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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000296 
 
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 
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Aftermath of Foreign Minister Gul's US Visit 
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, in an evaluation of his US trip, told 
the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak, "I have not only explained to 
Cheney and Rice the depth of the US-Turkey relationship, but drew an 
overall perspective including Afghanistan, Iraq, the Balkans, 
Kosovo, energy and oil issues."  In talks with the US Congressmen, 
Gul said he reminded them that the Armenian genocide issue is not a 
national question for the Americans.  He believes the Armenian 
resolution has not reached an "irreversible" point, and rejects 
stories of him "threatening" Americans: "I haven't issued tough 
messages, but merely gave reasonable messages without trying to 
blackmail them."  The paper says two Congressmen `ck 
support for the ge The agreement gives Ankara the 
right to intervene in the Kirkuk, Suleimaniya, Erbil, Tel Afar, and 
Dohuk -- an area of 90,000 square kilometers -- in case the Turkmen 
in the region are threatened.  Turkey has discussed the issue with 
Britain, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul raised it during meetings 
in the US, says Cumhuriyet. 
 
Editorial Commentary on US Presidential Race, Armenian Resolution 
 
Zafer Atay comments on the upcoming US Presidential race in the 
economic-political daily Dunya:  "Democrats have some prominent 
figures in the race.  Senator Hillary Clinton represents a big 
opportunity for the Democrat Party.  Senator of Illinois Barack 
Obama seems to be another emerging name for some of the Democrats. 
The Republicans hope to gain election momentum with former mayor 
Giuliani.  Senator McCain is another leading name for Republican 
Party and he is known to be more moderate than Bush.  As far as the 
media is concerned, there are two stars of this race; namely Mrs. 
Clinton and Barack Obama.  The former has no problem collecting 
money while the latter has very limited financial support for the 
election race.  Moreover, Obama's chances are about to diminish 
since a series of attempts has already begun to label him as somehow 
linked to Bin Laden.  He is repeatedly saying that he is not a 
Muslim, but Islamophobia in the US is significant enough to destroy 
a political career.  There will certainly be more allegations and 
speculation circulating as the US gets closer to the election date. 
In the end, the main question is whether the US is ready for a woman 
president or a black president.  I think the answer is not quite." 
 
Kamuran Ozbir argues in the nationalist Ortadogu that passage of an 
Armenian genocide resolution by the US Congress will damage 
US-Turkey relations: "The Armenian genocide resolution issue in the 
US House of Representatives is an indication of another crisis in 
the already fragile relationship between Turkey and the US. Given 
the Democratic majority in the Congress as well as the current 
political weakness of the Bush administration, it will be very hard 
to block the process.  During the visit of FM Gul to Washington, the 
administration promised to intervene.  The Washington administration 
will certainly keep its word, because a resolution as such does not 
serve US strategic interests.  Yet the chance for success seems very 
unlikely. `he resolution passes in 
like a binding law in All to Excavation of Alleged Arenian Mass Grave 
Hurriyet reports the Turkish History Institution has invited 
officials from Sweden and other countries including Armenia to 
Turkey to join the excavation of a mass grave, allegedly belonging 
to Armenians killed by Turks, found in the southeastern province of 
Mardin.  Swedish Professor David Gaunt, a "genocide specialist" at 
Sodertorns University College, has claimed that the mass grave was 
evidence of the mass killing of Armenians in 1915.  The head of the 
Turkish History Institution Professor Yusuf Halacoglu said they were 
ready to apologize if the excavation results show that the mass 
grave belongs to Armenians or Syriacs, and that "We expect an 
apology if the excavations produce contrary results."   Professor 
Gaunt has accepted the invitation.  Turkey plans to start the 
excavations in late March. 
 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 7.00 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan spent the weekend in his hometown, the 
Black Sea city of Rize, inaugurating various installations. 
 
- Four children in the southeastern province of Batman suspected of 
having the deadly avian influenza virus have tested negative. 
 
- Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer visits Ankara as the 
official guest of his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul.  Downer will 
meet with Gul, President Sezer and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc. 
 
 
- A Turkish Cyprus parliamentary delegation will attend the 
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) inter-parliamentary 
union meeting in Malaysia on February 13-16. 
 
International News 
 
- Ankara is expected to announce a four-stage unilateral plan for 
the harmonization of Turkish laws with EU regulations. 
 
- Iraq's foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari said Kirkuk is not a 
Turkish city, adding that the residents of Kirkuk could solve their 
 
ANKARA 00000296  002 OF 003 
 
 
of his American counterpart General Peter Pace.  General Buyukanit 
is expected to meet with General Schoomaker, Vice President Cheney, 
Undersecretary of Defense Eric Edelman, as well as General Pace. 
Sabah quoted General Buyukanit, prior to his departure saying that 
"if the Armenian resolution passes in the Congress the Turkey-US 
military relationship will be damaged."  Milliyet reports that, on 
the plane on the way to the US, General Buyukanit complained about 
the fact that Turkey "could not explain its stance on Armenian 
Genocide and Cyprus issues to its interlocutors adding that "as a 
result, we come to the position of defending ourselves as if we are 
the faulty ones." 
 
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc Comments on the Presidential 
Elections 
All papers report that Parliament Speaker Arinc revealed over the 
weekend that the ruling AK Party would choose a presidential 
candidate from the parliament.  In an exclusive interview with 
Channel 7 on Sunday, Arinc was quoted as saying "no deputy of the 
ruling AK Party, which has the majority in Parliament, is 
considering a candidate from outside."  Asked whether their 
candidate will be selected byo Excavation of Alleged Arenian Mass Grave 
Hurriyet reports the Turkish History Institution has invited 
officials from Sweden and other countries including Armenia to 
Turkey to join the excavation of a mass grave, allegedly belonging 
to Armenians killed by Turks, found in the southeastern province of 
Mardin.  Swedish Professor David Gaunt, a "genocide specialist" at 
Sodertorns University College, has claimed that the mass grave was 
evidence of the mass killing of Armenians in 1915.  The head of the 
Turkish History Institution Professor Yusuf Halacoglu said they were 
ready to apologize if the excavation results show that the mass 
grave belongs to Armenians or Syriacs, and that "We expect an 
apology if the excavations produce contrary results."   Professor 
Gaunt has accepted the invitation.  Turkey plans to start the 
excavations in late March. 
 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 7.00 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan spent the weekend in his hometown, the 
Black Sea city of Rize, inaugurating various installations. 
 
- Four children in the southeastern province of Batman suspected of 
having the deadly avian influenza virus have tested negative. 
 
- Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer visits Ankara as the 
official guest of his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul.  Downer will 
meet with Gul, President Sezer and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc. 
 
 
- A Turkish Cyprus parliamentary delegation will attend the 
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) inter-parliamentary 
union meeting in Malaysia on February 13-16. 
 
International News 
 
- Ankara is expected to announce a four-stage unilateral plan for 
the harmonization of Turkish laws with EU regulations. 
 
- Iraq's foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari said Kirkuk is not a 
Turkish city, adding that the residents of Kirkuk could solve their 
 
ANKARA 00000296  003 OF 003 
 
 
own problems through the Iraqi constitution. 
 
- Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos said his country will not give 
up its sovereign rights regarding oil exploration in the eastern 
Mediterranean. 
 
- Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has invited Greek Cypriot 
leader Papadopoulos to Athens to urge him to give up plans for oil 
exploration that have become source of tensions in eastern 
Mediterranean. 
 
- On February 15, President Abbas is to formally authorize Prime 
Minister Haniyeh to form a new unity government in Palestine. 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON