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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005175 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Court Chief on Secularism, National Unity 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Zaman, Yeni Safak 
and others report the 
head of the Court of Appeals (Yargitay) Osman Arslan, said in a 
speech to mark the opening of the new judicial year that freedoms 
cannot be exploited in a way to harm the state.  "The state 
apparatus cannot be based on religion.  The judiciary is responsible 
for protecting secularism," Arslan added that political 
administrators, too, should abide by judicial rules.  He stated 
there was no ethnic discrimination in Turkey, stressing that 
privileges demanded by citing democracy and human rights were 
designed to undermine national unity. 
 
Annan Discusses Lebanon International Force with Turks 
All papers report United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said 
during a joint press briefing with Prime Minister Erdogan in Ankara 
yesterday that the UN peacekeeping force for Lebanon will not be 
tasked to disarm Hezbollah.  Annan said Turkey is a regional player 
and noted that Turkey's role is important for the implementation of 
UN resolution 1701.  He hinted that Turkey would send some 1,000 
troops to participate in the peace force.  Milliyet reports Turkish 
troops will be deployed between the Litani River and the blue line 
that separates Lebanon and Israel.  Radikal says the deployment of 
Turkish soldiers to Lebanon will kick off on September 25.  Annan 
also met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and President Sezer 
before departing Ankara yesterday afternoon. 
 
In a second day of protests, hundreds of youths clashed with riot 
police in Ankara on Wednesday to protest the parliament's decision 
to send troops to Lebanon.  Demonstrators also blocked off roads and 
threw stones at offices of the ruling AK Party.  Police used tear 
gas to disperse the crowd, detaining 35. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Participation in UNIFIL 
Murat Yetkin, writing in the liberal-intellectual Radikal, 
speculates on the causes of the public opposition to participation: 
"Turkey has made a decision in spite of the public opinion.  We 
should start thinking about the reasons for the growing opposition. 
PKK terrorism is certainly one of the main factors for the negative 
attitude toward Lebanon deployment.  People don't understand why 
this force is acceptable but to use force against the PKK is not. On 
the other hand, there is an ongoing anti-Western campaign, tolerated 
by the ruling AKP, which has had a significant impact on public 
opinion as well." 
 
Fikret Bila observes in the mainstream Milliyet that there are risks 
to participation: There are two risk-filled issues which pose a 
threat to peace and have potential for creating armed conflict.  One 
of them is if and when Hezbollah will give up its weapons.  The 
second is if and when Israel decides to start new operations against 
Syria, Iran and other parts of Lebanon, using the presence of UNIFIL 
as a buffer for its future military actions.  In the near future, 
Hezbollah's actions regarding disarmament and the Israeli policy in 
the aftermath of UNIFIL deployment are equally important." 
 
General Yasar Buyukanit Comments on UNIFIL and the Struggle against 
the PKK 
Hurriyet, Vatan, Radikal and others:  Speaking to journalists at 
Pakistani Embassy's Military day reception, newly installed Chief of 
General Staff General Yasar Buyukanit said regarding Turkey's UNIFIL 
participation, "We are not going to Lebanon - we are being sent 
there. The scope, location and in how many regions Turkey is going 
to provide humanitarian assistance, is not yet clear. After the 
region is clarified, a sufficient force will be allocated."  Radikal 
reports Buyukanit as saying that "Turkish troops in Lebanon would 
not go beyond the tasks given to them by the parliamentary motion. 
Turkey's main goal is humanitarian aid and when we go there we will 
 
ANKARA 00005175  002 OF 003 
 
 
be protecting our own people like the Red Crescent, State Water 
Works and Ground forces." Responding to a question about the 
families of martyrs [members of the military killed in the line of 
duty], Buyukanit answered with a Turkish proverb, saying that "A 
fire burns where it falls.  We have great understanding for every 
sort of reaction the families of martyrs would give, I respect them. 
 Consequently, whatever might be said, I kiss the hands of those 
mothers of martyrs." Buyukanit's remarks were contrasted with those 
Prime Minister Erdogan made the previous day, widely interpreted as 
showing "insensitivity" to the families of "martyrs." 
 
EU Lauds, AI Slams Turkey on Ongoing Torture, Anti-Terror Law 
Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman report Council of Europe's 
Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman treatment (CPT) 
said in a report torture and mistreatment in Turkish police 
stations, prisons and psychiatric institutions is declining compared 
to previous years.  The CPT, however, noted that mistreatment by law 
enforcement officials continues in different parts of the country, 
calling on Turkish authorities to pursue their efforts to combat all 
forms of abuse.  On the other hand, the London-based Amnesty 
International (AI) strongly criticized in a report the court cases 
launched under Turkey's new anti-terror law.  AI Europe and Central 
Asia Programs Director Nicola Duckworth said despite pledges made by 
the Turkish government, evidence obtained through torture continued 
to be accepted by penal courts.  Duckworth said although the 
European Court of Human Rights rulings on behalf of plaintiffs grant 
them the right to retrial in Turkey, Turkish judges and prosecutors 
handling of such cases was 'Kafkaesque.' 
 
Transatlantic Trends 2006 Report 
Sabah, Vatan, Radikal and others:  A report titled "Transatlantic 
Trends 2006" prepared by Think Tank organization German Marshall 
Fund showed that only 7% of the Turkish people support President 
Bush's international policies.  Vatan says according to this survey 
43% of the Turkish people are sympathetic towards Iran.  While the 
negative feelings for the US and the EU are increasing, sympathy for 
Iran increases as well. 
 
A Nuclear Iran: Editorial Opinion 
Zafer Atay observes in the economic-political daily Dunya that 
Turkey "will have to take action against Iran" eventually: 
"Regardless of the good bilateral relationship at the moment, Turkey 
will have to take action against Iran eventually due to Tehran's 
insistence on becoming a nuclear power.  There are indications of 
Iran trying to export its Shiite influence to a vast geography, from 
Palestine to Syria and Lebanon to Saudi Arabia.  Once that area of 
influence is achieved, Iran will undoubtedly use this power against 
others.  Even though we share a common border, Iran has always 
suffered from political instability, like most of our neighbors. 
The issue of a threat coming from Iran as a nuclear power is 
something we will not be able to avoid.  We had better start making 
plans right now to counter this threat if and when it occurs." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
Domestic News 
 
- Following the parliamentary approval of Turkey's participation in 
the international force for Lebanon, the ruling AKP government will 
instruct the Turkish General Staff to prepare for deployment as well 
as authorize the Turkish Foreign Ministry to carry out talks on the 
issue with the UN. 
 
- Turkey's chief EU negotiator Ali Babacan is in the Netherlands to 
join Thursday the opening of screening procedures in judiciary and 
fundamental rights in Turkey. 
 
- The Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of 
the Council of Europe (PACE) will be held in the southeastern city 
 
ANKARA 00005175  003 OF 003 
 
 
of Gaziantep on September 9-12. 
 
International News 
 
- Britain's Daily Telegraph reports NATO is pressuring France, 
Germany, Italy, and Turkey to take part in combat operations against 
Taliban fighters in the south of Afghanistan. 
 
- US President Bush said the threat of Shiite extremism coming from 
Iran and Hezbollah was as great as the threat posed by groups such 
as al-Qaida. 
 
- Financial Times claim Olli Rehn, the EU enlargement commissioner, 
is seeking to persuade both Turkey and Cyprus to take the ports 
question to the European Court of Justice. 
 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON