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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004905 
 
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 
 
 
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkish Participation in the Peacekeeping Force 
All papers:  Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan signaled yesterday 
Turkey's readiness to send troops to the international force in 
Lebanon by saying that Ankara is making final detailed evaluations 
to minimize risks for its soldiers to be deployed in Lebanon, while 
the government is also waiting for the UN to clarify rules of 
engagement.  Tan reiterated that Turkey will not send any troops to 
Lebanon if the international peace keeping force is given the task 
of disarming Hezbollah.  Tan noted that Turkey will send troops only 
for humanitarian purposes and for reconstruction of Lebanon's 
infrastructure.  Bugun and other papers report that Turkey sent an 
advance team to Lebanon to investigate the working conditions for 
the troops. 
 
In Islamist-oriented Zaman columnist Huseyin Gulerce advised the 
Turkish government to focus on the goal of EU accession instead of 
contributions to the Lebanon peacekeeping force.  Stressing that 
Turkey should become a part of European family first in order to 
succeed with its Middle East goals, the writer says: "Turkey should 
not be a part of projects that were prepared by others.  It is the 
US, Israel, Iran and Syria who turned the Middle East into a bonfire 
and now through the UN they are asking Turkey to serve as a 
firefighter.  The responsible ones for the current situation in 
Lebanon should also be able to find a solution.  The Turkish 
government should immediately turn its face to the EU and start 
making new initiatives for the membership process." 
 
Advising Turkey to play an active role in Lebanon, columnist Cuneyt 
Ulsever writes in mainstream Hurriyet: "Turkey cannot stay aloof to 
the ongoing fire in Middle East.  Otherwise the fire will hit Turkey 
eventually.  Having the unique characteristics of being a democratic 
and secular Muslim country, Turkey has a lot to offer to the Middle 
East region - something which will not be suitable to Hamas, 
Hezbollah and other radical fundamentalist organizations.  Turkey's 
own interests require it to assume an active role in Lebanon." 
 
Turkish Middle East Diplomacy 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Namik Tan did not deny media 
reports that the Prime Minister's Advisor Ahmet Davutoglu met with 
Hamas leader Meshal during Gul's visit to Syria.  Meanwhile, Foreign 
Minister Abdullah Gul's secret meeting with the families of abducted 
Israeli soldiers during his visit to Israel last weekend has sparked 
a domestic debate.  Tan said yesterday that at the request of 
Israeli Foreign Ministry officials, the meeting was kept secret and 
held at Gul's hotel and it was not planned beforehand. 
 
PKK Meets the Press 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Vatan, Milliyet:  Papers reports that 
the PKK arranged a press conference in Kandil Mountains to announce 
its reactions to the US Administration's call to the PKK to lay down 
its arms.  International news agencies AFP and AP, together with Al 
Jazeera TV and Milliyet newspaper from Turkey attended the press 
conference.  Cumhuriyet, citing a Turkish Intelligence Organization 
(MIT) report as its source, claims that Washington has been 
bargaining with the PKK to convince the terror organization to lay 
down its arms and begin negotiations.  The report, prepared by MIT 
and submitted to the National Security Council (NSC) during their 
meeting last Monday, says the PKK responded to the US call to lay 
arms down by saying that "Turkey will never sit at the table with us 
after the last 20 years of conflict." The MIT report also highlights 
that the US will not harm the terror organization after establishing 
such close contacts and that the PKK has free rein in Iraq. 
 
 
 
 
 
ANKARA 00004905  002 OF 002 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
Domestic News 
 
Q Outgoing TGS Chief Hilmi Ozkok visited leading opposition party 
CHP headquarters to bid farewell to party leader Deniz Baykal 
Q Three PKK supporters have been taken to custody in connection with 
forest fires in Mugla and 5 PKK terrorists give up themselves to the 
security forces in Sirnak 
Q PM Erdogan starts a campaign for public donations for humanitarian 
support to Lebanon 
 
 
International News 
 
Q US State Department deputy spokesman Gallegos said that Iran's 
response to UN proposal falls short 
Q Amnesty International accuses Israel of deliberate destruction of 
Lebanese civilian infrastructure 
 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON