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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002411 
 
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 
TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkish Troop Movements on Iraq Border; Biden Remarks on 
Iraq 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Vatan, Radikal, Zaman, Yeni Safak and 
others:  Iraq's President Jalal Talabani said in a statement 
that cross-border military incursions into northern Iraq 
would be "unacceptable," emphasizing that the recent visit 
of US secretaries Rice and Rumsfeld to Baghad was a 
manifestation of the will that its neighbors should not 
interfere in Iraq's internal affairs.  The northern Iraqi 
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Ankara representation 
denied Turkish troops have crossed into northern Iraq, 
saying that Turkish military operations were held inside 
Turkey near the border with Iraq.  The regional President of 
Kurdistan, Massud Barzani said Kurds were not seeking 
independence, and that they wanted better ties with Ankara. 
Barzani complained that Ankara had distanced itself from the 
regional administration of Kurdistan.  Vatan says during her 
visit to Ankara late last month, Turks have told Secretary 
Rice to make clear to Barzani that the status of Kirkuk 
cannot be changed by relocating 300,000 Kurd to the oil-rich 
northern Iraqi city.  Turks said the militants of the 
outlawed PKK were moving freely in northern Iraq, and warned 
Barzani against intentions to use the PKK as a "trump card" 
against Turkey. 
 
Papers report the Shiites and Sunnis have agreed on the 
distribution of cabinet ministers in the new Iraqi 
government, in which independent names will be appointed to 
the interior and defense ministries. 
 
Papers also report Congressman Joseph Biden as suggesting 
that Iraq should be divided into three autonomous regions -- 
Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish -- under the authority of a 
central government in Baghdad which will handle defense, 
foreign affairs, and the management of oil revenues.  In an 
op-ed in The New York Times, Biden said such a plan might 
enable the US to pull out of Iraq in 2008. 
 
Gungor Mengi noted ironically in Vatan that although one 
justification for the US occupation of Iraq was that Iraq 
was sheltering terrorism, "terrorists currently operate in 
Iraq under the wing of the US and, in fact, they find it 
much easier to operate there than during the Saddam era." 
Mengi argues that the fact that the US failed to prevent PKK 
attacks against Turkey and did not let Turkey handle the 
problem on its own "makes it look as if the US is conducting 
an undeclared war against its ally through terror." He 
points out that Iran, a country accused of being the primary 
supporter of terrorism, "has started making efforts to 
pursue the terrorists in a cross-border operation." Pointing 
out that regardless of the nature of agreements between 
governments, "friendship and hostility are two major 
concepts shaped by public perception,"  Mengi concludes 
since "you can never make a convincing argument to Turkish 
people about the US being helpless against a bunch of PKK 
terrorists, the man on the street believes that the US is 
hostile to Turkey by design." 
 
Larijani Due in Ankara May 8 
Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others report 
Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani is to visit 
Ankara on May 8 to meet with Prime Minister Erdogan, Foreign 
Minister Gul, and the Secretary-General of National Security 
Council (MGK), the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) said. 
Radikal expects Ankara to give Larijani the message that 
Turkey will comply with a possible UN Security Council 
resolution stipulating sanctions on Iran. 
 
 
ANKARA 00002411  002 OF 003 
 
 
Commentary on Secretary Rice's Visit 
Asli Aydintasbas wrote in the mass appeal Sabah: "Secretary 
Rice has accomplished more than the usual public diplomacy 
by exerting sincere efforts to repair the relationship with 
Turkey and even move it forward. Washington considers Turkey 
a friend with a long history and an important regional 
player.  There is also a personal friendship between Rice 
and Gul which will be helpful for many partnerships in the 
future of Turkish-American ties.   On the Iran issue, there 
is a misrepresentation about the Rice visit to Turkey.  She 
wasn't here to ask for support for military action against 
Iran.  Currently, there is no decision about Iran; 
Washington does not have a tangible Ahmedinejad plan yet. 
At this point, there is only one thing Washington wants from 
Ankara: not to get deeply involved with Iran." 
 
Labor Day Celebrations 
All papers:  While Labor Day was celebrated peacefully in 
some parts of Turkey, there were clashes between the 
demonstrators and security forces in Istanbul, Izmir, Elazig 
and Mersin.  Istanbul police detained 40 protesters who were 
chanting slogans against the IMF and the US.  Police 
detained around 30 protestors in Elazig for staging a 
demonstration without a permit.  In Izmir protestors threw 
stones at police and provoked a clash in which several 
people were injured.  Police dispersed the protestors using 
tear gas. 
 
High Court Overrules Postponing Hirant Dink's Sentence 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, and others:  The Court of Appeals 
yesterday overruled a lower court decision to postpone the 
six month prison term of Hirant Dink, the editor-in-chief of 
Armenian-Turkish daily Agos.  Dink was sentenced by a local 
court to a six-month prison sentence, but the penalty was 
suspended later by the same court.  The Court of Appeals has 
rejected the lower court decision postponing Dink's sentence 
saying that Hirant Dink had insulted and ridiculed Turkish 
identity. 
 
FM Gul Rejects Greek FM Bakoyannis Request to Re-open the 
Halki Seminary 
Hurriyet, Milliyet:  During the NATO meetings in Sofia, FM 
Gul rejected the request of Greek FM Bakoyannis to open the 
Heybeliada (Halki) Seminary in Istanbul.  Gul said that the 
religious education provided at the seminary was against the 
Turkish constitution and Turkish principles of secularism. 
Responding to Bakoyannis' remarks that Turkey should 
undertake new steps to expanding religious freedoms, Gul 
said that there were no problems with religious freedom in 
Turkey and that minorities had been free to practice their 
religious beliefs.  Gul reminded her that Turkey had offered 
to open the seminary as a faculty of Istanbul University, 
but the Patriarchate had rejected the offer. 
 
Erdogan to Visit Diyarbakir; AKP MPs Want Baydemir Removed 
Hurriyet reports Prime Minister Erdogan is to join the 
ruling AK Party local conventions in the mainly Kurdish 
southeastern cities of Diyarbakir and Siirt on Sunday. 
Erdogan will address the gatherings with respect to the 
economic and social measures planned to improve the 
situation in southeast Turkey.  Sabah says that nationalist 
lawmakers in the AK Party want the Diyarbakir Mayor Osman 
Baydemir removed from office, while the ruling party 
lawmakers from southeast Turkey warned that such a move 
would make Baydemir a hero, stirring further social unrest 
in the region.  Baydemir was accused of siding with the PKK 
terrorists during the protest demonstrations held in the 
city in March. 
 
Turkey-Israel Pipelines Project 
 
ANKARA 00002411  003 OF 003 
 
 
Zaman reports Turkey and Israel will partner to build four 
pipelines to carry crude oil, natural gas, water, and 
electricity in a project which will strengthen the ties 
between Ankara and Tel Aviv.  Feasibility work will kick off 
soon for the project to be completed in 10 years. 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (8 a.m) 
 
Domestic News 
- Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said Article 6 of the 
anti-terror bill would in no way open the path for the 
release of the PKK's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan. 
 
- The 56th meeting of Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary 
Commission (JPC) will be held in the Turkish parliament on 
May 3-5.  Turkey's chief negotiator for EU accession talks 
Ali Babacan, the head of the delegation of the European 
Commission Hansjorg Kretschmer, Turkey-EU JPC co-president 
Joost Lagendijk, and several other officials will 
participate in the meeting. 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan will attend the 9th heads of state 
and government summit of the South East European Cooperation 
Process (SEECP) in the Greek city of Thessalonica on May 4, 
his office announced on Monday. 
 
- One Turkish soldier has been killed by a landmine believed 
to have been planted by the separatist PKK in the 
southeastern province of Hakkari. 
 
International News 
- A Newsweek article said Washington is caught between two 
allies -- NATO member Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds, its 
closest ally in Iraq. 
 
- Turkish Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Erdogan was 
not scheduled to meet with Iranian President Ahmadinejad 
during the May 5 meeting of the Economic Cooperation 
Organization meeting in Baku.  Observers think the two 
leaders might come together on the sidelines of the talks. 
 
- The Iranian government has allocated USD 242.5 million to 
complete the nuclear reactor at Bushehr, southwest Iran, a 
government spokesman said. 
 
- Suspected militants killed 35 Hindus in two small villages 
in the India-controlled region of Kashmir. 
 
 
 Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
  http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON