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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004853 
 
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, AUGUST 21, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Foreign Minister Gul Visits Israel; Discusses Peacekeeping Force 
All papers:  Foreign Minister Gul visited Israel yesterday to check 
the pulse of the Israeli authorities on UN peacekeeping force 
deployment.  Gul met with Israeli PM Ehud Olmert, FM Tzipi Livni and 
Defense Minister Peretz and urged them to actively participate in 
efforts to bring permanent peace and stability to the Middle East. 
Gul also underlined the importance of the concerned parties acting 
in accordance with UN resolution 1701.  During his visit, Gul urged 
all concerned parties to seek ways to solve problems through 
dialogue and underlined Turkey's diplomatic efforts for peace and 
humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people.  Hurriyet reports 
that Israeli PM Olmert openly told Gul that Israel would like to see 
Turkish troops among the UN forces in Lebanon.  FM Gul commented 
that the international peacekeeping force would not be responsible 
for fighting Hezbollah.  After Israel, FM Gul met with Palestinian 
leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.  In other Middle East-related 
news, Aksam and others report that thousands demonstrated in 
Istanbul yesterday against Israeli and the US policies in the Middle 
East. 
 
Mustafa Balbay, writing in the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet, warns 
that Turkey is making a commitment to the force "without knowing 
what the framework is":   "Secretary Rice uttered some key words 
recently on the Lebanon issue when she called for a new Middle East. 
 Turkey is certainly a part of this new plan but will be kept out of 
the information loop regarding the details and processes.  According 
to the scenario, co-designed by the US and France, Turkey needs to 
know only the part that it will have to play -- not the entire plan. 
 Moreover there is no guarantee that this scenario will not change 
as it moves forward.  Turkey's ruling AKP is making a commitment to 
participate in the Lebanese peacekeeping force without even knowing 
what its framework is.  Something is very clear though:  the 
Lebanese peacekeeping force will be protecting American and Israeli 
interests in the region." 
 
On the other hand, Washington-based Omer Taspinar commented in the 
liberal-intellectual Radikal that joining the force would 
"strengthen Turkey's hand": "The international community, including 
Arabs and the US, are expecting Turkey's contribution and we should 
not keep Turkey out of this.  This is not only a matter of prestige 
and historic responsibility for Turkey but also it can offer a 
unique chance if we can design the sending force plan with careful 
political analysis.  By assuming a serious role in Lebanon, Turkey 
can ask the US to take concrete steps on PKK and Cyprus issues. 
Ankara can also initiate and host a brand new conference on the 
Middle East through its influence in the region as well as its 
relations with Washington." 
 
National Security Council Meeting Today 
Yeni Safak, Zaman, Radikal and others:  The National Security 
Council (NSC) will convene under President Sezer today.  Latest 
developments in the Middle East, possible Turkish troop deployment 
in Lebanon and the PKK issue will be the major issues of the 
meeting.  Outgoing Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok will make a 
farewell speech and Gendarmerie General Fevzi Turkeri will also bid 
farewell at today's meeting. 
 
President Sezer Declines Talabani's Appointment Request 
Sabah reports on page one that Iraqi President Talabani sent to 
Turkey many requests for an official visit through different 
channels, including through the US, urging Turkey to strengthen its 
ties with Iraqi leaders.  However, despite US pressure, President 
Sezer declined to give Talabani an appointment.  Sources close to 
Sezer said that as long as the PKK's activities continue and Turkish 
soldiers are martyred, President Sezer will not consider inviting 
Talabani.  Iraqi officials reportedly consider this rejection as a 
lack of political courtesy. 
 
 
ANKARA 00004853  002 OF 002 
 
 
PKK Meets with the US Officials, PKK Attacks 
Cumhuriyet, Sabah, Zaman:  Cumhuriyet draws attention to a report by 
the Turkish security forces in Iraq that Kurdish leaders Barzani and 
Talabani have been supporting the PKK and that US officials had been 
in touch with PKK militants.  According to this report, US majors 
and higher ranked military officials have held more than a hundred 
meetings with the PKK since the beginning of the year.  The report 
says the goal of PKK activities is to stir an uprising among the 
Kurds.  Sabah reports that the PKK launched a bomb attack on the 
Iran-Turkey natural gas pipeline in Taslicay, Agri Province.  It 
took five hours for the fire on the pipeline to be put out.  Zaman 
says this is the sixth attack on the pipeline by the PKK within the 
last seven months.  Sabah and Cumhuriyet report that two PKK 
terrorists were killed during an operation in a rural area in Sivas 
Province. 
 
Writing in the mainstream Milliyet, Semih Idiz argues that a 
"dialogue of the deaf is going on between Ankara and Washington" on 
the PKK issue: "Given the current atmosphere, it is not a surprise 
that Ankara was annoyed by Washington's recent call on the PKK to 
disarm.  The pending issue of a US coordinator for the PKK has also 
become another reason to mistrust the US.  The common perception is 
that those efforts are unwelcome because both the call for the PKK 
to lay down arms and the PKK coordinator are seen as steps toward 
making Turkey consider the PKK a negotiation partner.   There are a 
significant number of Americans who believe that Turkey should sit 
at the table with Kurds once the PKK declares that it is giving up 
arms and engaging in politics.  Given the current psychology fed 
with everyday news of PKK attacks and murders, the US seems not to 
realize that this is an unacceptable argument for Turkey." 
 
Iranian Planes Searched by Turkey 
Zaman, Vatan, Aksam, Sabah and others:  Iranian Government Spokesman 
Asefi confirmed that Turkey had forced two Iranian planes to land 
and searched them for missiles.  Although this was a routine 
procedure, Iran was disturbed by these searches, when the two 
countries enjoy a good relationship such practices are not 
appropriate, added Asefi. 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 8.00 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
 
There were 47 forest fires in the Aegean and the Mediterranean coast 
during last 48 hours. One fire, in Selcuk, Kusadasi, is threatening 
the historic home of the Virgin Mary 
 
CHP leader Deniz Baykal warns that Turkish troops sent to Lebanon 
could be dragged into the fighting there 
 
International News 
 
Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said that countries that do not have 
diplomatic relations with his country should not be allowed to 
deploy troops in Lebanon 
 
Heavy fighting in southern Afghanistan leaves 76 suspected Taliban 
dead 
 
17 people were killed and over 200 wounded in a major Shiite 
festival in Baghdad 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
MCELDOWNEY