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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004754 
 
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, AUGUST 15, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkish Troops to Lebanon 
All papers report that on Monday top Turkish civilian and military 
officials convened at the Prime Ministry in Ankara to discuss the 
possible deployment of Turkish troops to south Lebanon.  Prime 
Minister Erdogan met with Chief of Turkish General Staff (TGS) 
General Ozkok and Land Forces Commander General Buyukanit to discuss 
a possible Turkish troop deployment in the south of Lebanon.  A 
statement after the meeting said Turkey welcomed the ceasefire 
implemented on Monday morning, but decided to await a new UN 
decision before sending peacekeeping troops to the region.  At the 
same time, Sabah reports that, according to military and diplomatic 
sources, Turkey would send 600 soldiers to Lebanon.  Turkey also 
stressed that it would be sending increasing quantities of 
humanitarian aid to the Lebanese people. On Tuesday morning, Foreign 
Minister Gul was to discuss the troop deployment issue with 
President Sezer and opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal.  CHP MP 
Cevdet Selvi warned the AKP government against sending troops into 
"the Lebanon swamp."  Cumhuriyet says parliamentary approval would 
be needed to send Turkish peacekeepers to Lebanon.  Turkish 
Parliament's summer recess will end on October 1, but papers 
speculate that an extraordinary session could be held on September 
¶19. Zaman reports Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to visit 
Syria, Lebanon and Israel on Wednesday to test the ground for a 
possible deployment of Turkish peacekeeping troops to south Lebanon. 
 
 
Fikret Bila commenting in the mainstream Milliyet explains why 
Turkey is holding off on making a decision on participating in a 
peacekeeping force: "According to Justice Minister Cemil Cicek there 
are three reasons why Ankara is waiting: 1) the UN resolution 
doesn't openly say 'ceasefire' but says 'ending clashes;' 2) the 
positions and attitudes of the countries involved are not clear; and 
3) the purpose and size of the force the UN will request is still 
not clear. It is obvious that Ankara would prefer to wait for a 
second and more concrete UN resolution before reaching a decision on 
troop deployment to Lebanon.  It seems Ankara would prefer to 
participate diplomatically and professionally in regional and 
international issues, rather than militarily." 
 
Writing in mainstream Sabah, Yilmaz Ozdil questions Turkey's 
participation: "Will the troops sent there protect Lebanon or 
indirectly protect Israel by stopping terrorist infiltration from 
Lebanon?  Do we send our children to military service to protect our 
borders or Israel's borders?  As a UN member if we need to comply 
with the UN decisions, then, how come no one ever thought of asking 
the UN where they were when the PKK was coming through Lebanon's 
Bekaa Valley to attack Turkey?' 
 
Rahim Er argues in favor of participation in the daily nationalist 
Turkiye, noting that "people in the Middle East will trust Turkey": 
"Israel's one month long massacre ended yesterday with a UN 
decision.  Now, the issue is the deployment of a 15,000-strong 
peacekeeping force in the region.  There is no doubt that Turkey 
will send troops to this peacekeeping force and that the government 
is just waiting for a more concrete road map from the UN. When all 
is confirmed, Turkish troops will be sent to Lebanon as they were 
sent to Korea, Bosnia and Afghanistan.  Turkish troops' success in 
these peacekeeping forces is a well known fact globally. Turkey 
should take the lead in this peacekeeping force in Lebanon because 
we share almost the same culture and the same religion with this 
region.  The people in the Middle East will trust Turkish troops and 
trust is everything." 
 
Ceasefire in Lebanon 
All papers say both sides in the Lebanon conflict claim victory 
despite the devastation. 
All papers report that Hezbollah leader Nasrallah said we have won 
 
ANKARA 00004754  002 OF 003 
 
 
"a great victory" over Israel.  Several papers note Israel is 
debating the reasons for its failure.  Thousands of Lebanese 
displaced by war are returning home.  Yeni Safak says Israel 
withdrew unsuccessfully, leaving behind 1,200 killed and 7,500 
devastated buildings. 
 
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's scheduled to visit Turkey at 
the end of this month has been cancelled.  Israeli sources said 
Olmert has cancelled all his visits to foreign countries because of 
the ongoing war in the region, regardless of the declaration of a 
ceasefire.  Two small groups of intellectuals and writers held a 
peaceful demonstration in front of the US missions in Ankara and 
Istanbul to protest against Israel.  A mass anti-Israel rally will 
be held in Istanbul on August 20 with participation of NGOs, 
academics, and labor unions. 
 
Erdogan Marks AKP Fifth Anniversary 
All papers report Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan issues 
political messages at a press conference held yesterday to mark the 
fifth anniversary of his ruling AK Party, saying Turkey was 
determined to fight PKK terrorism, also warning that Turkey's 
patience in this issue should not be tested.  He warned the 
international community not to provide shelter to the terrorist 
organization.  Erdogan said AKP had started a new era for Turkey 
over the last five years.  The PM also shrugged off criticism that 
his government had "sold" Cyprus.  "We gave away nothing in Cyprus; 
on the contrary, Turkish Cyprus has gained prestige with us." 
 
Diyanet Opens Family Advice Offices 
Milliyet reports the state body overseeing religious affairs, the 
Diyanet, will open 20 family advice offices across Turkey to offer 
religion-based solutions to family problems.  Diyanet officials said 
six offices currently working to resolve conflicts between husbands 
and wives, offering psychological treatment if necessary as well as 
advise on issues such as honor killings had already drawn 
considerable interest.  An official said in conservative societies, 
the best way to reach out to people would be through clerics. 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (8 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The ruling AK Party government submitted to President Sezer's 
approval a proposal to award outgoing Chief of Turkish General 
Staff, General Himi Ozkok, with state medal of honor.  Ozkok will be 
the third Turkish top military commander to receive the medal. 
 
- Iranian Petroleum Minister Kazem Vaziri Hamaneh and an 
accompanying delegation arrived in Ankara Tuesday morning to meet 
with Energy Minister Hilmi Guler to discuss Iran's exports of 
natural gas to Europe via Turkey. 
 
- Former UN spokesman Timur Goksel said Turkey should send to 
Lebanon a battalion of military engineers instead of peacekeeping 
troops. 
 
- Three people were injured in a small blast on Monday in the heart 
of Istanbul's main tourist district of Sultanahmet.  The blast was 
caused by an explosive substance left in a bag under a park bench in 
the district. 
 
International News 
 
- The UN Human Rights Council is to send a special commission to 
Lebanon to investigate Israeli war crimes against civilians. 
 
- The PKK opened a new office in Baghdad after the terrorist 
organization's extension Democratic Solution Party was closed down 
 
ANKARA 00004754  003 OF 003 
 
 
by Iraqi authorities. 
 
- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman rejected claims that Iran's 
nuclear program was at an impasse. 
 
- An American reporter and another unidentified journalist, both 
from Fox News TV, have been abducted in Gaza by unidentified gunmen. 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON