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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002099 
 
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, APRIL 17, 2006 
 
  In Today's Papers 
 
  Gul-Rice to Meet in Sofia 
  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told Hurriyet that in 
  response to Secretary Rice's get well wishes, he sent a 
  hand-written letter to her, inviting the US Secretary of 
  State to Turkey to discuss "problems here in the region." 
  Citing Greek papers, Sabah says Secretary Rice will visit 
  Turkey on April 25-27 before the NATO foreign ministers 
  meeting in Sofia to discuss Cyprus, Kosovo, and the 
  transfer of natural gas to Europe through Turkey and 
  Greece.  Gul said that the 50-year-long Turkey-US ties 
  were "strong and deeply-rooted," and that the two 
  countries shared the same vision and values.  "We share 
  with the United States values such as democracy, 
  transparency, freedom, and expansion of basic rights. 
  Together with the United States, we want such values to 
  prevail around the world," Gul maintained.  He said there 
  were no problems in ties with the US.  "Turkey is located 
  in the most critical geography in the world, so more 
  meetings between us and the US are required.  Different 
  opinions on both sides will not change the course of our 
  relationship.  Americans, too, have clashing views in 
  their government," Gul said. 
 
  Thousands of Iraqis Flee Country 
  Yeni Safak reports some 60,000 Iraqis have fled the 
  country for other countries including Jordan, Turkey and 
  Syria.  Iraqi officials said 10,000 homes had been 
  destroyed across Iraq due to attacks by the US-led 
  coalition forces.  More than 100,000 Iraqi civilians have 
  been killed since 2003, according to Iraqi Refugees 
  Ministry. 
 
  Iraq International Fair to be Held in Turkey 
  Hurriyet, Radikal:  The Iraq International Fair will be 
  held in the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep from 
  June 7-11.  State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said some 1,000 
  companies from Europe, Africa, America and Asia would 
  attend the fair, making Turkey the main center of trade 
  with Iraq.  "Turkey's exports to Iraq were USD 2.7 
  billion in 2005.  We want to get the biggest share in 
  Iraq's rebuilding," Tuzmen said. 
 
  Bahceli Warns Southeast Turkey against Provocations 
  Hurriyet, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Zaman:  Devlet Bahceli, 
  the leader of the extreme-right National Action Party 
  (MHP) warned his party members against "ethnic 
  provocations" at a party congress in the southern city of 
  Adana.  Bahceli also called on the mainly Kurdish people 
  in the southeast to defend unity.  "I ask our brothers in 
  southeast Turkey -- does the US love you more than us? 
  We must protect Turkey's unity.  We will not give away 
  even an acre of Turkey," Bahceli stressed. 
 
  Commentary on the Iran Nuclear Stand-off 
 
  Washington-based Yasemin Congar writing in mainstream 
  Milliyet reports that according to a US military official 
  who served in Iraq, if a decision is taken to launch a 
  military operation, the US certainly "hopes to see Turkey 
  facilitate it," but that given the way Turkey voted in 
  the lead up to the Iraq war, "no plans will be shaped 
  based on the hope that Turkey will offer assistance." 
 
  In a column entitled, "Is Washington Bluffing?" Islamist- 
  oriented Zaman, Washington-based Ali Aslan says that the 
  relationship in the US between the military and civilian 
  authorities is "interesting to watch." Aslan points out 
  that the Bush administration made its own Iraq decisions 
 
ANKARA 00002099  002 OF 002 
 
 
  "ignoring the worries expressed by military authorities" 
  and that a "similar situation is now seen on the Iran 
  issue." He concludes that the military "does not want the 
  use of force against Iran at this stage since its focus 
  is Iraq where troubles still continue. The military does 
  not want to see the same mistakes repeated." 
 
  TV News 
  (NTV, 8.00 a.m.) 
 
  Domestic News 
  - Seven members of Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP have 
  been detained in Nusaybin in southeast Turkey.  The mayor 
  of Diyarbakir, the main city in the restive southeast, 
  said only dialogue can resolve the problems of his 
  region. 
 
  - Turkey will issue new passports in 2007 to prevent 
  forgery. 
 
  International News 
  - Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki said Iran will give 
  the Palestinian Authority USD 50 million. 
 
  - The Sunday Times electronic edition claimed Iran was 
  training 40,000 "suicide commandos" to strike American 
  and British targets around the world if Iranian nuclear 
  sites are attacked. 
 
  - US-led coalition forces killed seven Afghan civilians 
  in fighting with militants in eastern Afghanistan. 
 
  - Israeli and American sources rejected reports that 
  Israel would swap the imprisoned al-Fatah leader Marwan 
  Barghouti with Jonathan Pollard, former US Defense 
  Department official, who is in prison in the US for 
  spying for Israel. 
 
  Economy News 
  - The World Bank Turkey director Andrew Vorking said 
  Turkey needed a new reform package to boost employment. 
 
  - Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said nuclear plants 
  were the only alternative for pulling down energy costs 
  in Turkey.  The head of Turkish nuclear agency TAEK said 
  the location to build Turkey's first nuclear plant had 
  not been fixed yet. 
 
  -  Greek businessmen want to make joint investments with 
  Turkey in Central Asia. 
 
 
 Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
  http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON