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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000010 
 
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, JANUARY 4, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Erdogan Comments on the PKK before Lebanon Visit 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan told the Turkish press 
onboard his plane en route to Lebanon that the US has not kept its 
pledges with regard to the fight against the PKK, adding that no 
concrete step has yet been taken against the group.  Erdogan claimed 
that the PKK terrorists captured by Turkey had US-made weapons. 
Cumhuriyet reports Erdogan as saying that the PKK offices in Iraq 
had not been closed down although the by the Iraqi administration 
announced.  Yeni Safak says that Erdogan's remarks had been the 
strongest message to the US thus far.  All papers report that 
following the criticism coming from Erdogan, the US Ankara Embassy 
said Washington "takes very seriously" the fight against the PKK. 
"General Joseph Ralston, working with his Turkish and Iraqi 
counterparts, said he will find a way to counter the PKK terrorism," 
said a spokesperson for the Embassy. 
 
In Beirut over the weekend, Erdogan met with Prime Minister Siniora 
and President Lahud.  In a joint press availability with Siniora, 
Erdogan suggested mediating to help bring Lebanon out of political 
deadlock between the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition. 
"I have told Siniora that national interests of Lebanon should be 
given priority, and that the problems should be solved through 
dialogue among all groups," said Erdogan.  Erdogan also said Turkey, 
Iran and Syria were ready to move together for a settlement in Iraq, 
adding such efforts could produce results with the support of the 
US. 
 
Turkish Reaction to Execution of Hussein 
All papers over the weekend and today continue reporting and 
commenting on the execution of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. 
Several mainstream and conservative papers criticize the fact that 
while the hanging of Hussein sparked heated international 
controversy, the AKP government has declined to comment on the 
issue.  Sunday papers see Ankara as being careful to preserve its 
impartiality.  Dailies quote Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) 
officials as saying that the hanging of Hussein was Iraq's domestic 
issue.  Diplomatic sources added Turkey supports peace and stability 
in Iraq, voicing concerns about a possible escalation of sectarian 
violence following the execution. 
 
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Erdogan said on a trip to Lebanon over 
the weekend that the execution of Hussein and its televised 
broadcast on the first day of the Muslim "Eid" feast was "a 
provocation."  He said the hanging should not fuel hatred and 
retaliation.  Erdogan stressed that Turkey was ready to make every 
contribution for the stabilization of Iraq, adding that the country 
had become for Turkey an issue of higher priority than the EU entry 
bid.  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Saddam should not have been 
executed during a Muslim religious holiday. 
 
 
CHP leader Deniz Baykal said it was difficult to understand the 
Western support for the execution after the pressures exerted for 
long years on Turkey for the abolishment of the death penalty.  Some 
leaders of the opposition DYP expressed concern that the hanging 
could spark more violence and terror in Iraq.  Diyarbakir Mayor 
Osman Baydemir, a member of Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP, said he 
opposed capital punishment even though it was not possible to forget 
the crimes committed by Saddam. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Saddam Hussein Execution 
Writing in the economic-political daily Dunya, Zafer Atay commented: 
"The trial process was acceptable to a certain degree, espeically 
compared to the so-called traveling courts in Iran following the 
founding of the Islamic Republic.  Saddam's tribunal was undoubtedly 
manipulated by the US but at least the process let him to speak up 
and even to insult the court.  Saddam was well aware of the verdict 
and that must be the reason he was so careless.  However the 
 
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execution took place right on the eve of the Islamic holiday which 
was a complete disrespect.  In addition to that the execution was 
carried out by Shiite militants, which was ignorance at the very 
minimum.  Even though the US claims that it has nothing to do with 
the execution, all the indications show just the opposite.  The 
death of Saddam Hussein will speed up the bloody civil war in Iraq. 
Just by looking at the events right after the execution, we 
unfortunately predict more horrible days ahead.  Washington, 
regardless of its military presence, one day will have to leave Iraq 
and then it will be a colossal problem for the countries in the 
region, including Turkey." 
 
Commenting in the mass appeal Hurriyet, Emin Colasan writes: "Saddam 
was a bloody dictator responsible for the death of thousands. 
Following his execution, everybody in Iraq had different reactions, 
Sunnis are sad while Shiites and Kurds are joyous.  The execution of 
Saddam brings several questions to one's mind:  First of all the US 
made 'no death sentence' a precondition when it handed PKK leader 
Ocalan to Turkey.  Why did the same US have Saddam hanged?  Why has 
the EU, which is supposed to be solidly opposed to a death sentence, 
kept silent on this issue and failed to show its presence? On 
Turkey-related issues the EU is vocal enough, but when it comes to 
the US, interestingly enough, we see nothing but silence.  I wonder 
what average Iraqis would choose if the choice were between Saddam's 
era where there was no freedom but there was security and stability, 
and the US era where the violence and civil war grows.  The US 
started the Iraq war in 2003 and ever since lost 3,000 soldiers. 
The puppet government did not bring any result, as the defeat in 
Iraq for America continues.  We will all be watching what will 
happen next after Saddam's execution." 
 
Armenian Lobby Launches Campaign for Recognition of Genocide Claims 
in US 
Milliyet, Radikal, Zaman and others:  The Armenian National 
Committee of Armenia (ANCA) began yesterday to launch a campaign for 
the recognition of the Armenian genocide claims by the US Congress. 
As part of the campaign, ANCA called on Armenians living in the US 
to write letters to congress members in their district, in which 
they urge congressmen to support the new Armenian resolution that 
will be brought to the agenda of the congress.  'With the recent 
changes in Washington, DC, we have the best opportunity in years to 
defeat Turkey's Armenian genocide denial campaign.  Our 
Congressional friends will soon re-introduce the Armenian Genocide 
Resolution, to secure its adoption by April 24th', said ANCA in its 
e-mail message sent to the Armenians in the US. 
 
A&G Polling 
Milliyet published the results of A&G polling in 32 provinces. 
Respondents were asked whether they were optimistic or pessimistic 
about the New Year; 31.1 percent said that they expected a better 
Turkey and 29.9 percent said that they were pessimistic. 
 
Turkish-Cypriot Family Applied to ECHR for Their Property in 
Limasol 
Sabah and weekend papers:  Four Turkish-Cypriot brothers and sisters 
have applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) 
complaining of denied access to their property in Limasol, which is 
now under Greek-Cypriot rule.  The Turkish-Cypriots are claiming 
restitution and compensation for their property, which they 
inherited from their father, a missing person since 1964.  The case 
constitutes the first example of such a legal move by Turkish 
Cypriots, hundreds of whom left their property in the Greek-Cypriot 
south, following the inter-ethnic conflict on the island during the 
1960s. 
 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 7.00 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
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- The opposition CHP lawmaker Nezir Buyukcengiz died in a traffic 
accident in the central Anatolian city of Konya on Sunday.  The 
number of CHP seats dropped to 153 following the death of 
Buyukcengiz. 
 
- Iran turned off its daily 28 million cubic meter supply of natural 
gas to Turkey because cold weather has boosted domestic consumption. 
 Iran has been supplying Turkey with gas through a pipeline from 
Tabriz to Ankara since 2001, under a 1996 agreement which stipulates 
pumping 10 billion cubic meters by 2007. 
 
- Bulgaria has ended issuing transit visas for Turkish businessmen 
at the border crossing.   Turkish truckers are queued waiting for 
visa in front of the Bulgarian Consulate in Edirne. 
 
International News 
 
- Two of Saddam Hussein's co-defendants also sentenced to death in 
the Dujail trial will be executed Thursday, said an Iraqi government 
official. 
 
- President Talabani said he did not give his approval for Saddam 
Hussein's execution and did not know when it was to take place. 
 
- The Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki said in an interview with The 
Wall Street Journal that he will not a seek a second term. 
 
- The EU term president Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said she 
wants to see "ever-closer economic cooperation" between the 
27-nation EU and the US. 
 
  Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
MCELDOWNEY