VZCZCXRO0611
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #5615/01 2691304
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 261304Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8986
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7465
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1346
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1141
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5463
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5183
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1837
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005615 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Talabani Expects the PKK to Call a Ceasefire Soon 
All papers report Iraqi President Talabani, in New York to attend 
the 61st UN General Assembly meetings, announced that the PKK was 
expected to declare a ceasefire within a few days.  Talabani said 
the cease-fire would help open a new page in Iraqi ties with Turkey. 
 The Iraqi President called on Turkey to take forward steps 
concerning the democratic rights of the Kurds.  Turkish Foreign 
Ministry (MFA) sources told Vatan that following the visit of US 
special envoy for countering the PKK, Joseph Ralston, to northern 
Iraq, Iraqi Kurdish leaders bargained with the PKK to cease attacks 
targeting Turkey, and in exchange have been given guarantees that 
they will not be handed over to Turks. 
 
Papers say that according to a provision added to the draft Kurdish 
constitution submitted to the Kurdish Parliament in Erbil, asylum 
seekers in Iraq will not be extradited under any condition.  Papers 
expect the provision to be applied to PKK members.  Turkey is 
alarmed by the draft in which Iraqi Turkmen are rendered to the 
status of a minority, papers comment. 
 
Questioning the reliability of Talabani and his remarks, Murat 
Yetkin wrote in the liberal-intellectual Radikal:  "Remarks from 
Iraqi President Talabani, while in the US, attract a different kind 
of attention in Turkey.  The international press mainly focused on 
his request from the US for two military bases and a permanent army 
unit.  Yet in Turkey, the PKK related remarks are the essence of 
stories about him.  He was saying that the PKK were convinced to 
declare a ceasefire, and are talking about a new chapter about to 
open between Turkey and Iraq relations.  Talabani presented the 
PKK's normal procedures as a ceasefire -- the terror organization 
traditionally stops its attacks due to weather conditions and waits 
to get ready for a new series of attacks after winter. 
Interestingly enough Talabani was talking about it as if it were a 
new thing.  Turkey's special representative for countering 
terrorism, General Edip Baser has expressed concern about Talabani's 
remarks, emphasizing his mistrust for both Talabani and Barzani. 
Baser strongly believes that if Talabani is sincere he should 
concentrate his energy on convincing the PKK to give up arms. It 
looks like the special-envoy-for-countering-PKK-terrorism mechanism, 
which was established because the US pushed for it, has to produce 
results that will ease the public opinion.  The closure of 
PKK-related bureaus and ongoing efforts to cut off the PKK's 
financial links are not good enough to satisfy the expectations. 
There is an urgent need for concrete result otherwise the countering 
terrorism mechanism will be totally meaningless.  This is what the 
Turkish envoy believes too." 
 
General Basbug on the Fundamentalist Threat on Turkey 
All papers report the Turkish Land Forces Commander General Ilker 
Basbug made some strong remarks about the role of the army in 
protecting the Turkish Republic's founding principles, predominantly 
territorial integrity, unity and secularism.  During the opening 
ceremony of the new academic year at the Land Forces Academy, 
General Basbug said that the fundamentalism threat has reached to a 
worrisome level.  He added that the fight against fundamentalism 
should be a popular movement.  He also noted that religious sects 
became centers for movements against the Republic.  General Basbug 
criticized the remarks by "those inside and outside" that the army 
should not interfere in such issues, which papers picked up as a 
response to the remarks by EU Representative in Ankara about the 
excessive involvement of the military in Turkish politics. "When it 
comes to protecting the founding principles of the Republic, the 
Army has a duty and cannot remain neutral" he added. 
 
AKP deputy group chairman Faruk Celik, in response to GEN Basbug's 
remarks, said "if there is fundamentalism in Turkey, it would be the 
government's job to fight against it first." 
 
 
ANKARA 00005615  002 OF 003 
 
 
President Sezer, in his message to Ankara University, said that the 
youth should be kept away from dogmas.  He noted that universities 
should graduate students who have the capacity to think freely and 
scientifically. 
 
Non-Muslim Turks Blame the Government and Opposition 
Milliyet reports that a group of Turkish citizens of Greek and 
Armenian origin released a statement blaming both the government and 
the opposition party CHP for their negative stance regarding a 
recent parliament bill which called for the return of assets seized 
from minority foundations. Opposition CHP asked for the postponement 
of the bill until the Turkish government makes sure that Greece does 
the same in the principle of reciprocity. 
Signed by more than 100 Turks of Armenian and Greek origin, the 
declaration says that both the government and the opposition ought 
to abide by the requirements of democracy, and denounces 
discriminative views voiced during debates in parliament. 
 
Freedom of Expression: Article 301 is Back in Action 
All papers report that a new law suit was filed against the editor 
of Agos newspaper (serves the Turkish Armenian community), Hrant 
Dink. Dink is accused of "insulting Turkishness."  A local 
prosecutor in Istanbul demands up to three years for Dink due to his 
printed remarks in the Agos newspaper which accepts genocide as a 
fact.  Papers remind that Dink was earlier given a suspended prison 
sentence for "insulting Turkishness" and he will have to serve in 
prison if this case turns out against him. 
 
 
Editorial Commentary on Pope Remarks Criticizing Islam 
Hasan Cemal wrote in the mainstream Milliyet:  "There is no way to 
approve of the Pope's recent remarks.  By establishing a link 
between Islam and violence, the Pope paved the way for provocative 
developments.  It looks like there is a hideous political game going 
on.  But the right approach to dealing with this plot goes through 
efforts for dialogue rather than conflict.  This is the only way to 
make the plot ineffective.  Providing more fuel to the fire is an 
irresponsible act.  There are signs that demonstrate the Islamic 
world is not ready for discussing faith or related issues in an 
intellectual context.  Instead we see Muslim masses provoked into 
more violence and conflict which is a very dangerous path.  Stating 
Islam as a religion for peace requires a different approach than 
this.  The Pope is going to visit Turkey in November.  This visit 
can be a unique chance to turn an atmosphere of conflict into a 
platform for dialogue.  Any type of provocation during this visit 
will not only hamper Turkey's EU accession but also will harm 
inter-religions dialogue." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (8 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- A jandarma lieutenant was killed in a clash between the Turkish 
security forces and the PKK militants in the southeastern province 
of Mardin last night. 
 
- Representatives of non-Muslim minority groups have released a 
statement accusing the parliament, and especially opposition party 
CHP, of discriminating against minorities in Turkey. 
 
- President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will address the parliament at the 
opening of the new legislative year. Sezer will address the 
parliament for the last time as president. 
 
- The ruling AK Party said civil servants will be granted 12.2 
percent wage hike in 2007. 
 
- Anne Krueger, the former IMF first deputy managing director, urged 
 
ANKARA 00005615  003 OF 003 
 
 
Turkey to continue economic stabilization reforms. 
 
 
International News 
 
- EU Commission President Barroso said the European Union must stop 
expanding after taking in Romania and Bulgaria next year. 
 
- Turkey's chief EU negotiator Ali Babacan is to kick off a tour of 
European countries this week. 
 
- Turkish Cypus "President" Mehmet Ali Talat has approved the 
coalition government formed by CTP and the newly founded Free Party 
(ORP). 
 
- During a meeting with Muslim envoys in Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI 
declined to apologize for his controversial comments about Islam, 
but said dialogue between Christians and Muslims was vital for 
global peace and stability. 
 
- Britain's Independent reports Sunni insurgents have largely taken 
control of the Iraqi province of Diyala, where the insurgents are 
believed to be close to establishing a "Taliban republic". 
 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON