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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005329 
 
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 14, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
The Deadly Bombing in Diyarbakir 
All papers report the Turkish police said the bomb that killed 11, 
including five children, in Diyarbakir on 12 September had been 
detonated by a cell phone and radio.  The youngest of the children 
killed in the explosion was only three years old.  The 
Turkish Revenge Brigade claimed responsibility for the bomb attack 
in the mainly Kurdish city in southeast Turkey.  In a statement 
posted on its website, the organization stated that they would kill 
10 Kurds in Diyarbakir for every Turkish soldier that was killed. 
Some papers say preliminary investigation shows the explosives were 
A-4 and C-4, the types used by the PKK in its previous bomb attacks. 
 Milliyet claims the real target was the Diyarbakir Police 
Headquarters, located one mile from the site of the blast, but the 
bomb went off prematurely. 
 
Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP deputy chairman Sirri Sakik said 
that before the bombing, intellectuals had extended support to a 
ceasefire call by DTP for the PKK to unilaterally lay down its 
weapons, reports Yeni Safak.  Sakik noted the blast occurred in 
Diyarbakir's Bagcilar neighborhood, known to be a stronghold of DTP. 
 Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir called the attack "a provocation," 
condemning that civilians had been explicitly targeted.  The 
Diyarbakir Bar Association also condemned the attack, saying 
problems should only be solved through dialog.  The Council of 
Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Ren Van Der Linden strongly 
denounced the bombing.  Van Der Linden said the attack was 
"barbaric," stressing it proved the need to further improve 
international coordination against terrorism. 
 
General Ralston Visits Ankara 
All papers report the US Special Envoy for Countering the PKK, 
retired Air Force General Joseph Ralston, expressed sympathy for the 
victims of Tuesday's bomb attack in Diyarbakir at a news conference 
with Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) officials in Ankara.  "We need 
visible measures urgently so that not only the Turkish public, but 
the Iraqi and the American publics can also see that we are serious 
about eliminating the threat of terrorism," Ralston said.  In the 
meeting, Turks have given Ralston the message that their patience 
was running out.  Tuygan signaled that Turkey would start unilateral 
action against the PKK in northern Iraq unless the US moves to 
combat terrorism. 
In a later meeting with his Turkish counterpart Edip Baser, Ralston 
said he would give President Bush the details about the deadly 
bombing in Diyarbakir.  Ralston later met with Prime Minister 
Erdogan who expressed Turkish concerns over possible bargaining with 
the PKK.  Ralston assured Erdogan that the US would not deal with 
the terrorist organization.  Papers report Ralston as saying that 
military operations would the last option for combating the PKK. 
"The PKK offices in Iraq must be closed down, and criminals must be 
captured.  The three-party mechanism among Turkey, the US and Iraq 
should be activated for swift action against the PKK," Ralston said. 
 
 
Murat Celik writes in the nationalist-sensational Bugun: "The US 
envoy for countering PKK terrorism made a good impression during his 
first visit to Ankara.  Ankara thinks that Ralston demonstrated a 
strong stance in understanding the importance of PKK terrorism to 
Turkey and the sensitivities over this issue.  He underlined during 
every meeting that the PKK will never ever be considered a 
negotiating partner, which was very much appreciated by the Turkish 
officials he met.  A Turkish official summed up the meetings with 
Ralston in an overall positive way by saying that Ralston seems very 
determined to deal with the issue and he is capable of establishing 
political will on this problem within the Washington 
administration." 
 
The Ismailaga Mosque Murder 
 
ANKARA 00005329  002 OF 003 
 
 
All papers:  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at the media 
reports concerning the killing of a Muslim preacher (Imam) and the 
subsequent lynching of the assailant, saying the reporting of the 
incident was "provocative."  At a meeting with AKP provincial 
leaders, Erdogan criicized the press for focusing on the alleged 
lynching of the murderer while ignoring the incident itself. 
Erdogan said there is no evidence that the murderer had been lynched 
in the mosque, and slammed the press for not even extending 
condolences to the family of the preacher killed.  Interior Minister 
Aksu said the Ismailaga Mosque murder is being investigated and 
there is no question of covering up the incident.  In a related 
story, Turkish religious affairs "Diyanet" chief Ali Bardakoglu 
complained about the Diyanet's need for more staff, saying "Wherever 
we cannot appoint preachers, the communities pick their own.  At 
present, some 15,000 mosques do not have Diyanet preachers." 
 
Senator Blocks Hoagland's Nomination as Ambassador to Yerevan 
Hurriyet, Zaman:  Democrat Senator Robert Menendez put a hold on the 
nomination of Richard Hoagland to be Ambassador to Armenia to 
protest the Bush Administration's refusal to describe the events of 
the early 20th century as 'Armenian genocide.'    Last week, the 
Senate Foreign Relations committee voted to send Hoagland's 
nomination to the full Senate for a vote.  Under Senate rules, until 
Menendez lifts his hold, the Senate cannot vote on Hoagland's 
nomination.  Hoagland had refused to use 'genocide' at his 
confirmation hearing in June to describe the events, whereas, the 
current Ambassador John Evans, at a social event, referred to the 
events as 'genocide.' 
 
British Artist Taken into Custody for Insulting Prime Minister 
Erdogan 
Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet:  British artist Michael Dickinson faces 
from one to three years in prison for depicting PM Erdogan as a dog 
attached to a leash made out of the American flag.  Michael 
Dickinson was taken into custody on Tuesday after he refused to put 
away the poster which he displayed in a court hearing for anti-war 
activist Erhan Kara.  British daily The Guardian quoted Dickinson as 
saying "I wasn't even planning to open the poster up.  But, then I 
said, if I am here to defend the freedom of speech, here it is." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Afghanistan 
Commenting in the economic-political daily Dunya, Zafer Atay notes 
that NATO is facing a "difficult challenge" in Afghanistan: "NATO 
failed to establish significant fundamental changes in Afghanistan 
during Operation Enduring Freedom, which started five years ago. 
The recent attacks by the Taliban against NATO forces demonstrate 
the fact that the NATO operation led to the collapse of the Taliban 
but the leadership remained there.  Despite the elections and a 
parliament with elected members, Afghanistan is still living in the 
feudal age where thousands of rural gangs are controlling the area 
outside of Kabul and they are all involved in drug trafficking.  The 
Taliban continues to exploit religious sensitivities of poor and 
illiterate people all over Afghanistan.  Moreover the Taliban finds 
it very easy to conduct its propaganda because there is no 
difficulty with money flow.  Bin Laden and other radical groups are 
providing cash, and rural gangs in Pakistan are providing militants 
as well as weapons.  NATO faces a very difficult challenge because 
many NATO members have dedicated very little to the Afghanistan 
mission." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
Domestic News 
 
- Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, in Paris to attend the conference 
"Dialog of the Peoples and Cultures," met with his French 
counterpart Philippe Douste-Blazy and President Jacques Chirac to 
discuss Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iran and Cyprus. 
 
 
ANKARA 00005329  003 OF 003 
 
 
- Speaker Arinc called the Turkish Parliament into an extraordinary 
meeting on September 19 to discuss EU harmonization bills. 
 
- A report by the International Campaign 2006 against landmines 
urged Turkey, a party to the Agreement Prohibiting Land Mines, to 
destroy its stock before the year 2008.  The report said Turkey kept 
three million landmines in stock. 
 
- The ruling AKP receives 15,000 letters and emails from around 
Turkey every month in which 90 percent voice objections to 
deployment of Turkish troops to Lebanon. 
 
International News 
 
- An Iraqi insurgent group, Lions of Truth Brigades, threatened 
Wednesday to kill a Turkish driver, Yildirim Tek, abducted on July 
27, unless Ankara pulls back the Vinsan Co operating in Samarra, 
Iraq. 
 
- Turkey will take the regional command of ISAF in Kabul in April 
2007 instead of deploying additional troops to Afghanistan. 
 
- Turkish Cyprus "President" Mehmet Ali Talat tasked the outgoing 
Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Syer with forming a new government. 
Soyer is expected to set a coalition government with a new party 
formed by four lawmakers who have resigned from UBP and DP last 
week. 
 
- Palestinian President Abbas confirmed that he would ask Prime 
Minister Haniya to form a new government. 
 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON