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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001628 
 
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, MARCH 27, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Visit by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General 
Pace, to Turkey 
All weekend papers:  During his address at a terrorism 
symposium in Ankara last Friday, General Pace expressed US 
determination to combat PKK terrorism, but stressed that the 
security situation in Iraq must be improved in order to 
combat terrorism more effectively.  These comments indicated 
that the US is not planning military action against the PKK 
until the security situation in Iraq is more stable.  During 
an NTV interview, General Pace said that any decision on a 
US troop withdrawal from Iraq will be based on conditions on 
the ground in Iraq.  Noting that Turkey has been fighting 
against PKK terrorism for a long time, General Pace said 
that solving the problem is not an easy task.  If it were 
easy, the Turkish Government would have solved it a long 
time ago.  Responding to a question on Iran, General Pace 
said 'Iran is a long way from needing some kind of military 
solution. There are many things that can be done 
diplomatically before any military option is considered. 
There is an international effort to persuade the Iranian 
government to function in a way that is not dangerous or 
threatening to its neighbors, to have nuclear power but not 
nuclear weapons.'  After meeting with the Chief of the 
Turkish General Staff, General Ozkok and Prime Minister 
Erdogan, General Pace went to Istanbul at the invitation of 
First Army Commander General Ilker Basbug, an old friend of 
General Pace.  Sunday's Hurriyet reports that General Basbug 
and his wife took General Pace and his wife to Sultanahmet 
Mosque, Ayasofya Museum, Topkapi Palace, the covered bazaar 
and for a boat tour on the Bosphorus.  General Pace was 
reportedly impressed by Friday night's dinner hosted by 
General Basbug in his honor at the Sait Halim Pasa 
Residence.  General Pace and his wife left Istanbul for the 
US on Sunday by military aircraft. 
 
President Sezer Vetos Central Bank Nominee 
All weekend papers:  President Sezer has rejected the 
nomination of Anmet Buyukdeniz, the Government's candidate 
for Central Bank Governor.  President Sezer also rejected 
the nominations of Mehmet Simsek and Birol Aydemir as vice 
governors of the Central Bank.  The statement from the 
Presidency gave no reason for the veto other than to say 
that the nominations were found to be 'inappropriate.' 
Papers speculated that Buyukdeniz was rejected because of 
his strong interest in interest-free banking and Islamic 
finance.  PM Erdogan told reporters on Sunday that the 
cabinet would nominate a new candidate for the post.  In the 
interim, the Central Bank will be run by Deputy Governor 
Erdem Basci. 
 
Controversy Over Cypriot Air Corridor 
Radikal:  The controversy over access of Cypriot planes to 
Turkish air corridors continues.  Last week the Foreign 
Ministry denied a press story claiming that the Turkish 
Government had recently decided to allow international 
airlines use Turkish airspace en route to Greek Cyprus. 
However, Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said over the 
weekend that all passenger planes flying to southern Cyprus 
could freely use Turkish airspace, and that Turkish planes 
are allowed to use Greek Cypriot airspace.  Minister 
Yildirim added that only cargo planes are prevented from 
using each other's airspace.  Last Friday, Turkish Cypriot 
`Foreign Minister' Serdar Denktas said that the Turkish 
Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Cypriots had agreed to 
allow Greek Cypriot planes to use Turkish airspace.  The 
Turkish Foreign Ministry, however, said that all foreign 
planes flying to southern Cyprus, excluding Cypriot Airlines 
 
ANKARA 00001628  002 OF 003 
 
 
planes, have been allowed to use Turkish airspace for many 
years. 
 
PM Erdogan Goes to Sudan for Arab League Summit 
Aksam:  Prime Minister Erdogan leaves for Sudan today to 
attend the Arab League Summit, where he will call on Arab 
countries to take a stronger role in Iraq in order to 
prevent a civil war.  Erdogan will deliver a speech at the 
opening of the two-day summit on the issue of the 'Alliance 
of Civilizations,' in which he will call for dialogue 
between the West and the Muslim World. 
 
Columnist Ferai Tinc observed a significant interest in the 
Arab world to take action on the Iraq issue.  In her column 
in mass appeal Hurriyet, she noted: "The recent signs of a 
rapprochement between Washington and Tehran on Iraqi 
security matters has raised concerns in the Arab world and 
serves as a factor in the Arabs' willingness to take action 
on Iraq.  A decision by the Arabs to help and support Iraqi 
reconstruction would be an important step for the 
preservation of Iraq's territorial integrity, which is at 
significant risk due to the ongoing chaos there.  The Arab 
League is also working on a series of structural reforms, 
such as the establishment of a Peace and Security Council, 
that would enable Arab countries to enhance their role in 
the region.  But the real for the Arab League will come in 
Iraq." 
 
Interview with Armenian FM Vartan Oskanyan 
Hurriyet: Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanian complained 
about misunderstandings and preconceived ideas that he said 
were keeping Turks and Armenians from developing their 
relations.  Oskanian said that opening the border gate 
between Turkey and Armenia would contribute greatly to the 
development of bilateral ties.  The Armenian FM emphasized 
that necessity to recognize the events of 1915.  Oskanian 
added that Armenia does not pose a threat to Turkey. 
 
 
TV News 
(NTV, 8.00 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
- The main opposition CHP said that 24 percent of its 
members are women, and that 16.7 percent of its members are 
20 years old or younger. 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan will participate in the Arab League 
summit in Sudan March 28-29. 
 
- 14 PKK terrorists were killed in clashes with security 
forces in the southeastern province of Bingol over the 
weekend.  A pro-PKK website clams that 6 of those killed 
were nationals of Syria, Iran, and Iraq. 
 
International News 
- Former prime minister Viktor Yanukovich's party leads in 
Ukraine's parliamentary elections, held over the weekend. 
 
- Israeli interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he will 
hold talks with the United States and the international 
community on border issues with Palestine. 
 
- Incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah said 
Hamas wants an end to the crisis with Israel. 
 
- Greek Cypriot Justice Minister Doros Theodoros has 
rejected press reports that fugitive DHKP-C militant Fehriye 
Erdal is hiding in Cyprus. 
 
ANKARA 00001628  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
- Iraqi army officials said on Sunday that 30 corpses, most 
of them beheaded, were found near the town of Baquba, 
outside Baghdad. 
 
 
 Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
  http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
MCELDOWNEY