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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006648 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Ankara Critical of EU Freeze on Turkey Talks, Will Move Forward 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan said the EU decision to 
partially freeze entry talks with Turkey was "unfair to Turkey," 
underlining that Turkey had signed the customs union protocol 
because there were prospects for ending the isolation of Turkish 
Cyprus.  Erdogan told AKP members on Tuesday, "We want the EU 
members to acknowledge the fact that the Greek Cypriots and Greece 
do not want a settlement on the basis of political equality with the 
Turkish Cypriots.  I hope our friends in the EU will understand that 
they have to urge the Greek Cypriot administration for a solution." 
The PM added, "Our reform process will continue with the same 
decisiveness."  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said the decision 
adopted by EU foreign ministers' Monday meeting indicated "a lack of 
vision," adding Turkey will move forward with reforms. 
 
Cumhuriyet and Sabah say the European Commission will monitor 
Ankara's progress with regard to opening ports to Cyprus in 2007, 
2008 and 2009.  If Ankara still denies Greek Cypriots access to 
Turkish ports by 2009, the negotiations will be fully suspended, 
claims Cumhuriyet, whereas Zaman says the EU might resort to 
stronger sanctions if the sides fail to move forward on the issue by 
¶2009.  Cumhuriyet comments the EU foreign ministers' decision has 
put the chances for a settlement in the hand of the Greek Cypriots. 
 
Cumhuriyet also says in a news commentary that "Ankara seems to have 
accepted the decision," and is not planning to retaliate. 
Evaluations in Ankara with respect to the outcome of the EU foreign 
ministers' meeting were that the "EU decision, which was expected to 
be negative, came out as least damaging for Turkey," says 
Cumhuriyet. 
 
Sezer Calls for Early Elections 
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said during a meeting Tuesday with 
extreme nationalist party MHP that Turkey should go to early general 
elections in April.  Sezer, whose term in office will end in May, 
said early polls would relieve a "deteriorating Turkey."  The 
President added the Turkish election system did not ensure a fair 
representation of voters in the parliament, stressing that the 
election threshold should be lowered to seven or eight percent from 
the current 10 percent. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Iraq and the ISG Report 
Zafer Atay writes in the economic-political daily Dunya:  "It is 
obvious that the Bush administration's Iraq policy has totally 
collapsed.  The policy was basically based on two lies: Saddam's 
weapons of mass destruction and his collaboration with terrorists. 
Iraq's bloody leader Saddam is gone but Iraq has been dragged into a 
civil war instead of democracy and stability.  The ISG report listed 
all the Iraq realities which George Bush has declined to accept. 
With the impact of this report, President Bush has started talking 
about a strategy change, which is a first on the issue.  President 
Bush also posed a serious blow to neo-cons by acknowledging the 
importance of the report and by taking into account the advice 
within.  It is likely that Bush will make some other changes in the 
administration, even after Rumsfeld and Bolton, hoping to save the 
Republican image and prestige, which is doing very poorly nowadays." 
 
 
Writing in the Mete leftist Birgun, Cubukcu comments:  "The ISG 
report is clearly an indication of the US coming to the end of the 
road in Iraq, providing a last glimmer of hope for stabilizing the 
region and Iraq, albeit with a considerable loss.  Yet the report 
fails to make clear whether the US is looking for stability for 
itself or for the region.  The report does not come up with a plan B 
for Iraq either.  We simply don't know what should or could be done 
if the listed 79 suggestions don't work.  In sum, this is a belated 
report even though it contains some new and bold suggestions.  The 
 
ANKARA 00006648  002 OF 003 
 
 
US is doomed to be a loser unless it changes its unilateral approach 
and favors diplomacy over war.  There is an obvious way of 
settlement for Iraq -- an immediate end to the occupation and a 
conference to gather all elements of Iraq including the insurgents. 
The Iraq issue also requires a broader geographic approach that 
would include Turkey, Palestine, Iran and Syria." 
 
Iraqi Kurds Object to 'Kirkuk Conference' in Ankara 
Cumhuriyet report that the Iraqi Kurdish groups, upset about not 
being invited to a conference on Kirkuk to be held in Ankara, 
threatened to hold a conference in northern Iraq on Kurdish, Arab 
and Armenian minorities' rights in Turkey.  The "Kirkuk Conference" 
to be held December 15 by the Turkish Global Strategy Institute 
think-tank had invited all the groups in Iraq except the Kurds. 
Despite calls from the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) for a 
cancellation, the Global Strategy Institute said it will convene the 
conference.  The Iraqi Kurds said such a conference would mean a 
violation in Iraq's internal affairs, says Cumhuriyet. 
 
Parliament Speaker Arinc Praises Buyukanit's Loyalty to Ataturk 
All papers:  Speaking at a meeting of the Foundation for helping the 
poor (YOYAV), Arinc responded to the questions of journalists about 
his visit to Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit.  Arinc 
said that this was a courtesy visit to wish Buyukanit a successful 
term in office.  Responding to a question about a letter allegedly 
sent to Buyukanit by 20 retired military officers urging him to 
weigh in on the presidential election process, Arinc said that 
Buyukanit denied receiving such a letter at the very beginning of 
their conversation.  Arinc quoted Buyukanit saying as "We took a 
solemn oath to protect the democracy and the Constitution.  Our 
understanding of democracy and culture wouldn't allow such a thing. 
We haven't received such a letter.  But, if such a letter appears, 
we'll deal with it."  Arinc praised the Chief of General Staff and 
the Armed Forces for their staunch loyalty to the principles of 
Ataturk and the republic. 
 
Decision on Attack Helicopter Bid Delayed; Purchase of F-16s 
Sabah, Vatan, Hurriyet, Yeni Safak and others: The final decision 
regarding purchase of attack helicopters has been postponed by the 
Defense Industry Executive Committee after the Turkish General Staff 
proposed  that the helicopters be tested in Turkey's climate 
conditions.  Yeni Safak reports that the committee approved the 
purchase of 30 F-16s and agreed on participation in the project of 
Joint Strike Fighter helicopters. 
 
PM Erdogan to Meet Clinton in New York 
Cumhuriyet and Zaman:  PM Erdogan will travel to the US on December 
18-19 for an Alliance of Civilizations meeting.  PM Erdogan, 
reportedly, will meet with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and with 
former US President Bill Clinton. 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (7 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Turkish Parliament will begin debating the budget bill for 
2007 on December 15. 
 
- Turkey's TESEV foundation for economic and social research said in 
its report "Looking for Kant in EU's Relations with Turkey" that EU 
criteria for Turkey's membership were not objective. 
 
- The ruling AKP government has nominated Hilmi Bengi, director of 
the semi-official Anatolian News Agency, to head the state-owned 
broadcaster TRT.  A decree has been sent to President Sezer for 
approval. 
 
- Iran has reduced natural gas supply for Turkey by more than 80 
 
ANKARA 00006648  003 OF 003 
 
 
percent over the past 10 days over price disagreements. 
 
International News 
 
- The UN commission probing the assassination of Rafik Hariri has 
found "significant links" between the killing of the former Lebanese 
prime minister and 14 other political assassinations in Lebanon. 
 
- About 1,500 people marched through Kirkuk yesterday to protest the 
Iraq Study Group recommending putting off a 2007 referendum on the 
future of this oil-rich city. 
 
- The White House said President Bush will lay out his new Iraq plan 
to the nation early next year. 
 
- Iranian President Ahmedinejad said Israel would one day be "wiped 
out" as the Soviet Union had been. 
 
- A suicide car bomb attack on a crowd of day laborers in central 
Baghdad killed 70 and wounded over 200. 
 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON