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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004992 
 
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 29, 2006 
 
 
  In Today's Papers 
 
  Turkish Troop Deployment to Lebanon 
  All papers:  After a five-hour meeting, the Cabinet announced its 
decision in principle to send troops to Lebanon.  The Cabinet 
spokesman said that decision was taken in view of Turkish interests 
and goes beyond domestic concerns.  Asked about President Sezer's 
objections, he was quoted as saying, "We respect his views, but we 
think differently."  Following the cabinet decision all eyes now 
turn to Parliament for its decision.  Aksam says that while the 
government agrees on this issue, the Foreign Ministry was concerned 
about the developments in the Middle East.  A report prepared by 
Turkish diplomats showed that the peacekeepers in the region might 
be dragged into clashes with Hezbollah.  The Foreign Ministry 
insists that the government should focus on peaceful diplomatic 
solutions rather than deciding to send troops to Lebanon. 
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan started his 11-day Middle 
East Tour from Lebanon.  Annan, reportedly, faced protests in south 
Beirut by pro-Hezbollah Lebanese people while he was touring the 
bomb-wrecked part of the city. 
 
  Columnists from different publications remain cautious about 
sending Turkish soldiers to Lebanon while a few support the idea of 
taking a role: 
 
  Yilmaz Oztuna writes in the conservative Turkiye: "From the 
beginning of the debate about whether or not to send troops to 
Lebanon, I haven't come up with a clear conclusion.  Given the 
circumstances, being in Lebanon seems objectionable, yet not sending 
troops seems even more objectionable.  Everything about Lebanon is 
dangerous, gloomy, unstable as well as constantly changing.  By 
looking at the issue and the situation, it may sound funny but I can 
fully agree with both Turkish President Sezer and Prime Minister 
Erdogan as the former stands against the idea while the latter 
defends it." 
 
  Gungor Mengi commenting in the mass appeal Vatan: "The government 
has made the right decision by moving toward dispatching troops to 
Lebanon.  As the government spokesman noted, Turkey cannot afford to 
sit and watch like an outsider.  The peacekeeping force is Turkey's 
duty for both domestic and foreign political reasons.  If Turkey 
remains aloof to the tragedy next door, there can be no validation 
for us to proclaim ourselves a bridge between civilizations.  Not 
sending troops to Lebanon also means Turkey would lose one of its 
strong cards for EU membership.  Taking a role in Lebanon can also 
be used as a convincing argument toward the US in the fight against 
terrorism.  Otherwise the US will not be enthusiastic about taking 
any initiative on the PKK.  It is true that Hezbollah poses a 
potential risk for Turkish soldiers there.  But elimination of this 
risk requires skilful diplomacy vis-`-vis Iran, not necessarily 
closing the door to any action." 
 
  Kursat Bumin argues in the Islamist-opinion maker Yeni Safak: 
"Regardless of the ongoing rhetoric, the fact is that the Lebanon 
crisis is not about the two soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah.  It is 
not possible to comprehend the big picture without taking the US 
factor, or the current US administration for that matter, into 
account.  It is also very wrong to try to analyze the Lebanon-Israel 
situation through religious and historical arguments instead of 
political motives.  In fact, the masterminds of the current US 
administration are providing enough material to think about the 
political reasons.  One example is Robert Kagan who defends the idea 
that the world is in need of a powerful organizer, and this role 
cannot be played by an international organization.   At this point 
can we possibly say that the UNSC 1701 is a solid resolution which 
everybody will obey fully?" 
 
 
  Handover Ceremony at the Turkish General Staff 
 
ANKARA 00004992  002 OF 002 
 
 
  All papers:  General Yasar Buyukanit took over the position of 
Chief of Staff from General Ozkok in a ceremony yesterday.  Speaking 
at the handover ceremony held at the General Staff headquarters 
yesterday, the new Chief of General Staff General Buyukanit was 
quoted as saying that "in addition to all uncertainties and risks 
around us, Turkey has never been face to face with this much armed 
separatist terrorism, and internal and external threats which I may 
define as unarmed terrorism.  General Buyukanit emphasized that 
Turkey is a democratic, secular and social state of law.  Outgoing 
Chief of Staff General Ozkok mainly touched on Turkey's security 
concerns and said that terrorism and fundamentalism are two major 
security threats that Turkey should closely be watching and taking 
necessary measures to counter.  During the ceremony, President Sezer 
decorated General Ozkok with the State Medal of Honor, thanking him 
for his distinguished services as chief of General Staff. 
 
  Bomb Blast in Antalya Kills 3 
  Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet,Milliyet and others:  An explosion in 
the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya yesterday killed three 
people and injured 87, including foreign tourists.  Milliyet claims 
that the bomb was left at a business center by PKK militants. 
Meanwhile The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) claimed responsibility 
for Sunday's bombings in Marmaris and Istanbul.  British Ambassador 
Peter Westmacott visited the British citizens in a hospital in 
Marmaris, thanked the doctors and other officials for their 
assistance to the British citizens and stressed that no travel ban 
to Turkey would be applied. 
 
  Washington Names Special Envoy for Countering PKK 
  All papers report that the US has appointed the former 
Vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Ralston as 
special envoy for coordinating the fight against the PKK.  In a 
written statement, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said 
that "General Ralston will have responsibility for coordinating US 
engagement with the government of Turkey and the government of Iraq 
to eliminate the terrorist threat of the PKK and other terrorist 
groups operating in Northern Iraq and across the Turkey-Iraq 
border." 
 
 
  TV Highlights 
  NTV (6 A.M.) 
 
  Domestic News 
 
  Q A firefighting helicopter crashed into the river in Kas, 
Antalya.  Five people on board survived the crash 
  Q Turkey might be penalized for asking TRNC President Mehmet Ali 
Talat to present the Grand Prix award to the winner at Sunday's F1 
race in Istanbul 
 
 
  International News 
 
  Q Two Turkish citizens were killed in Afghanistan 
  Q Fifty gunmen and 20 Iraqi soldiers died in clashes in south of 
Baghdad 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON