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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006053 
 
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, OCTOBER 19, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Kretschmer Remarks on Turkey-EU Relations 
Radikal reports that in an interview with the BBC Turkish service 
Hansjoerg Kretscmer, the outgoing head of the European Commission 
delegation to Turkey, said that he did not expect a major crisis 
would occur even if Turkey fails to open up its ports and airports 
to Greek Cypriot ships and planes by the end of this year.  However, 
he stressed that Ankara must implement the customs union protocol in 
the long run and such a solution is in the best interest of all the 
parties.  On the role of army-government relations, Kretschmer said 
that the EU does not expect any immediate changes and noted that 
civilian authority should be above the military as a necessary 
component of democracy as well as a criterion for Turkey's EU 
membership.  Kretschmer expressed belief that an amendment to 
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code before the end of this year is 
likely. 
 
Baydemir Urges Ankara to Share Authority 
Sabah, Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Zaman and others report the mayor 
of the Kurdish city of Diyarbakir Osman Baydemir told a conference 
on 'The EU, Turkey and the Kurds' that local resources such as oil 
reserves in the southeastern Turkish province of Batman as well as 
hydroelectric power plants should be used by the local 
administrations in Turkey.  Baydemir told the European 
Parliament-sponsored conference in Brussels that each province 
should be ruled by a single administrator instead of the existing 
system of a governor appointed by the central government in Ankara. 
Papers comment that Baydemir was asking for control of resources 
worth USD 2.8 billion. 
 
US to Shift Policy in Iraq 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others say a 
report drafted by the  'Iraq Study Group' headed by former state 
secretary James Baker argues the ideal of establishing democracy in 
 
SIPDIS 
Iraq should be abandoned and American troops should be gradually 
pulled out to be deployed in bases outside of the country. 
According to the British Times, the report finds a total withdrawal 
'inadvisable.'  It does not recommend a partition of Iraq, but 
advises that authority be delegated to autonomous regions, leaving 
in Baghdad a 'framework government' responsible only for foreign 
affairs, border security and the distribution of oil revenues.  The 
report is expected to be released following the November 
Congressional elections in the United States. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Iraq 
 
Soli Ozel commented in the mass appeal Sabah (10/19):  "There might 
be some fundamental changes ahead in the US policy for the Middle 
East after the upcoming Congressional elections.  The fact of the 
matter is that the US imperial project, shaped by neo-cons and 
symbolized by the war in Iraq, has completely collapsed, and the 
administration will have to face that reality somehow.  With the war 
in Iraq and its aftermath, the US not only engaged in a wrong 
project but also pursued a self-destructive policy to eliminate its 
global influence.  This war, started by the US, only helped Iran to 
gain more strength while Israel became weaker and provided a helping 
hand for terrorism and other extremism.  The American political 
system cannot possible bear this burden any longer.  A Democratic 
majority in the Congress might be the beginning of the US pulling 
out from Iraq.  The Iraq Working Group has prepared a report on the 
situation that will be made to public after the Congressional 
elections.  According to information leaked to press, the report 
clearly suggests a complete change in the current Iraq policy, 
including a plan for withdrawal.  On the other hand, a sudden US 
pull out from Iraq will feed the conditions for civil war and will 
create a whirlpool from which Turkey cannot stay away.  Therefore, 
Turkey must deal with the Kurdish issue domestically and must not 
think that the PKK-Iraq connection is the only way to handle the PKK 
 
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problem." 
 
Omer Lutfu Mete commented in the conservative-nationalist Tercuman 
(10/19):  "The US has always come up with a denial whenever a story 
appeared on the American intention eventually to divide Iraq.  Now 
the denial has reached a crescendo with President Bush also 
emphasizing that Iraq should not be divided.  Putting all of these 
statements together somehow does not jibe with the spirit of the new 
Iraqi constitution which was shaped by and under the influence of 
neo-con policy.  The Iraq constitution foresees a federal system 
based on ethnic and sectarian differences and this is what Iraq is 
heading toward.  If President Bush is sincere in his words, he's 
making very contradictory remarks to other policy makers in Iraq, 
not to mention Fox Television which is also in favor of a divided 
Iraq." 
 
Bush Sets New Space Doctrine 
Hurriyet reports citing the Washington Post say President Bush has 
signed a new National Space Policy that asserts a right to deny 
access to space to anyone 'hostile to US interests.'  The document 
encourages private enterprise in space and characterizes the US 
space diplomacy in terms of persuading other nations to support US 
policy.  It said 'Freedom of action in space is as important to the 
United States as air power and sea power.'  The document emphasized 
that the US has become increasingly dependent on satellite 
communication, as have providers of cellphones, personal navigation 
devices and ATMs. 
 
OECD Report Praises Turkey's EconomicPerformance 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Zaman and others report Jose Angel 
Gurria, visiting Secretary General of the Organization for Economic 
Cooperation and Development (OECD), said at a joint press conference 
with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul that Turkey has become the 
fastest growing country among OECD members thanks to its economic 
program and structural reforms that were enacted after the economic 
crisis in 2001.  Gurria advised Turkey to reduce interest rates, 
encourage direct foreign capital inflow, restrict the unregistered 
economy, create new jobs, and render the agriculture sector 
competitive.  Gurria also released 'Economic Survey of Turkey 2006' 
report which said Turkey can achieve sustainable growth if it 
continues economic reforms. 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- A 260-strong Turkish contingent will depart Thursday from the 
Mediterranean port of Mersin to join UNIFIL in Lebanon. 
 
- Turkish Cyprus 'Foreign Minister' Turgay Avci is in Ankara to meet 
with Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Gul on Thursday. 
Avci, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot 'Freedom and Reform Party' 
(ORP), became the new foreign minister following the break-up of the 
coalition government in north Cyprus last month. 
 
- State Minister for economy Ali Babacan said the block sale of the 
state-owned Halkbank would be completed soon. 
 
- Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said the share of foreign 
capital in Turkish banking would increase to 30 percent in six 
months. 
 
International News 
 
- EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told German lawmakers in 
Berlin that even though the momentum for reform had slowed down in 
Turkey over the past year, the EU should not forget its commitment 
toward Turkey. 
 
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- The US Congress has approved a planned sale to the Turkish Air 
Force of 30 F-16 Block 50 fighter aircraft and related equipment and 
services, worth up to USD 2.9 billion. 
 
- Doctors in Gaza have reported previously unseen injuries from 
Israeli weapons including severe burning and deep internal wounds, 
often resulting in amputations or death. 
 
- A top Russian official said his country would view the planned 
deployment of US missile defense components in eastern and central 
Europe as a security threat and take retaliatory measures. 
 
- The Guardian reported the Iranian government has banned high-speed 
internet links to stifle domestic opposition and combat the 
influence of Western culture. 
 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON