VZCZCXRO9525
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0161/01 0261219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 261219Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0723
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7761
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1998
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1583
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5697
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5434
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2075
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39OSS 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 000161 
 
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 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
TUSIAD Appoints Woman Head; Engages in Political Debate 
All papers report that on Thursday, Turkey's influential business 
grouping TUSIAD appointed its first woman head, Arzuhan Dogan 
Yalcindag, replacing Omer Sabanci. Yalcindag is a leading executive 
in Turkey's largest media conglomerate Dogan Group, owned by her 
father Aydin Dogan. 
 
Meanwhile, a duel of words between TUSIAD's former president Omer 
Sabanci and Turkey's extreme right Nationalist Action Party (MHP) 
leader Devlet Bahceli intensified as the two argued over TUSIAD's 
suggestion that languages other than Turkish be offered in the 
Turkish school system as elective courses.  Bahceli had recently 
said some democratization proposals put forth by TUSIAD were similar 
to the goals of the PKK.  Sabanci denounced Bahceli by saying that 
politicians had to measure the implications of their statements. 
Bahceli fired back by reiterating his earlier remarks, saying that 
making Kurdish language education part of the Turkish education 
system was the PKK's primary political goal.  He noted that the PKK 
was trying to find a legitimate ground for its separatist policies. 
 
 
Turkish-Armenian Relations 
Papers report that the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) said Thursday 
"this is nothing new" when commenting on Armenian Deputy Foreign 
Minister Arman Kirakosian's remarks that Armenia was ready to 
establish ties with Turkey without preconditions.  In a statement, 
the MFA indicated that the Armenian government had made similar 
remarks in the past.  The MFA said Turkey took a number of concrete 
steps in the past to further improve dialogue with Armenia, adding, 
"We hope that the tragic incident [assassination of Dink] last week 
will contribute to a new atmosphere in Turkish-Armenian relations, 
and Armenia will respond to our good-willed efforts to overcome the 
stagnation in our ties." 
 
Gul Attends Lebanon Donors Conference in Paris 
All papers report Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, in Paris to 
participate in a donors' conference for Lebanon, met on the 
sidelines of the meeting with Secretary Rice and his French and 
German counterparts and the Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. 
Gul and Rice discussed Iraq, terrorism, and Lebanon.  Gul said these 
issues would again be raised during his upcoming visit to the US in 
February. 
 
US Ambassador Ross Wilson on the PKK, Kirkuk, Possible Armenian 
Genocide Bill 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak 
and others report Ambassador Ross Wilson addressed a gathering at 
the Ankara think tank, the Eurasian Research Center (ASAM), 
commenting on US-Turkey ties, Iraq and the PKK.  On the 
controversial issue of Kirkuk, Ambassador Wilson said, "Many Turks 
suggest that Kirkuk is like Iraq in miniature and that a referendum 
in 2007 will ignite new sectarian violence.  We agree Kirkuk is 
sensitive.  We also believe that no outside power, including the US, 
should dictate to the Iraqis how to deal with their internal 
issues."  On Iran, Wilson said Turkey was supporting the efforts of 
the US, the EU and the UN.  On the PKK, the Ambassador noted that 
northern Iraq must be prevented from being used as a base for 
launching terrorist attacks against Turkey.  Responding to a 
question about a possible Armenian genocide bill to be raised in the 
US Congress, Radikal reports that Wilson said, "We oppose attempts 
to make political determinations on the terminology of this tragedy. 
 The Bush Administration will continue to oppose a resolution on 
this issue." 
 
Kurdish Parliament Wants US to Convince Turkey Not to Interfere in 
Iraq 
The leftist/nationalist Cumhuriyet reports the Kurdish regional 
 
ANKARA 00000161  002 OF 003 
 
 
parliament in northern Iraq said in a final statement following 
their special session on Turkey held earlier this week that the 
United States must persuade Turkey not to interfere in Iraq's 
domestic affairs.  It also invited Turkish government officials to 
Kurdistan for the Turks to see the local realities for themselves. 
 
Editorial Opinion on the State of the Union, Freedom of Expression 
Legislation 
Hasan Mesut Hazar writes from Washington in the 
conservative/nationalist Turkiye:  "During his fifty minute 'State 
of the Union' speech, President Bush first gave information on his 
domestic and foreign policies and then, urged the Congress to 
support his new Iraq plan.  He said 'we have to correct the grave 
situation in Iraq, so, please give it one last chance.'  Two-thirds 
of the public in the US were against Bush's new Iraq policy and this 
opposition is reflected in the Congress -- not only Democrats but 
some of Republican Congressmen as well oppose the new Iraq policy. 
The Congress was hoping that Bush would listen to the Iraq Study 
Group's report and plan accordingly.  However, Bush just ignored the 
report and the public opinion, and made his own plan.  That is why 
he couldn't get the expected support from the Congress.  It is 
obvious that there are very hard days ahead for President Bush. It 
is hard to guess how President Bush can pull his country out of the 
swamp of Iraq, but, let us hope that he won't take another mad 
action and attack Iran." 
 
Erdal Guven comments in the intellectual Radikal:  "The code name 
for the fascist atmosphere which set the stage for Dink's murder is 
Article 301 [the article in the Turkish Penal Code making it a crime 
to 'insult Turkishness'].  Weren't all the journalists, academicians 
and authors attacked at the court house during their trials for 301 
violations?  As long as Article 301 hangs over freedom of expression 
like the sword of Damocles, Turkish politicians' remarks like 'we 
are not implementing reforms for the EU but for our people' will be 
completely baseless.  The Turkish President, Prime Minister, Foreign 
Minister, and party leaders should all have attended Dink's funeral. 
 No excuses are acceptable.  They will not be able to erase this 
shame, but by erasing 301 maybe they can decrease this shame to a 
certain extent.  No matter how powerful they are no political power 
in Turkey can eliminate racism, poverty, lack of education, and 
unfair treatment over night.  But they can eliminate 301.  We owe 
Hrant Dink one other funeral ceremony:  the funeral for Article 301. 
 For how long we will postpone this already belated ceremony?" 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- A funeral service will be held for former Foreign Minister Ismail 
Cem on Friday.  Prime Minister Erdogan and former Greek Foreign 
Minister George Papandreou will participate in the ceremony in 
Istanbul. 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan hosted a dinner in honor of the Ambassadors 
of EU countries.  EU envoys praised the Turkish government and 
nation's reaction to the killing of Hrant Dink. 
 
- State Minister Ali Babacan said changes to Article 301 would be "a 
difficult issue." 
 
- Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said a new bill containing 
regulations regarding Internet cafes and websites has been submitted 
to the parliament for approval. 
 
- The number of foreign tourists visiting Turkey dropped by 6.2 
percent last year. 
 
International News 
 
ANKARA 00000161  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
- The Greek Cypriot administration strongly criticized two German 
lawmakers who traveled to northern Cyprus using Ercan Airport in the 
north. 
 
- World powers in Paris have pledged more than USD 4 billion in 
loans, donations and other help for Lebanon. 
 
- An Israeli parliamentary panel approved a request by President 
Katsav to take a leave of absence after prosecutors prepared 
criminal charges against him for alleged rape and sexual misconduct. 
 
 
- Nine Palestinians, including Hamas security members, were wounded 
by a roadside bomb in Gaza yesterday. 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON