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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000250 
 
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, FEBRUARY 6, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Gul Meets Cheney, Hadley in Washington 
All papers report Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, in the US on a 
state visit, met with national security advisor Stephen Hadley and 
Vice President Dick Cheney, during which he urged the US to fulfill 
its obligations as a strategic partner.  Gul asked Cheney for 
concrete moves against the PKK, and warned the VP that a US 
Congressional adoption of the Armenian genocide bill would adversely 
affect bilateral ties.  Sabah says that US House Speaker Nancy 
Pelosi, known for her close ties with the Armenians, was delaying a 
meeting with Gul.  Hurriyet and Aksam report that the night when the 
Turkish delegation arrived in Washington, AMC TV aired the famous 
anti-Turk movie "Midnight Express," which amounted to a "cold 
shower" for the Turks.  Papers speculate the film was broadcast due 
to the pressures coming from the Armenian lobby. 
 
Several papers speculate that Americans, bearing in mind that Gul 
could become the new prime minister of Turkey, gave the FM a top 
level reception.  On Tuesday, Gul is scheduled to meet Secretary 
Rice to discuss the Armenian bill, combating the PKK, Cyprus, Iran, 
Iraq, and the Middle East. 
 
Cumhuriyet says Prime Minister Erdogan, seeking the support of the 
US Administration before the upcoming presidential and general 
elections in Turkey, was testing the ground for a meeting with 
President Bush in Washington.  The paper claims Erdogan and his 
staff were uneasy over the fact that Turkey was not given a role in 
President Bush's new Iraq strategy, and that Secretary Rice did not 
stop in Turkey during her Middle East tour last month.  Washington's 
response to Erdogan's request for a meeting with Bush will give 
clues about the US attitudes regarding Turkish demands, according to 
Cumhuriyet. 
 
Hrant Dink Murder Investigation 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak 
and others report that in the investigation of the assassination of 
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, Ahmet Ilhan Guler, Istanbul 
Security intelligence desk chief, has been removed from his post. 
Guler reportedly told the interior ministry inspectors that he did 
not notify his superiors of the tip offs, saying they were "raw 
information."  Several papers see the Guler admission as an effort 
to save his seniors, mainly the police chief Celalettin Cerrah, who 
had earlier drawn reactions for saying that the murder was "an 
individual action."  Milliyet says that not only the police, but 
also the gendarme were alerted about the plans of Yasin Hayal to 
murder Hrant Dink.  Hayal's uncle-in-law in Trabzon said he was an 
informant working for the gendarme, adding that he had notified them 
regarding Hayal plotting to kill Dink.  Yeni Safak sees no confusion 
in the Dink murder, but simply attempts to silence the gang that 
organized the killing.  Opposition CHP deputy group chief Haluk Koc 
called on Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, a "ghost minister," to 
resign.  Cumhuriyet says the competition among the Tarikats (sects) 
within the security directorate and the interior ministry obstructed 
the investigation from reaching the "top perpetrators." 
 
French Police Detained 13 PKK Members; AKP Deputy and US State 
Department Spokesman Comment on the PKK 
Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet and others:  French police 
yesterday detained 13 people believed to be members of the PKK on 
suspicion of money laundering and financing terrorism.  Sabah says 
12 of the suspected were Turkish citizen Kurds and one was 
Canadian. 
 
Sabah quoted ruling AKP Balikesir Deputy Turhan Comez as saying 
"I've been in constant contact with Turkmen in Kirkuk.  They say 
that PKK terrorists are flowing into Kirkuk carrying identities of 
Barzani's KDP and Talabani's PUK."  Comez, together with CHP deputy 
Orhan Ziya Diren left for the US yesterday to hold series of 
meetings there.  Prior to their departure, at a joint press 
 
ANKARA 00000250  002 OF 003 
 
 
conference, Comez and Diren said "we will attend several conferences 
at universities and meet representatives of some non governmental 
organizations to explain Turkey's stance and expectations about Iraq 
and Kirkuk." 
 
Sabah quotes the State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack as saying 
the "PKK entering Turkey through northern Iraq created tension. 
This is a very sensitive issue and we are using diplomacy to avoid 
an armed clash in northern Iraq.  The PKK is a terrorist 
organization and that is how we consider it.  The US Special Envoy 
for Countering Terrorism retired General Ralston is working on both 
sidesof the border, to eliminate the tensions betwee Iraqis and 
Turks." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Iraqi Oil Law 
Mustafa Balbay comments in the nationalist/leftist Cumhuriyet:  "The 
oil minister of the current Iraqi administration, Ibrahim Al-Uoum 
has an interesting record.  He was one of the attendees of the two 
international conferences, one in the US and one in the UK, to 
discuss the future of Iraqi oil a year before the occupation.  Even 
this by itself provides clear evidence of the reason and rationale 
behind the Iraq occupation.  When the US invaded the country and 
entered Baghdad, every official building and palace was destroyed 
with the exception of the Oil Ministry.  After that the Iraqi Oil 
Minister took over the job and he did exactly what he was supposed 
to do.  The oil business was given to international oil companies. 
The Iraqi Constitution was crafted to serve the international 
interests on energy matters.  And finally 75 percent of the Iraqi 
resources were transferred to foreigners by law." 
 
Murdered Priest Santoro Commemorated 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet and others:  Italian Roman Catholic priest 
Andrea Santoro, who was killed in his church in Trabzon last year, 
was commemorated on Sunday at the Santa Maria Church.  Among those 
attending the ceremony were President of the Italian Bishop's 
Committee Cardinal Camillo Ruini, Father Santoro's mother, sister 
and uncle and members of the Christian Community in Trabzon. 
Suspect O.A's parents as well came to the Santa Maria Church and 
conveyed their condolences to Santoro's family. 
 
Turkey Plans Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions 
Hurriyet reports that on Tuesday, Environment Minister Osman Pepe, 
Energy Minister Hilmi Guler and Farming Minister Mehdi Eker will 
unveil an action plan for coping with climate changes.  The plan 
envisages abandoning conventional irrigation methods, adopting the 
Israeli type of irrigation in Turkey where 75 percent of water is 
used by the agricultural sector.  Farmers will also be trained on 
the hazards of excessive use of chemical fertilizers.  Turkey is 
ranked 13th among world countries regarding greenhouse gas 
emissions. 
 
Sami Kohen comments in the mainstream daily Milliyet:  "As the 
recent UN report on climate change indicates, Turkey is among the 
top 10 countries in polluting the atmosphere with carbon dioxide. 
Given the 72 percent increase in carbon dioxide in 14 years, 
Turkey's 'contribution' to global warming is becoming even more than 
many industrialized nations.  Turkey is not among the signatories of 
Kyoto agreement because it said the country needed speedy 
development.  Industrialization was given priority over 
environmental concerns.  Now this wrong approach is a matter of open 
debate.  Turkey will have to adopt the Kyoto Protocol immediately 
and start cooperating with the international community for 
environmental protection which will definitely serve Turkey's long 
term interests.  At this point, the movie 'An Inconvenient Truth' 
contains very important lessons.  The truth regarding global warming 
is shivering as well as warning.  Al Gore gives a common message for 
all: that we all can do something about global warming." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
 
ANKARA 00000250  003 OF 003 
 
 
NTV, 6.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- President Sezer rejected recent statements by Prime Minister 
Erdogan and Parliament Speaker Arinc calling for a new definition of 
secularism, saying there is no ambiguity in the existing definition 
of the concept. 
 
- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met with President Sezer to 
discuss Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.  Musharraf called on Muslim 
countries to work together to solve the Palestinian problem.  He 
will meet with Prime Minister Erdogan on Tuesday. 
 
- One suspect has been arrested in Istanbul for alleged links with 
the al-Qaeda network. 
 
- One suspect thought to have links with the PKK has been arrested 
in the Mediterranean city of Mersin while preparing for a bomb 
attack. 
 
- On Wednesday, the international airport constructed in Tbilisi by 
the Turkish company TAV will be opened by Prime Minister Erdogan and 
the presidents of Georgia and Azerbaijan. 
 
International News 
 
- Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas says his country 
became an alternative of Turkey in the Middle East. 
 
- An Iraqi government committee has decided to relocate the Arabs in 
northern Iraq to central and southern Iraq, paying them 
compensation. 
 
- President Bush is to request USD 245 billion to finance the wars 
in Iraq and Afghanistan through late 2008. 
 
- The US and Iraqi forces are preparing for a sweeping joint 
operation aimed at restoring security in Baghdad. 
 
- Hamas' political leader Khaled Meshaal said upcoming negotiations 
with al-Fatah in Mecca must succeed. 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON