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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004687 
 
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, AUGUST 11, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Britain Foils Terrorist Plot to Blow Up Planes 
All papers give extensive front-page coverage to a major terrorist 
plot to blow up aircraft midair between Britain and the United 
States, a simultaneous attempt thwarted by British police Thursday 
morning.  Twenty-four suspects, all of them Muslim British nationals 
have been arrested by British police.  Turkish papers say the plot, 
thought to have been connected to al-Qaeda, was the worst terrorist 
threat since the September 11 attacks in the US.  The terrorist plot 
has had an impact across global stock markets, including the 
Istanbul Stock Exchange.  The Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) 
released a statement lauding the British security forces for their 
success in foiling a bloody attack.  A commentary in Vatan says 
Turkey had earlier become the target of al-Qaeda attacks, and warns 
the country to prepare for new terrorist attempts. 
 
Mottaki Visits Turkey 
Sabah and Yeni Safak carry a report by the Iranian state-run news 
agency IRNA saying 
Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki is to arrive in Istanbul 
on Friday to discuss with Turks the situation in Lebanon and 
Palestine as well as Tehran's nuclear activities.  Mottaki is to 
meet with Foreign Minister Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan.  Sabah 
says the request for Mottaki's visit came from the Iranians, and 
Foreign Minister Gul accepted it. 
 
Turkey Seeks Broad Consensus before Kirkuk Referendum Next Year 
Sabah, Zaman and Yeni Safak report Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met 
with Iraqi Vice-President Tariq al-Hashimi and seven Sunni and 
Shiite Turkmen lawmakers in Istanbul yesterday.  Gul told Hashimi 
and the Turkmen that the upcoming referendum on Kirkuk would not 
help solve the problems, and that a broader compromise was needed 
before holding the referendum next year.  An unidentified Turkish 
official told Zaman Turkey was seeking special status for Kirkuk. 
 
Zapsu Defends Ties with al-Qadi 
All papers:  Cuneyd Zapsu, former businessman who became advisor to 
Prime Minister Erdogan, responded to press questions regarding his 
ties with Yasin al-Qadi, the Saudi financier accused of sponsoring 
international terrorism.  "The United States has been unfair to 
al-Qadi," Zapsu said, "Saudi Arabia has applied to the US, demanding 
al-Qadi be dropped from the list of terrorism sponsors, since no 
charges have been filed against him thus far."  On his business ties 
with the Saudi businessman, Zapsu said besides al-Qadi, Merrill 
Lynch and Bank of America were partners in BIM Corp., a Turkish 
chain of supermarkets owned by the Zapsu family.  "I came under 
heavy criticism for my partnership with al-Qadi, but no one ever 
asked my American partners Merrill Lynch and Bank of America 
anything.  I wonder why," Zapsu emphasized. 
 
Ministry Bans Loud Music in Bars after Midnight 
Hurriyet reports Turkish Environment Ministry said control of bars 
and restaurants along the Bosphorus causing noise pollution by 
playing high-volume music will be expanded to other major cities and 
coastal tourist towns.  Earlier this week, the ministry had closed 
some bars in Istanbul playing extremely loud music, saying nearby 
residents complained that they could not sleep.  Some opposition CHP 
lawmakers said noise pollution had been a pretext for the 
conservative ruling AK Party to close restaurants serving alcohol. 
 
 
Editorial Commentary: Turkey and Israel; US Middle East Policy 
 
Ibrahim Karagul argues in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak that while 
officials condemn Israel's actions, Turkey's close economic and 
military ties with that country make the condemnations hypocritical: 
 "As the second best friend of Israel, let us discuss Turkey's role 
in the US-Israel attacks against Lebanon.  Why has the military 
 
ANKARA 00004687  002 OF 003 
 
 
partnership between Turkey and Israel never been questioned as the 
Israeli attacks on Lebanon are being criticized by the whole world, 
including Turkish public?  Why it is not highlighted that Turkey 
continues to give full support to Israel in every way?  While Israel 
is criticized in politicians' messages to the Turkish people, why 
has no one thought of canceling any of the military/security 
agreements with Israel?  Why is no one questioning the Israeli 
electronic devices built on our borders, or our partnership in the 
missile defense project?  Israeli pilots, who have been trained at 
Konya air base, are massacring civilians in Lebanon now.  Were the 
military exercises by the US-Turkey-Israel in the east Mediterranean 
preparations for these attacks?  Can someone explain the reason for 
Turkish Special Forces' presence in Lebanon, and tell me what kind 
of operations they are being used for?  The truth is, Turkey has a 
role in the Israeli massacres in Lebanon, as well!  Turkey is 
responsible too!  While cursing Israel, we all are responsible for 
this massacre!" 
 
Writing in the mainstream Milliyet, Taha Akyol says that Israeli 
militarism is "feeding terrorism":  "Each time Condoleezza Rice 
heard comments about the US occupation of Iraq provoking terrorism, 
she reiterated that the US was neither in Iraq nor Afghanistan when 
terrorists attacked the twin towers on September 11.  There is one 
fact that Secretary Rice either misses or wants to ignore: the US 
may not have been occupying Iraq and Afghanistan before September 
11, but Israel was occupying East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza 
Strip and the Golan Heights, and was torturing people in these 
areas.  And this occupation has fed today's insurgency, conflicts 
and terrorism.  The Israeli military has been the winner of each war 
so far but they couldn't manage to handle organizations like Hamas 
and Hezbollah, using special war tactics.  This is a historic chain, 
and the terror plot against the US that was thwarted in London 
yesterday, is one of the links in this chain.  Israeli militarism is 
feeding terrorism once again by its cruelty in Lebanon.  It is 
necessary to oppose Israeli militarism as well as Hezbollah and 
Hamas activities, otherwise terror attempts, like the one in 
Heathrow yesterday, unfortunately will continue." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (8 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Turkish Second Army Commander General Sukru Sariisik said PKK 
terrorism sponsored by the West and fundamentalist activities were 
main threats for Turkey.  Sariisik is to become the commander of 
Aegean Army on August 30. 
 
- King Abdullah said Turkey and Saudi Arabia should cooperate in 
developing new business projects, with Saudi businessmen planning to 
invest in Turkey in real estate and health sectors.  Prime Minister 
Erdogan also invited Saudi businessmen to invest in Turkey. 
 
- 100 members of the Human Rights Association (IHD), Amnesty 
International and the Association of Oppressed People gathered 
before the Lebanese Consulate General in Istanbul. The protestors 
held a 2-hour sit-in during which they condemned Israel for its 
human rights violations and massacres of civilians in Lebanon. 
 
- The trial of Arslan Alparslan, the main suspect in the deadly 
Council of State shooting, and four of his accomplices begins today. 
 The Prosecutor is demanding life sentences for Arslan and friends 
who are charged with attempting to undermine the constitutional 
order. 
 
- The US-based international investment bank Merrill Lynch is in 
negotiations to buy Turkey's Tat Investment Bank at USD 6 million. 
 
 
 
ANKARA 00004687  003 OF 003 
 
 
International News 
 
- Israeli warplanes dropped leaflets over downtown Beirut on 
Thursday, warning residents of three southern suburbs to evacuate 
immediately. 
 
- US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said Secretary Rice 
was looking for the right person to appoint as the special 
coordinator under the framework of the three-party mechanism to 
fight against the PKK. 
 
- Iranian President Ahmadinejad said hatred of President Bush 
increased every day around the world. 
 
- A suicide bomb attack near a Shiite shrine in the Iraqi city of 
Najaf killed 35 and wounded more than 50 others. 
 
- Venezuelan opposition parties agreed to support a single candidate 
in an effort to challenge Hugo Chavez in December's presidential 
election. 
 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON