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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005537 
 
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 21, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey-Iran Plane Dispute 
All papers report Turkey rejected a charge by Tehran that an Iranian 
plane was forced to land at Istanbul airport because Ankara had 
denied it flight permission over Turkish territories.  Diplomatic 
sources said the pilot asked to land at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport 
to refuel after being warned by Turkish authorities that the plane 
carrying Iranian ministers and lawmakers entered Turkish airspace 
without proper authorization. After refueling, the plane took off 
for Tehran.  The Iranian administration summoned the Turkish 
Ambassador in Tehran Gurcan Turkoglu to express their disturbance 
over the matter.  Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) Spokesman Namik Tan 
rejected reports that the plane had been forced to land, stressing 
that it had asked Turkey for permission to refuel. Vatan says that 
the plane had obtained permission to use Turkish airspace while 
flying to Venezuela, and had not notified Turkish officials en route 
to Iran. 
 
Turkey-Greece to Hold First Joint Military Exercise 
Milliyet and Radikal report Turkish and Greek navies are to hold 
their first ever joint military maneuvers in the southern Aegean Sea 
involving a small number of frigates on September 23.  The Greek 
daily Ta Nea said bilateral cooperation of this nature was unique, 
quoting a Greek general staff source as saying this is the first 
time such cooperation has taken place. 
 
Article 301, Halki Seminary, Case against Safak 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Zaman, Yeni Safak 
and others:  The ruling AK Party government is reluctant to dilute 
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, often used to prosecute 
writers and journalists, because it fears boosting support for the 
nationalist MHP.  Prime Minister Erdogan and other AKP officials 
want to see the implementation of the provision before launching 
more reforms in line with EU demands. The AKP is afraid that changes 
to Article 301 will be exploited by the MHP in election campaigns. 
 
 
Sabah reports that AKP lawmakers had filed a proposal for amendments 
designed to pave the way for the reopening of Halki Seminary in 
Istanbul.  The proposal said that non-Muslim Turkish nationals, 
including the members of the Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities, 
had the right to study in minority schools.  The proposal has been 
accepted by the parliament with the support of AKP, but was later 
pulled back in the face of reactions coming from CHP lawmakers. 
 
The case against novelist Elif Safak, accused of "insulting 
Turkishness" in her new novel, was dropped Thursday morning with a 
ruling that there was not enough hard evidence. 
 
PM Erdogan Asks Iraqi Government to Ban PKK 
Vatan, Bugun, Hurriyet, Cumhuriyet and others:    Vatan reports that 
PM Erdogan sent a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki on September 
11 and urged him to stop PKK infiltrations to Turkey from Northern 
Iraq.  PM Erdogan, reportedly, demanded the closing of all PKK 
affiliated offices in Iraq, as well.  Cumhuriyet reports that being 
concerned that the Iraqi envoy to counter PKK might be a Kurd, 
Ankara relaxed after hearing the post went to a retired Sunni 
General. 
 
Foreign Ministry Withdraws its Objection to al-Kadi Case 
Vatan, Milliyet and others:  Following the action of the Prime 
Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also withdrew its 
objection to the Council of State ruling related to the Saudi 
Businessman Yassin al-Kadi, whose name is on the UN list of people 
supporting global terrorism.  Earlier both the Prime Ministry and 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had objected the court ruling that 
would keep al-Kadi off the terrorist list in Turkey. 
 
 
ANKARA 00005537  002 OF 003 
 
 
Ambassador Wilson on the PKK, Lebanon, Iran 
Milliyet, Cumhuriyet and Yeni Safak report that in a speech he 
delivered at a meeting of the Turkish Contractors' Association, US 
Ambassador Ross Wilson promised to back Turkey "more decisively and 
visibly" in the fight against the PKK.  Wilson said the US wanted to 
ensure that northern Iraq is not used as a base by the PKK 
militants.  He noted the Iraqi government decision to close all PKK 
offices in Iraq was a small step, and that more measures would be 
put in place.  Wilson emphasized that US Special Envoy for 
Countering the PKK, Joseph Ralston, had held talks with the Turkish 
and Iraqi authorities, and that his meeting with the PKK was out of 
the question.  Wilson praised the Turkish decision to take part in 
the international force for Lebanon, stressing that the deployment 
would enhance the US-Turkey cooperation in third countries.  The US 
Ambassador also lauded Turkey for supporting efforts for a 
diplomatic solution in the nuclear crisis with Iran. 
 
Editorial Commentary the Papal Visit to Turkey 
Writing in the tabloid Posta, Mehmet Ali Birand warned that the 
Pope's scheduled November tip to Turkey will be "a test" for the 
country: "The Pope's scheduled visit to Turkey became more important 
after recent developments.  The Pope's recent remarks, which caused 
so much fury among Muslims, coupled with Turkey's excessive 
reaction, which made Turkey look like the Pope's leading critic, 
have increased the visit's importance incredibly.  The storm has 
begun to subside, but one should not be fooled. Some political 
parties will try to exploit the matter to gain votes in the coming 
elections and you will see them flooding the streets during the 
Pope's visit.  If they truly love their country, they should act 
differently.  However, the way they show this love makes one think 
that their patriotism is just for show.  The Pope's visit will be a 
test for Turkey.  The international media will be following it very 
closely and every incident will be analyzed in detail.  If effigies 
of the Pope are burnt on the streets and if people throw things at 
him wherever he goes, the story will make headlines around the 
world.   If things get truly out of hand, the number of people who 
oppose Turkey's EU membership will increase.  This will make Austria 
very happy and the entire Catholic world will be against us.  Every 
time I think about this, I get depressed.  Let's wait and see what 
those who really have Turkey's interests at heart will do." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said with regard to the 
remarks of Pope Benedict XVI against Islam that world leaders should 
refrain from statements which harm peace among religions. 
 
- The main opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal said his party would 
not give unconditional support to EU harmonization reforms. 
 
- President Sezer urged universities to uphold secularism and fight 
against Islamist tendencies in an address yesterday marking the 
start of the new academic year. 
 
- The World Bank and IMF have agreed to hold their annual 2009 
meetings in Istanbul. 
 
International News 
 
- Presidents Bush and Ahmadinejad exchanged remarks at the UN with 
Bush labeling Iran a sponsor of terrorism and Ahmadinejad accusing 
the US and Britain of abusing their positions in the UN Security 
Council. 
 
- Pope Benedict XVI stopped short of apologizing to Moslems again, 
saying only that he respects all religions, especially Islam, at a 
 
ANKARA 00005537  003 OF 003 
 
 
mass the pontiff held at the Vatican on Wednesday. 
 
- Palestinian Prime Minister Haniya rejected conditions set by the 
Middle East quartet for resuming direct financial aid to the 
Palestinian administration.  The quartet demands the formal 
recognition of Israel. 
 
- Thailand's military coup leaders will choose a new prime minister 
within two weeks and step back from power, army chief General Sonthi 
Boonyaratglin said, adding that new parliamentary elections would be 
held in October 2007. 
 
- Israeli soldiers confiscated about USD 1 million in a series of 
early morning raids Wednesday on West Bank money changers. 
 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON