US ties. 
Turkey and the US have common views and goals regarding 
regional and global matters."  Turkish lawmakers also 
suggested establishing the Turkish model in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. 
 
Responding to press questions after meeting with Prime 
Minister Erdogan later in the day, Senator Warner said 
Turkish support was crucial in forming a new Iraqi 
administration representing all groups in the country. 
"There is no civil war in Iraq now," Warner said, "but this 
does not mean that there will not be one in the future." 
During his meeting with the US delegation, Erdogan said 
Turkey would continue to support efforts to ensure a smooth 
Iraqi political process.  Erdogan also told US senators that 
Turkey would continue to urge Iran to cooperate with the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the 
international community regarding its nuclear program. 
 
General Pace Visits Ankara 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, 
Zaman, Yeni Safak and others: 
In a meeting with the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of 
Staff Peter Pace on Thursday, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan 
expressed Turkish concerns about the situation in Kirkuk and 
the PKK activities in Iraq.  Erdogan outlined for Pace 
Turkey's "5 sensitivities" on Iraq - the need to protect 
Iraq's unity; natural resources must be shared by all; no 
favoring of one group over the others; need for special 
status for Kirkuk; need for changes to the constitution. 
Erdogan also urged Pace to stop the infiltration of PKK 
terrorists into Turkey from northern Iraq. General Pace said 
that the US was willing to cooperate with Turkey in the 
fight against international terrorism, noting that he had 
come to exchange views with Turkish leadership for better 
cooperation between the Turkish and US militaries.  Later in 
the day, Pace attended a reception making the opening of the 
international symposium, ''Global Terrorism and 
International Cooperation'' organized by the Turkish General 
Staff (TGS).  Afghan President Karzai and the chiefs of 
staff of Sweden, Bulgaria, Georgia and Lithuania also 
participated in the conference.  Pace told the press that he 
had discussed the PKK issue in detail with Erdogan.  General 
Pace said struggling against the PKK was important, but that 
stability in Iraq had to be established first.  In an 
interview with the all-news broadcaster NTV this morning, 
 
ANKARA 00001579  002 OF 003 
 
 
Pace said that he had not made any "requests from Turkey" 
about possible military action against Iran, and stressed 
that the US is focused on diplomatic efforts. 
 
Drawing attention to the importance of the "Global 
Terrorism" symposium which General Pace attended, columnist 
of conservative Turkiye, Yilmaz Oztuna emphasized that the 
US wants NATO to be more involved in the global fight 
against terrorism.  In his column, Oztuna noted: "When 
General Ozkok emphasized that terrorism is a huge disaster, 
he was referring to PKK terrorism as well as the terrorism 
against which the US is conducting a global fight. 
Currently the US is exerting efforts to involve NATO in the 
fight against global terrorism which Turkey also supports." 
 
Poll: Majority of Turks Oppose US Military Action against 
Iran 
Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others:  A public opinion 
survey conducted by the International Strategic Research 
Organization of 2500 Turks in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa 
and Adana shows that 45 percent oppose Iran's nuclear 
program while 46 percent support it.  95 percent disapprove 
of a US military strike against Iran and Syria.  52 percent 
want an immediate US pullout from Iraq while 22 percent want 
a gradual withdrawal in at least a year.  59 of those polled 
believe there is no difference between the former Saddam 
Hussein regime and US conduct in Iraq.  80 percent think the 
US want the oil in Iraq, and 71 percent believe the US is 
trying to spark civil war in the country. 
 
Turkey to Restore Churches, Synagogues 
Hurriyet reports Turkish General Directorate for Foundations 
has decided to repair the churches and synagogues of 
minority foundations for the first time in the last 82 
years. Turkish Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II welcomed the 
development, saying the decision to restore the churches was 
unprecedented in the history of the Turkish Republic. There 
are seven churches and synagogues on the official list of 
historical monuments slated for restoration this year. 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (7 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
- The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General 
Peter Pace, will address the international symposium on 
"Global Terrorism and International Cooperation" on Friday. 
The Chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Hilmi Ozkok, 
will deliver the closing speech. 
 
- Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul will fly to Los Angeles on 
Friday to deliver a speech on "Evolving Security Environment 
and Turkey's Strategic Role in Eurasia" at a meeting held by 
the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. 
 
- Accompanied by State Ministers Besir Atalay and Mehmet 
Aydin, Prime Minister Erdogan will travel to Sudan to attend 
the 18th Arab League Summit on March 28-29. 
 
- Private TV and radio broadcasts in the Kurdish language 
kicked off yesterday in the southeastern provinces of 
Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa.  Local broadcasters complained 
about the 45-minute daily restriction for the Kurdish 
language programs. 
 
- Thousands of scientists and astronomy fans are expected in 
Turkey on March 29 to watch a four-minute total eclipse of 
the sun. 
 
ANKARA 00001579  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
International News 
- In Washington for talks, Greek Foreign Minister Dora 
Bakoyannis will criticize Turkish National Security Council 
document branding territorial water disagreements between 
Turkey and Greece as a cause for war.  DAS Daniel Fried told 
Greek journalists that the Turkish declaration should not be 
seen as sign of hostility, adding that Washington would not 
recognize Turkish Cyprus. 
 
- EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said he expected 
Turkey to be ready for EU membership within 10 to 15 years. 
 
- A Briton and two Canadians held hostage in Iraq for almost 
four months have been freed. 
 
Economy News 
- At a meeting with Prime Minister Erdogan on Friday, the 
head of Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Oguz Satici, and 
representatives of 22 sectors will ask the government to 
solve their problems related to high energy and labor costs 
and low foreign currency rates. 
 
- The Turkish Central Bank has made no changes in short-term 
interest rates in the third meeting of its monetary board 
this year. 
 
- Turkey Statistics Institute said half of the national 
income is unregistered. 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
  http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON