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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000307 
 
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 13, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Foreign Minister Gul Reiterates Support for Changes to Article 301 
All papers report that speaking at a joint press conference with his 
visiting Australian counterpart Alexander Downer, Gul reiterated 
that he and the PM wanted this law, which makes it a crime to 
"insult Turkishness" amended, because this law hinders Turkey's 
reform process.  However, interference of Americans or Europeans in 
the issue would make completion of the task impossible.  Gul was 
quoted as saying "this is not an issue for Americans or Europeans, 
it is our issue.  It is damaging Turkey's image.  It is portraying 
Turkey as a country where hundreds of journalists and intellectuals 
are jailed for their speeches.  This is wrong. We want everyone to 
freely express their thoughts as long as they don't incite violence 
or amount to insults."  Meanral Buyukanit Comments on Northern Iraqi Officials 
Milliyet, Sabah, Vatan and others:  Pri/r to his official talks in 
the US, Chief of Geeral Staff General Yasar Buyukanit said that thQ 
Kurdish administration in Northern Iraq has made hostile remarks 
against Turkey and that it is not possible to meet with them under 
current circumstances.  The comments of Buyukanit came in response 
to a question about the words of Turkish counterterrorism envoy 
retired General Edip Baser who said that he could meet with KDP 
leader Barzani if it is would benefit Turkey in the fight against 
the PKK.  Buyukanit stressed that there is no change in the policies 
of the Turkish Armed Forces regarding the fight against the PKK. 
Turkey's interlocutor in counterterrorism is the central authority 
in Baghdad, Buyukanit added. 
 
Turkey-US to Establish "Joint Production Zone" 
Hurriyet reports Turkish union of chambers (TOBB) chairman Rifat 
Hisarciklioglu said after hosting a dinner on Friday for US 
Assistant Secretary for economy Dan Sullivan and US Trade 
Representative Kristal Alley that the Turkish side has agreed with 
the Americans on a "Joint Production Zone" project.  The joint trade 
launch will be a substitute for the "Qualified Industrial Zone" 
project between Turkey and the US which had been shelved five years 
ago due to disagreements over textile products.  The new project 
aims at enabling Turkey to export goods to the US without customs 
tariffs and quota limitations.  "American goods will be used partly 
in the production phase in the new model which will result in 
significant increases in Turkish exports to the US," Hisarciklioglu 
said, adding that Turkey needed to expand its humble amount of 0.03 
percent in the huge US import market.  Hisarciklioglu noted the 
agreement to be signed between the two countries had to be approved 
by both the US Congress and Turkish Parliament. 
 
The PKK Suspected of Controlling Drug Trafficking to Europe through 
Turkey 
Hurriyet reports Turkish narcotics police seized 565 kg of heroin on 
February 8 and 220 kg of heroin stashed in 29 coffins in a truck at 
Kapikule bordergate on February 11 in the northwestern city of 
Edirne.  Together with the 258 kg of heroin recently seized in 
Istanbul on tip-offs coming from Germany and Belgium, Turkish police 
confiscated the largest haul of narcotics in the nation's history, 
totaling 1043 kg and worth USD 51.6 million.  Turkey is now seeking 
the drug baron behind t massive shipment destined cites the French Le Parisi 
 
ANKARA 00000307  002 OF 004 
 
 
Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Radikal and Yeni Safak report that some PKK 
defectors have been recruited to serve in the "Kurdish brigades" 
dispatched to Baghdad for security operations in the Iraqi capital. 
Kurdistan regional administration president M to Launch Oil Exploration in Eastern Medierranean, Aegean 
 
Cumhuriyet and Milliyet report that Turkish petroleum company TPAO 
plans to begin oil exploration in the eastern Mediterranean and 
Aegean Seas.  The papers see the decision as "retaliation" against 
Greek Cyprus oil exploration attempts in the eastern Mediterranean. 
TPAO will explore Turkey's Mediterranean coast for oil, and then 
turn to the area between the west of Cyprus and Egypt.  The papers 
say TPAO is to announce an international tender in a few months. 
 
 
Editorial Commentary on US-Russia, Iran 
Haluk Ulman observes in the economic-political daily Dunya: 
"Russian leader Putin's speech at the Munich conference demonstrated 
the mistrust in Moscow regarding President Bush's policies.  Putin 
clearly slammed the US policy for establishing a global hegemony and 
accused the US of restarting a nuclear arms race and ignoring the 
United Nations on international affairs.  This was the bitterest 
language against Washington by Russia in an international platform 
so far.  In his speech, Putin signaled his search for an alternative 
to the solo polarized world order.  For some observers, Putin's 
speech can be taken as the start of a new kind of cold war era.  I 
see Putin's speech as an effort to gain a bigger role and more 
influence in the international arena as he is comfortable with both 
internal politics and his domestic economy with the help of $300 
billion of oil reserves.  Putin was giving a clear message to 
Washington: 'don't dare to implement policies which I don't agree 
with, particularly in my backyard.' 
 
Melih Asik argues in the mainstream Milliyet:  "The US strike 
against Iran is a matter of time now.  Washington is pursuing the 
same tactic, disseminating lies, as it did prior to the Iraq strike. 
 The newest lie is about Iran providing weapons to Iraqi insurgents. 
 This lie was not even accepted as a fact by some of US senators, 
like Chris Dodd and Ron Wyden.  They also noted that the 
administration is repeating the same scenario for Iran now as it 
staged for Iraq before.  On the other hand, the Bush administration 
seems very determined to divert attention to Tehran and eventually 
launch a strike against Iran with the hope that it will cover up the 
failure in Iraq.  There is a growing anti-war movement publicly in 
the US especially after the lack of a strong stance against the warould stand up and be voca against the American plans 
to strike Iran. Q 
 
Editorial Commentary on the Possible US Armenian Resolution 
Hurriyet chief editor Ertugrul Ozkok comments on how Ankara reached 
Congressman Tom Lantos to seek his assistance to prevent the 
adoption of the Armenian resolution at the US Congress through the 
Israeli Ambassador in Turkey, Pinhas Avivi, who called Shimon Peres 
to convey the Turks' request.  "Peres called Lantos, who might now 
sit on the resolution at the Foreign Relations Committee.  Turkey 
and Armenia could take action for rapprochement and Armenia would 
agree to take some initiatives.  A high-level Yerevan official said, 
"If we come out and say such things and if Turkey does not take a 
 
ANKARA 00000307  003 OF 004 
 
 
step, the government here will fall."  ...  I wonder whether 
Azerbaijan's strong oil lobby in the US and is doing anything to 
prevent the resolution." 
 
Mehmet Ali Birand observes in the mass appeal/sensationalist Posta 
that unless there is a last minute change, the Armenian resolution 
will be adopted by the US House of Representatives.  "The best 
result would be postponing the bill to next year, but it's still 
possible to prevent it.  The Bush Administration opposes the 
resolution, but it will not be influential. ... The key to 
preventing the resolution is still with Turkey, but it would require 
bold steps -- such as the possibility of Turkey sitting at the 
negotiating table with Armenia without preconditions but initially 
keeping the bordergate closed, repeating its call for establishing a 
council consisting of international historians, and amending or 
annulling Turkish Penal Code Article 301. ... If Turkey continues to 
repeat its simple nationalist rhetoric, Armenians might not be able 
to dictate its demands to Turkey but they definitely would to the 
entire international public.  Turkey must act rationally." 
 
Hasan Cemal in the mass appeal Milliyet asks whether or not the US 
has heard what Hrant Dink used to say: "I'm appealing to Armenians 
of the Diaspora.  They should not demand either from Turkey or any 
other country that they should accept the genocide.  The main issue 
is the democratization of Turkey, which is more important than 
Turkey recognizing the genocide.  Only a democratized country can 
relax and agree to come to terms with its history and discuss its 
problems with empathy."  Cemal concludes that the US must have lost 
its mind if it i the resolution withoutetkin writes in the lib ey along with the US.  On the one sid% 
is Turkey's interests concerning Iraq, thePKK and Armenia, and on 
the other demands for Turkey to participate actively in the alliance 
forming for sanctions on Iran.  I predict that Ankara is standing 
closer to the idea of participating in the sanctions against Iran." 
 
 
Husnu Mahalli of the tabloid/sensationalist Aksam asks Turkey to 
seek ways of direct dialogue with Armenia.  "Ankara could surprise 
everyone by saying before April 24 that the decision dated April 24, 
1915, to move Armenians out was wrong and that it felt sorry for the 
deaths of Turkish and Armenian citizens along the way.  This won't 
mean admitting guilt, on the contrary, would be regarded as a 
demonstration of virtuousness." 
 
Ali Bayramoglu writes in the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak that one 
could regard the Dink murder as a bitter phase of the process in 
which Turkey faces its history and identity.  "This encounter pushed 
the suppressed memory back to the surface.  The main factor beneath 
the nationalist wave that spreading in Turkey today is the tension 
between those who want to face history and Turkish identity and 
those who oppose it. ...Facing its history will liberate the Turks." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 6.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Murdered Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink's widow Rakel 
called on the office of the prosecutor to file a complaint against 
officials for failing to prevent the assassination and their conduct 
of the investigation.  One person has been detained in the central 
natolian city of Kayseri for sending email threats to Agos 
newspaper. 
 
ANKARA 00000307  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
- Joost Lagendijk, co-chairman of Turkey-EU joint parliamentary 
commission, said that the lives of all suspects facing trial for 
violations of article 301 were at risk. 
 
- Deputy Prime Ministe were sent to the Qegion. 
 
- Swedish historian Professor David Gaunt has responded to a Turkish 
proposal for joining the excavation of an alleged Armenian mass 
grave found in Mardin by saying the sides first needed to agree on 
the excavation methods. 
 
International News 
 
- Explosions ripped though two marketplaces in downtown Baghdad 
yesterday, killing at least 80 civilians. 
 
- Tehran rejected the charges of US Defense Secretary Robert Gates 
that Tehran played a role in supplying Iraqi insurgents with 
sophisticated explosive devices. 
 
- Iraq's supreme criminal court upheld the death penalty against 
former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan for the mass killing 
of Kurds. 
 
- EU foreign ministers have approved Monday implementing UN 
sanctions against Iran. 
 
- Israel decided to suspend road building work near the Al-Aqsa 
mosque in Jerusalem. 
 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON