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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000418 
 
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 26, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Erdogan: Turkey Not against Dialogue with Iraqi Kurdish Leaders 
Hurriyet, Milliyet,`dikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, `s report Prime Ministertate 
representatives.  "We have to persuade the Kurdish leaders to 
support Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity, urging 
them to handle the problems related to the status of Kirkuk as well. 
 Turkey has a right to have a say in Iraq's future stemming from the 
agreements in 1926 and 1946," Erdogan said. 
 
Talabani Confesses Meeting the PKK 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Aksam, Radikal and others:  Iraqi 
President Jalal Talabani said that they have never supported the 
PKK.  On the contrary, they provided assistance to Turkey in that 
regard.  He confirmed that they met with the PKK administrators 
saying "We're meeting with PKK leaders.  We've done so in the past 
as well. Dialogue should be utilized to stop bloodshed."  Talabani 
was taken to Jordan at the weekend for medical treatment. 
 
Meanwhile, Democratic Society Party (DTP) Diyarbakir provincial 
chairman Ibrahim Aydogdu was arrested on February 23 for inciting 
ethnic hatred by saying "an attack against Kirkuk will be considered 
an attack against Diyarbakir."  One day after Aydogdu's arrest, 
KADEP chairman Serafettin Elci sent a message of support to 
Aydogdu. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Iraq 
Mustafa Balbay argues in the nationalist-leftist Cumhuriyet:  "It 
seems there are efforts to transform Turkey's strategy of combat 
with PKK terrorism into a dialogue with Northern Iraq.  Given those 
efforts, the most important issue for us to observe is the Turkish 
government's stand on this.  Unfortunately there are some 
indications to make us believe that the government is right in the 
middle of these efforts.  Since the US appointed a retired General 
as an envoy for countering terrorism -- even though Turkey wanted it 
at an ambassadorial level -- efforts are moving towards searching 
for ways to have dialogue with the PKK.  Ralston makes Northern Iraq 
his first stop whenever he is expected in Ankara.  And more 
interestingly, northern Iraqi leaders always make humiliating 
statements about Turkey following their talks with Ralston.  Recent 
developments also indicate that talking to Northern Iraq has 
replaced the PKK issue.  The Turkish military was preparing visuals 
to document the Northern Iraqi leaders' support for the PKK.  When 
this was made public in the press, PM Erdogan reacted because the 
story was leaked to the press, and he preferred to call it betrayl. 
 It looks as if the Turto be convinced 
regardinck of a policy line on Iraq outside the QKK issue.  First 
of all, Turkey has to acquire a realistic approach regarding issues 
related to Iraq.  Waiting for the US to launch an operation against 
the PKK in Northern Iraq is only a daydream.  Washington has focused 
on Baghdad with the additional 21,000 troops and this focus will be 
intensified even more in the months ahead.  The US, given the 
situation, can only do some cosmetic air attacks, but nothing more. 
Moreover, both Barzani and Talabani are opposed to any military 
operation against the PKK.  Turkey should also realize that Iran's 
offer to cooperate against the PKK stems from Tehran's long term 
policy goal to change Turkey's stance.  Iran hopes to see Turkey as 
part of the Damascus-Moscow-Tehran front after damaging Ankara's 
 
ANKARA 00000418  002 OF 003 
 
 
relationship with the western world, the EU and NATO.  Our problem 
stems from the fact that we tend to consider the Iraq issue from 
only the PKK angle.  We have to overcome that narrow thinking and 
also have to change the current Kirkuk approach.  Instead of 
repeating 'the Kirkuk referendum should be postponed,' we should 
counter the northern Iraqi leaders' argument that Kirkuk is an 
internal problem for Iraq by saying 'if that is an internal matter, 
it should cover all of Iraq.' We should insist that all of Iraq 
should be able to vote for the future of Kirkuk." 
Turkey-Armenia Dialogue 
Under the page one bnner headline, "How Can You Establish 
Turkey-rmenia Dialogue with Such a Mentality?" the 
liberal/intellectual Radikal points to remarks by Professor Yusuf 
Halacoglu, head of the Turkish History Institution, about the 
funeral of slain Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.  Halacoglu told 
Turkey's semi-official Anatolia News Agency on Sunday that people 
who participated in the funeral of Dink were all "representatives of 
the same ideology."  "They were a very well organized group of some 
40,000.  They acted as if this murder was known by them beforehand. 
They were carrying head-shaped placards, creating an illusion which 
gave a picture of a crowd of 80,000.  Only 20,000 out of some 50,000 
Armenians in Turkey joined the funeral, so who are the remaining 
participants?  Because of the 'We are all Armenians' slogan, the 
Turkish nation has turned more radical.  Ting of the foof thQ 
asked his Israeli counterpart Ehud Olmert dring a team of OIC to inspect the 
controversial excavation work near the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. 
"Olmert rejected an OIC team, but said they would accept a Turkish 
delegation for inspections.  The Islamic world was very pleased," 
Gul said.  On the Greek Cypriot oil exploration efforts around 
Cyprus, Gul said Nicosia's attempt is a "big provocation."  "I'm 
sure that Europe and NATO understand this," said Gul.  Gul also met 
in Islamabad with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmad Abul Geyt 
concerning possible Egyptian cooperation with Nicosia exploring oil 
in eastern Mediterranean.  Geyt reportedly assured Gul that Egypt 
will not do anything confronting Turkish interests in Mediterranean. 
 
 
Possible Amendments on Countering Terrorism 
Radikal reports that responding to the journalists' questions 
regarding the Turkish National Security Council (NSC) meeting on the 
way to Saudi Arabia, PM Erdogan said that "there was a proposal at 
the NSC meeting regarding some amendments in fighting against 
terrorism."  It was reported that the relevant offices will take the 
necessary action only after the NSC decisions are passed to the 
deputy PM Mehmet Ali Sahin.  Meanwhile, speaking to Al-Jazeera TV, 
PM Erdogan complained about Turkey not getting enough foreign 
support in countering terrorism. 
 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 8 A.M.) 
Domestic News 
 
- Finance Minister Unakitan said Turkey's new president will be 
elected from among the candidates coming from the ruling AKP.  State 
Minister Abdullatif Sener said if Prime Minister Erdogan is elected 
president, AKP will not debate who will be the prime minister; 
"It'll be Abdullah Gul." 
 
 
ANKARA 00000418  003 OF 003 
 
 
- Turkish and Azeri citizens held a protest demonstration in 
Istanbul yesterday on the anniversary of the Hodjali massacre 
committed by the Armenians. 
 
- Two more suspects detained in Trabzon concerning the assassination 
of Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink have been sent to 
Istanbul. 
 
- Human health teams will cull some 5,000 poultry in the township of 
Kozluk in the southeastern province of Batman where the deadly bird 
flu virus was detected over the weekend. 
 
- Turkish doctors prepare to go on a work slow down protest on March 
14, Doctors Day. 
 
International News 
 
- The president of the regional Kurdish administration Massoud 
Barzani said in a joint press conference with President Talabani and 
US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad that they agreed to support a draft 
oil law that would divide revenues among all Iraqi factions. 
 
- Britain's Sunday Telegraph claims CIA supports PEJAK, the PKK 
offshoot inside Iran, in an effort to weaken the Tehran 
administration. 
 
- The Israeli army raided the town of Nablus on Sunday in an 
operation targeting terrorists. 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON