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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003517 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkish Markets Slump amid Inflation and Interest Rates Fears 
All papers:  The Turkish Central Bank Tuesday intervened in the 
foreign exchange market by selling foreign currency to calm extreme 
volatility and prevent the lira from weakening beyond 1.6 to the 
USD.  Turkey's influential industrialists' group TUSIAD said the 
reasons for the market turbulence are not just economic, but include 
issues of political stability and the slow pace of reform.  TUSIAD 
Chairman Omer Sabanci said it was impossible for the business world 
to remain a bystander in view of the economic turbulence, and he 
charged that delaying reforms by chasing after daily fixes amounts 
to leaving Turkey's economy "permanently open to crises."  "It looks 
like it will difficult to stick to the 5 percent inflation projected 
for the end of the year," Sabanci maintained, claiming that upper 
targets would be exceeded when the inflation figures for June are 
released.  Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener told Sabanci that 
while everybody has the right to "speak and think incorrectly," it 
is too early for such an assessment.  Mainstream papers criticize 
the Central Bank for "wasted its resources" to cope with the global 
turmoil, whereas pro-government Yeni Safak quotes experts as saying 
that the intervention was very timely. 
 
Turkey Launches EU Accession Talks; EU Document Criticizes Turkey 
All papers:  Turkey officially began its negotiations with the EU 
with the closing of the chapter on science and research that took 
place at the EU-Turkey Partnership Council meeting in Luxembourg 
yesterday.  After the meetings held on June 12, Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul, his Austrian counterpart Ursula Plassnik, and EU 
Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn held a joint news conference, 
with the EU officials warning Turkey about fulfilling its 
commitments with respect to Cyprus, and Gul asking that the Cyprus 
problem not "poison" Turkey-EU relations.  Gul said that if a "train 
wreck" occurs on the road to the EU, Turkey would not be the only 
party to suffer damage.  Rehn and Plassnik said that all sides 
should look to the future, not the past, and called on Turkey to 
recognize all member states.  Gul later told the Turkish press that 
it was "not realistic" for the EU to expect Ankara to make all the 
concessions, stressing that Brussels is also obliged to lift trade 
restrictions against Turkish Cypriots, a move so far also blocked by 
Nicosia. 
 
The common position paper issued after the Turkey-EU Partnership 
Council meeting noted that "the pace of change has slowed in Turkey 
in the last year; and further efforts are needed, especially 
regarding the implementation of reforms."  The paper added that 
"although human rights violations are diminishing, they continue to 
occur and there is an urgent need to implement legislation already 
in force."  On civil-military relations, the document said that 
"while some changes have been introduced over the last year, further 
efforts are needed to ensure full civilian control over the military 
in line with practices in EU states.  Public statements by the 
military should relate only to military matters and should only be 
made under the authority of the government."  With regard to free 
speech, the document stressed that "despite recent positive 
developments where prosecuted individuals were acquitted, there are 
still a number of cases pending against individuals for non-violent 
expression of opinion on the basis of Article 301 of the new Penal 
Code."  In the area of religious freedom: "no progress has been 
observed over the last year in addressing the difficulties faced by 
non-Muslim minorities, such as property rights, schools, and 
training, residence and work permits for clergy."  The paper urged 
Turkey to reopen Halki Seminary.  It welcomed the progress made in 
local private broadcasting in Kurdish in some cities in southeast 
Turkey.  The paper underlined continued problems with domestic 
violence and especially "honor killings," which continue in spite of 
the heavy penalties mandated by the new Penal Code.  The paper also 
noted that "the EU unequivocally condemns the actions of the PKK," 
and called for an "end to all provocations and violence 
immediately."  The paper said "the system of village guards should 
 
ANKARA 00003517  002 OF 003 
 
 
be abolished and steps taken to remove landmines in border regions." 
 
 
"Continue, but How?" 
Sami Kohen commented in the mainstream Milliyet (6/14): "The 
Association Council meeting in Luxembourg provided a long list of 
homework for Ankara, including pending reforms and their 
implementation.  It is not clear to what extent the AKP government 
will be able to take further steps on issues of human rights and 
religious freedom.  The issue of preventing of torture is also a 
matter that will take some time, since implementation needs to be 
verified.  Given these current issues, the EU should be as patient 
and as eager as Turkey is about the accession process." 
 
Foreign Minister Gul's Trip to Eurasia 
Hurriyet reports that FM Gul will be traveling to Kazakhstan and 
Azerbaijan this weekend for official meetings.  Gul confirmed 
reports that a possible visit to Tehran is also on the agenda but no 
definite decision has been made.  Responding to Hurriyet's question 
on the issue, Gul was quoted as saying that 'I will go to Tehran if 
the visit would serve a useful purpose.' 
 
'Social Preferences in Turkey': A Survey by Two Private 
Universities 
Bugun, Vatan, Radikal, Zaman:  A survey carried out by Isik and 
Sabanci universities shows that 40 percent of people across Turkey 
said they believed in democracy and freedoms, but that a military 
administration would work better than an elected one.  56 percent 
support Turkey's EU membership, and another 55 percent are not happy 
with the functioning of democracy in Turkey.  70 percent said the 
Islamic headscarf could be allowed in universities and state 
institutions, and 9.1 percent wanted "Sharia" law implemented in 
Turkey (the figure was 26.7 percent in a poll conducted in 1996.) 
39 percent said government policies in the past year have negatively 
affected their economic situation, but 55 percent pronounced 
themselves satisfied by the performance of the Turkish Government. 
The survey included the responses of 1,846 Turks in 23 provinces. 
 
 
Editorial Comments 
 
"Scenes Too Hard to Forget" 
Mete Cubukcu commented in leftist Bugun (6/14): "The scenes from 
Gaza only add to the tragedy of the Israel-Palestine issue.  After 
so many incidents like this over so many years, how can one believe 
that peace will prevail in Palestine and Israel?  The tears in the 
eyes of the Palestinian baby have the potential to create trauma in 
people's minds and defer the possibility of peace.  Such images only 
help to enhance the existing hatred.  Regardless of the political 
games and talk, the massacre on the Gaza beach will be marked as a 
turning point in the minds of many people.  The scenes from that 
place will be remembered as a new symbol of the agony of the 
Palestinians." 
 
"ICO's Views on America" 
Kamuran Ozbir commented in nationalist Ortadogu (6/14):  "Given its 
current 57 members, the Islamic Conference Organization is the 
world's second largest international organization after the United 
Nations.  Therefore its views on world issues should be carefully 
considered.  As the chairman of the OIC recently pointed out, the 
Islamic world thinks that the US has been making mistakes in its 
Middle East policy.  The OIC believes that Washington is taking 
steps in the region before making thorough and correct analysis. 
The US presents itself as pro-Israel, which works against a 
settlement of the Palestine-Israel issue.  The occupation of Iraq 
and the mistakes in the fight against terrorism - including scenes 
from Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo -- have contributed to the rise of 
anti-Americanism in the Islamic world." 
 
 
 
ANKARA 00003517  003 OF 003 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (7 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The trial of the owner and chief editor of fundamentalist daily 
Vakit began in Istanbul.  The defendants have been charged with 
showing the judges of the Council of State as targets to terrorist 
organizations on the paper's front page on February 13.  The two 
could face up to 34.5 years in prison. 
 
- Riot police in Ankara used batons and pepper gas to forcibly 
disperse a group of demonstrators made up of relatives of political 
inmates protesting against maximum security F-type prisons. 
 
- Amnesty International stated its concern over Turkey's new 
anti-terror draft law, which would expand the definition of terror 
offences, and warned against the passage of the draft without 
significant changes.  The AI report said that law enforcement 
officers in Turkey continue to use excessive force in the policing 
of demonstrations: "Police regularly use disproportionate force 
against demonstrators, particularly targeting leftists, supporters 
of the pro-Kurdish party DEHAP, students, and trade unionists." 
 
- On Tuesday, Turkey's parliament, in line with government promises, 
approved a cut in the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 30 
percent in a move aimed at drawing more foreign investment to 
Turkey.  President Sezer is not expected to veto the measure. 
 
International News 
 
- President Bush met Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in a 
surprise visit to Baghdad. 
 
- A Pew Research Center poll of 17,000 people in 14 countries shows 
that most believe the presence of US troops in Iraq poses a greater 
threat to Middle East stability than Iran's nuclear aspirations. 
 
- The Chief of Australian Defense Forces, Air Chief Marshal Angus 
Houston, and the visiting commander of the Turkish Armed Forces, 
General Hilmi Ozkok, signed a defense cooperation agreement in 
Canberra yesterday. 
 
- The new leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, vowed in 
an internet statement to avenge the death of al-Zarqawi through 
"horrific" attacks in the coming days. 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON