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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000517 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Kurdish Leader Sentenced for Calling Ocalan 'Mr' 
All papers report Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP leader Ahmet Turk 
has been given a six-month prison sentence for calling the PKK 
leader Abdullah Ocalan "Mr. Ocalan" at a meeting in Diyarbakir in 
January last year.  The court said Turk used "Mr," an expression of 
implied respect, more than once in the same speech.  Turk said using 
"Mr" constituted no crime in any part of the world, stressing it 
would be impossible for them to exercise politics under such 
conditions. 
 
On the other hand, the lawyers of DTP Diyarbakir branch chairman 
Hilmi Aydogdu have filed a complaint against Turkey's 
counter-terrorism envoy Edip Baser for insulting Aydogdu by calling 
him a "creature."  Aydogdu was arrested for saying last month an 
attack on Kirkuk would be perceived one made on Diyarbakir. 
 
US Annual Human Rights Report 
Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report US 
State Department annual human rights report mentioned the 
restrictions on free speech and press in Turkey as well as a rise in 
"honor killings" and anti-Semitic publications.  The report says the 
role of military in Turkish politics and the Kurdish and Armenian 
questions constitute the main issues of debate, noting individuals 
joining such debates risk facing lawsuits.  The 23,000-strong Jewish 
community in Turkey is worried with regard to the rise of 
anti-Semitic literature, a good example being "The Valley of the 
Wolves" movie, says the report.  It also notes 1,806 "honor 
killings" have been committed in Turkey between 2001-2006. 
 
Turkey Seeks Missile Defense System 
Tabloid Aksam reports that on March 1, the Turkish Defense Industry 
Undersecretariat (SSM) announced it will purchase four long-range 
missile defense systems for the Turkish Air Forces.  The paper says 
Turkey's anti-missile project was backed by the US, and claims the 
decision indicated preparation for a possible military operation 
against Iran.  The conservative-nationalist Turkiye, however, claims 
Turkey is developing its own missile system independently from the 
US.  It says Turkey will choose from among the US Patriot, Russian 
S-300 and 400, and Chinese FD-2000 missile defense systems.  Turkiye 
says the system will be set up in Ankara and Istanbul whereas Aksam 
claims it will be either in Malatya, Erzurum, Diyarbakir, Mus, or 
Batman. 
 
Cumhuriyet claims Ambassador Toria Nuland, the US representative to 
NATO who visited Ankara earlier this week, pressed Turks to take 
part in the US nuclear missile shield.  Turkey, however, fearing 
deployment of US missiles at home could displease its main energy 
provider Russia, stays distanced to the US proposal, according to 
the paper. 
 
Ambassador Schlicher on Cyprus Oil Rights 
Milliyet, Cumhuriyet and Zaman report the US Ambassador in Nicosia, 
Ronald Schlicher, has said signing offshore licensing agreements for 
oil exploration in eastern Mediterranean was the sovereign right of 
Greek Cyprus.  Schlicher said those "doubtful" about the Cyprus 
Republic's right to make oil deals should follow "legal and peaceful 
procedures."  Schlicher also noted, "the US is of the opinion that 
the July 8, 2006 [the Gambari process] should be implemented at 
once, targeting a launch of the real negotiations."  Schlicher was 
meeting with Dimitris Hristofyas, the Greek Cypriot parliamentary 
speaker and the secretary-general of the left-wing AKEL party. 
 
Meanwhile, The Islamist-oriented Zaman reports the EU Enlargement 
Commissioner Olli Rehn, meeting Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister 
George Lillikas yesterday, called for an implementation of the 
direct trade regulation drafted by the EU Commission in July 2004. 
Lillikas, opposing the use of Turkish Cyprus ports for direct trade, 
 
ANKARA 00000517  002 OF 003 
 
 
said before launching direct trade, there should be political 
unification, economic integration, and increased cooperation between 
the two communities in the divided island. 
 
Tuzmen Seeks Israeli Support against Armenian Resolution 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, heading a 
Turkish businessmen's delegation in Israel for economic talks, 
called on the Israeli businessmen and politicians to support Turkey 
in the face of the Armenian resolution in the US.  "Turkey and 
Israel do not only share historical ties, Turkey is the second 
country after the US in receiving Israeli tourists.  The Turkish and 
Israeli peoples have always lived together in harmony and 
friendship; we now expect your support with regard to the Armenian 
resolution," Tuzmen told a seminar in Tel Aviv. 
 
Writing in the tabloid Posta, Mehmed Ali Birand recommends getting 
Armenia "on Turkey's side": "Let's get Armenia on our side:  Now the 
strongest advantage Turkey has in the genocide struggle is its 
relations with Armenia. The importance of this advantage will grow 
even more during the political phase of genocide allegations in 
other countries.  Developing economic relations with Armenia and 
opening borders will both increase Turkey's prominence in the region 
and ease some of the pressure it is under.  The talks about how to 
establish relations with Armenia and how mutual approaches can be 
reorganized will not be binding for anyone.  If conditions that 
cannot be met arise during these talks, the simplest thing to do 
would be to leave the table. However, even the news that Turkey and 
Armenia are in meetings will have positive consequences in the 
international arena." 
 
Editorial Commentary: Iran 
Zafer Atay writing in the economic-political daily Dunya, warns of 
the consequences of an attack on Iran: "Given the conditions of 
Iran, the US probably hopes to finish the job using air bombardment. 
 Yet whether it will be good enough to finish the job is 
questionable.  And we should also keep in mind the possible 
aftermath scenarios.  Iran might incite more terrorism through the 
Shiite terrorist groups and might cut off the oil flow from the 
Gulf.  Turkey will face immediate consequences both diplomatically 
and economically if a new crisis emerges right next door." 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institution will examine Ocalan's blood 
samples and hair to find out whether there are any traces of 
chemical poisoning. 
 
- Police in Ankara have arrested 35 members of a gang bribing 
Turkish employees in German, Greek, Romanian and Austrian embassies 
to smuggle PKK members to EU countries. 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan said on the eve of March 8 World Women's 
Day that discrimination against women was "worse than racism." 
 
- Seven youths who composed a song mocking the Turkish university 
entrance system face trial for insulting public officers.  If 
convicted, the youths will be given prison sentences up to 17 
months. 
 
International News 
 
- A powerful earthquake rocked western Indonesia on Tuesday, killing 
at least 70 people. 
 
- The Greek Cypriots are alarmed by the plans of Turkish Cyprus 
leader Mehmet Ali Talat to join a Turkish diaspora meeting in 
Azerbaijan on March 9 together with Prime Minister Erdogan. 
 
ANKARA 00000517  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
- EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn expressed anxiety with the 
frequent assaults against him in the Greek Cypriot media in a 
meeting with Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas 
yesterday. 
 
- Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian lashed out at Turkey for 
attempting to punish the US for backing Armenian genocide claims. 
 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON