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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000502 
 
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, MARCH 6, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Baykal-Erdogan Row over Election of New President 
Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report the main 
opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal told NTV that Turkey's 
constitution envisaged a "qualified," or two-third majority as the 
quorum needed for the presidential elections in the parliament.  "If 
this majority is not reached in the first round, we will take the 
issue to the Constitutional Court," Baykal said.  Baykal also noted 
there was no doubt that Prime Minister Erdogan wants to become the 
new president.  "I think," Baykal said, "the public reflex to 
protect the republic and the country might still have a discouraging 
effect [on Erdogan]."  Erdogan shrugged off Baykal's remarks, saying 
"qualified majority" was not stipulated in the constitution, and 
that presidential elections will be "carried out in the same way as 
in the past." 
 
Turkey, Iraq, UNHCR Met to Discuss Mahmour Camp 
Aksam, Yeni Safak:  Iraqi, Turkish and United Nations officials met 
yesterday in Geneva to discuss the future of the Mahmour camp.  The 
UN has stated that those residents of the camp who would like to 
return home should be allowed to do so and those who want to stay 
should be allowed to settle in Iraq.  The voluntary return to Turkey 
of more than 10.000 refugees who fled in the UN run camp following 
fighting between Turkish security forces and the PKK in the 1990s, 
was discussed at the meeting.  However, the trilateral meeting ended 
without reaching a concrete solution. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Iraq 
Cuneyt Ulsever commented in the mass appeal Hurriyet (3/6):  "Turkey 
is a country of divided opinions especially when it comes to policy 
making on Northern Iraq.  Turkey, on one hand, respects Iraqi 
territorial integrity, yet at the same time ignores the Northern 
Iraq element which is an essential part of Iraq's integrity.  Let's 
be realistic about ourselves: Everybody in the world, including the 
US, is very well aware of the fact that in Turkey the views of the 
military are as important as the views of the government on 
political matters.  Given this picture, let's take a look at what 
the thought process of a US bureaucrat who works at the Turkey desk 
might be: 'Our major expectation from Turkey is to see it embrace 
Northern Iraq, which provides internal peace and has our trust, in a 
brotherly manner.  However Turkey's views on this are not clear. 
Evidently there is a certain degree of softening on the civilian 
side but the Turkish military is still pursuing a relatively tough 
stance.  We also know well that the Turkish military is very active 
in the political arena -- some people expect this activity in a 
period of presidential elections.  Given this confused environment, 
why should the US help out Turkey on the PKK issue?  We can only 
pretend we are helping out.  Let's wait for the election results.' 
If we consider that the pro-Kurdish party DTP hopes to enter into 
parliament with about 20 deputies, things will likely to get even 
more confusing in the period ahead." 
 
Ambassador Nuland Holds Talks, Meets Press in Ankara 
Hurriyet, Milliyet and Cumhuriyet report Ambassador Toria Nuland, 
the US Permanent Representative at NATO, held talks Monday at 
Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) and Turkish General Staff (TGS). 
Hurriyet and Milliyet say Nuland told the press "The US and Turkey 
work together at NATO to remind everybody that Iran's missile 
development program is not only a threat for tomorrow, but in the 
case of the short and medium-range capability it's a current 
threat."  Nuland added, "There is still a short- and medium-range 
threat for countries like Turkey.  That system will cover the vast 
majority of alliance territory against a long-range missile threat 
from Iran."  Milliyet reports Nuland responded to a question on 
whether Turkey will be protected under the US missile defense system 
in case of an attack from Iran by saying, "The parts of Turkey that 
could be threatened by such a missile attack will be covered by this 
system.  The short and medium threat is different, and will require 
complimentary steps either nationally or at NATO."  On whether the 
 
ANKARA 00000502  002 OF 003 
 
 
US expected new Turkish contributions in Afghanistan, Ambassador 
Nuland said, "We appreciate that Turkey will take over the Kabul 
regional command, increasing its presence in Afghanistan.  Our 
commanders there are continuing to ask that all countries help with 
things like airlifts and helicopters, and that if we have 
difficulties in any parts of the country that we'll be willing to 
help each other."  Cumhuriyet claims that after the Czech Republic 
and Poland, the US wants to include Turkey in the Nuclear Missile 
Shield project.  Ambassador Nuland has raised the issue in Ankara, 
but Turks, thinking it will make their country a "direct target," 
are distanced to the project.  Turkish diplomatic sources said a 
Turkey dependant on Russia and Iran for energy, cannot allow US 
missiles on its territory, according to Cumhuriyet. 
 
Commenting on the missile defense system in the 
Islamist-intellectual Zaman, Fikret Ertan warns that the "son of 
Star Wars" must be "watched carefully":  "Following the Star Wars 
project, the US is now working on a new defense system, technically 
called the National Missile Defense System (NMDS) - a missile shield 
system based on the ground instead of in space.  Thus it's called 
the son of Star Wars. The fact is that realization of NMDS requires 
a wider geography and more bases, and that's where the Caucasus 
region comes in.  US General Henry Obering, who is in charge of 
conducting the NMDS project, already told press that the US wants to 
establish an anti-missile radar system in the Caucasus.  Even though 
the General did not say any country's name, there is strong 
speculation that Georgia would be the first country that the US will 
eventually approach.  And most likely Azerbaijan will be the next on 
the list.  If and when realized, the NMDS will open a new page in 
the world's military and political system.  The son of Star Wars 
must be watched carefully." 
 
Missing Iranian Deputy Defense Minister 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Cumhuriyet and others:  Iran demanded 
information from Turkey about the former deputy defense minister Ali 
Reza Asgari, who went missing after checking into an Istanbul hotel 
on December 9.  Iranian Foreign Minister said that the Turkish and 
Iranian Foreign Ministries were working together on the issue. 
However, Turkish Foreign Ministry emphasized that the issue was a 
legal case.  Vatan reports that the Iranian officials told Turkish 
officials that they are concerned that either the CIA or MOSSAD 
could be behind the kidnapping as the missing official has knowledge 
about Iran's nuclear program. 
 
Doctors Check Ocalan's Health 
All papers report Cemil Cicek, Turkish Justice Minister and 
Government Spokesman, told a weekly press briefing Monday a medical 
team of three doctors has taken blood and hair samples from Abdullah 
Ocalan, imprisoned on the island of Imrali, in the face of charges 
that the PKK leader was poisoned.  "Test results will be revealed by 
the end of this week, proving all charges are lies," Cicek said. 
"Since a retrial for Ocalan is off the agenda of the European 
Council, his supporters are trying to create new issues.  The 
Turkish government will never choose the option of marring the 
health of the terrorist leader," Cicek maintained. 
 
Iran 'Exports' Missile Parts from US through Turkey 
Milliyet reports according to customs reports, "Step Standard 
Technical Corp.," an Iranian-owned company set up in Turkey buys 
electricity connection parts for TOW missiles from the US 
"Continental Connector Company" and sends them to Iran.  The same 
company has sent rocket and missile guidance units it purchased from 
the French "ADR Company" to Iran through Turkey. 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
 
ANKARA 00000502  003 OF 003 
 
 
- Turkey, under an ECHR ruling, has reached a settlement with the 
relatives of 17 people killed in protests in support of the PKK in 
the eastern Turkish province of Kars in 1993.  Turkey has 
acknowledged security forces used excessive force, agreeing to pay 
350,000 Euro to victims' relatives. 
 
- The Diyarbakir prosecutor has initiated an investigation into a 
press conference held over the weekend by 54 mayors from the Kurdish 
party DTP. 
 
- A Turkish military training plane crashed Monday afternoon in the 
western Turkish province of Manisa, killing its pilot Lieutenant 
Baris Cakir. 
 
- State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, heading a business delegation to 
Israel, will join a business forum to be held Tuesday with the 
participation of Turkish and Israeli entrepreneurs. 
 
International News 
 
- Tariq Aziz, a leading member of Saddam Hussein's regime, told a 
court in Baghdad Iran was responsible for the poison gas attack on 
the Kurdish town of Halabja in northern Iraq in 1988. 
 
- UK think tank Oxford Research Group warned military strikes 
against Iran could speed up Tehran's development of nuclear weapons. 
 
 
- Some 6,000 Russian protesters blocked St. Petersburg's main avenue 
over the weekend in a show of opposition to President Putin. 
- 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON