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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000281 
 
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, FEBRUARY 9, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Prospects for an Armenian Resolution in the US 
All papers report visiting Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met in 
Washington with US Congressmen John Murtha and Steny Hoyer, 
co-chairman of the US-Turkey caucus Robert Wexler, House minority 
deputy chairman Roy Blunt, and House foreign relations committee 
chairman Tom Lantos.  Gul told the Americans the Turkish nation 
would perceive as "an insult" an approval by the US Congress of the 
Armenian genocide bill.  Cumhuriyet reports Gul also asked the 
Jewish lobby to oppose the upcoming resolution, stressing that 
otherwise, Turkey-Israel ties would be "adversely affected." 
 
Responding to questions from the Turkish press via digital video 
conference from Washington, Dan Fried said a Congressional adoption 
of the Armenian resolution would "damage US-Turkey ties" and would 
"not serve Turkey-Armenia dialogue."  "Great nations should face the 
dark spots in their history," Fried emphasized, noting the US also 
had such dark times in its history, recalling slavery.  "I was 
deeply saddened to hear the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink," 
Fried said, adding the reaction of "hundreds of thousands of Turks'" 
during the funeral of Dink was a "strong and sound one." 
 
Reaction to PKK Operations in Europe 
All papers report security operations initiated in France and 
Belgium resulted in the detention of 16 PKK members including 
prominent leaders Nedim Seven and Aydin Turan.  Dan Fried, the 
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, told 
Turkish journalists during a digital video conference yesterday 
between Ankara and Washington that the US welcomed operations 
against the PKK in European countries, adding the US would continue 
fighting against the terrorist organization not only in Europe but 
also in the north of Iraq.  FossWilson, speaking to reporters after a meeting in 
Istanbul in which the booklet "A Guide to the US Market" booklet was 
launched, indicated the US has been trying to convince European 
governments to take the PKK question more seriously as an "organized 
crime" problem.  Wilson expressed pleasure that Germany, France and 
Belgium have launched initiatives against the PKK as a result of 
earlier meetings with the US. 
 
Papers also report Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, continuing his 
official US visit, told a gathering of German Marshall Fund in 
Washington, "It's natural that Turkey has ties with Iraq, a region 
we have ruled for centuries.  We, however, recognize today's 
realities that Iraq belongs to the Iraqis.  We gave Mosul to a 
unified Iraq in 1926, and want to see a unified Iraq now."  Gul said 
with regard to the future of Kirkuk that violence would diminish in 
the region if former Baathists were integrated into the system. 
 
Editorial Commentary on FM Gul's Trip to the US 
Rusen Cakir argues in the mass appeal Vatan that the visit is not as 
successful as officials say:  "Despite the official rhetoric 
describing FM Gul's visit to Washington as the most important and 
successful visit in recent years, my observation finds this 
interpretation very hard to take as reality.  The fact of the matter 
is that the Armenian resolution issue comes with many years of 
historical background and it cannot be resolved by a visit.  The 
Democratic majority in the Congress, the pro-Armenian figure Nancy 
Pelosi and the strong efforts by the Armenian diaspora do not point 
to a Turkey-favored outcome from the US Congress on this issue. 
Another important issue between Turkish-American relations is the 
PKK and we could get nothing more than an observation from FM Gul 
 
ANKARA 00000281  002 OF 003 
 
 
that Americans 'feel embarrassed' on the issue.  Gul acknowledges US 
involvement in the recent operations against PKK in Europe but also 
understands that US responsibility on the PKK issue cannot be only 
limited to the European link.  Northern Iraq is still on the watch. 
We hope that FM Gul, during his meeting with Secretary Rice, 
emphasized the need for concrete action against PKK in northern Iraq 
and warned about the rising threat of nationalism.  We shall see if 
Washington will present a bonus to AKP on this issue just like late 
PM Ecevit's DSP was rewarded with the Ocalan handover." 
 
Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) Meeting in Istanbul 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet and others:  The third meeting of 
Turkey-US Economic partnership Commission was held in Istanbul 
yesterday.  US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson, Assistant Secretary 
of State Daniel Sullivan for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, 
and the Turkish Chamber of Commerce (TOBB) Chairman Rifat 
Hisarciklioglu attended the meeting.  A/S Sullivan, who made a 
presentation at the meeting, said that 'Turkey has important 
opportunities regarding natural gas and oil pipelines.  Sullivan 
said that the US is going to continue its support for the regional 
energy projects, will exert efforts to develop the energy markets 
and that automatically would bring the economic growth in Turkey.' 
Noting that the private sector contributes more than the public 
sector to the development of economic relations between Turkey and 
the US, Sullivan said that relations regarding the economy and the 
energy sector will always be important in the future.  Sullivan 
added that Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline is an important 
accomplishment and a concrete example of regional cooperation. 
Meanwhile, a manual covering suggestions for improving the business 
relationship between Turkey and the US prepared by TOBB was 
distributed to the participants before the meeting. 
 
Editorial Commentary on the Middle East 
Sami Kohen writes in the mainstream Milliyet:  "Even though most 
attention has been given to the Iraq issue, the clashes in Palestine 
continues to rise dramatically.  There are some diplomatic efforts 
to end the bloodshed in the Middle East by Sauan as 
well as the quarteeen finally reached between the 
sides afte some tough bargaining.  The main question now is to what 
extent the national consensus government will function, and to what 
extent the armed militants of Hamas and Fatah will comply with the 
consensus." 
 
Pro-Kurdish Professor Prosecuted 
The leftist/nationalist Cumhuriyet reports a prosecutor in Istanbul 
has filed a lawsuit against Professor Ismail Besikci for "inciting 
hatred and enmity via the press" in an op-ed in December 2005.  The 
prosecutor asked for up to 4.5 years in prison for Besikci under 
Turkish Penal Code article 216/1, and for up to two years for Mehmet 
Ali Izmir and Ferzende Kaya, the editors of Esmer magazine which 
published the op-ed that had criticized the practice that Kurdish 
elementary school students are forced to take a daily oath saying 
"I'm a Turk, true and hardworking; let myself be a gift to the 
Turks' presence."  The Turkish General Staff (TGS) proclaimed that 
Besikci committed a crime in the op-ed.  Professor Ismail Besikci, a 
sociologist at 68, has spent 17 years in prison for several of his 
books and articles supporting the Kurdish cause. 
 
Bird Flu Detected in the South East 
All papers and TV channels reported that over a year after a deadly 
outbreak of Avian Influenza in Turkey which left four people dead 
and millions of birds culled, Agriculture Ministry teams yesterday 
said that some 170 birds had died from the contagious disease in the 
village of Bogazkoy in he southeastern Batman province.  The region 
as promptly put under quarantine.  Agriculture Ministry stated that 
 
ANKARA 00000281  003 OF 003 
 
 
the teams will begin culling birds that may have been infected. 
 
Forced Approval from President Sezer to Cargill Draft 
Radikal reports that President Sezer approved the "Cargill" law this 
time, after vetoing it twice before.  President Sezer stressed that 
he will appeal to the Constitutional Court for the amendment of the 
subject law article which allows agricultural lands to be used for 
other purposes.  Because it protects the interests of the US firm 
Cargill, the law was has come to be known as the 'Cargill Law' by 
the public. 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted Turkey's 
eastern province of Elazig, wounding 28 and causing damage in 
buildings. 
 
- Armenian Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan expressed concern regarding the 
rise of nationalism in Turkey, complaining that Turkish Armenians 
were perceived as "potential enemies." 
 
- Research conducted by Selcuk University shows that 56 percent of 
AKP voters don't want Prime Minister Erdogan to be Turkey's next 
president. 
 
- Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said Turkey needs to change 
its perception of free speech instead of seeking changes to article 
¶301. 
 
- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to visit Turkey on 
February 15. 
 
International News 
 
- A roadside bomb woundd slightly Yunus Bayraktar, the secretary 
general of the Turkmen assembly in Kirkuk. 
 
- The Greek Cypriots want to block the construction of a new power 
plant in north Cyprus which will solve the energy problems of 
Turkish Cypriots. 
 
- Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas said a proposal for 
direct trade from the Turkish Cypriot port of Magosa (Famagusta) 
could be considered only if the ghost-town of Maras (Varosha) is 
transferred to south Cyprus. 
 
- Hamas and Fatah have agreed on a national unity government. 
 
- Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades threatened to attack synagogues 
if Israel continues excavations near the al-Aqsa mosque. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON