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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000596 
 
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 
THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
AKP Surveys Members' Preferences on New Turkish President 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and 
others report the ruling AK Party sent out a survey to its 
provincial organizations asking whom they would like to see as 
Turkey's new president.  In addition to PM Erdogan, the interviewees 
were asked to choose from among members of parliament Besir Atalay, 
Mehmet Aydin, Vecdi Gonul, the current defense minister, and Koksal 
Toptan - all AKP members whose wives do not wear headscarves.  Those 
polled were asked questions such as how they would react to Erdogan 
becoming the new president and whether they thought Erdogan's 
presidency would have a positive impact on national stability.  The 
survey will be expanded to reach thousands of AKP officials. 
 
DTP Petition Rejected Due to Use of the Letter 'W'; Raids on Party 
Offices Continue 
Liberal Radikal reports the Diyarbakir Governor's Office has 
rejected a petition from Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP regarding 
activities during the upcoming Nevruz festival, due to the fact that 
"Nevruz" was spelled "Newruz," using a "w," a letter not used in the 
Turkish alphabet, but used in the Kurdish alphabet. 
 
Radikal also points to ongoing legal action and police raids against 
the DTP, reporting police raided a party office in the eastern 
province of Tunceli on tips that DTP members were in touch with the 
PKK before the forthcoming Nevruz celebrations later this month. 
Police detained five DTP members, also seizing explosives and secret 
documents in the homes of suspects, says Radikal. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey's Iraq Policy, Iraq Meeting in 
Baghdad 
Writing in the intellectual Islamist-oriented daily Zaman, Sahin 
Alpay breaks down Turkish Iraq policy into three main areas: 
"First, the preservation of Iraq's territorial integrity as well as 
preventing a civil war; second, the assurance that the revenue of 
Kirkuk oil belong to all Iraqis and Kirkuk is a city for all ethnic 
groups; and finally the prevention of the PKK from using Northern 
Iraq as a base.  All of these are justifiable and legitimate goals. 
 However, reaching those goals via military means is not a rational 
approach nor is it sensible.  Ankara has to use politics and 
diplomacy to realize its goals on Iraq.  One of the most important 
things about that is to engage in a dialogue with all sides of Iraq, 
particularly with the representatives of the Iraqi Regional Kurdish 
Administration.  It is also required that Iraqi Kurds should be able 
to see that their interest lays in a dialogue with Turkey, and be 
willing to talk to Turkey to make a settlement on the issues. 
Washington on the other hand, should be a facilitator for realizing 
an agreement between Turkey and the Regional Kurdish authority, 
which will also help the US restore its image here in Turkey." 
 
Sami Kohen commenting in the mainstream daily Milliyet, highlights 
the importance of the recent Iraq neighbors meeting in Baghdad: 
"Iraqi neighbors, the permanent members of the UNSC and 
representatives from three international organizations have agreed 
on and supported the territorial integrity, sovereignty and national 
unity of Iraq.  At first glance it may be seen to be a statement of 
the obvious.  However, given the particular situation of Iraq, this 
agreement has special importance because it has a binding effect for 
every country.  The international commitment regarding the 
territorial integrity of Iraq also provides a warning message to 
those acting with separatist aspirations, including the Iraqi 
Kurdish leaders.  Another important outcome from the Baghdad meeting 
was the support for Iraq's struggle against terrorism. The 
declaration also calls for measures to end border violations by 
terrorist suspects, which should be considered as including border 
violations from Northern Iraq into Turkey as well.  These are all 
important commitments and I hope that they do not stay only on 
paper." 
 
 
ANKARA 00000596  002 OF 002 
 
 
Armenian Resolution Could be Postponed for One Year 
Hurriyet cites US Congress sources in saying that the vote in 
Congress on the Armenian genocide resolution could be postponed 
until next year. The paper quotes a source in Congress as saying 
that Speaker Nancy Pelosi will determine the final decision on the 
resolution. The source says there is a strong pressure from the 
White House, but on the other hand, Pelosi promised such a 
resolution to Armenians before the elections.  The report explains 
that some Congress members close to Pelosi object to the resolution 
being brought to the agenda for national security reasons and that 
the passage of the resolution will definitely draw Turkey's reaction 
in an election year. That is why, the source concludes, Pelosi might 
decide to wait until next year to bring the issue before the House. 
 
 
MFA Denies Reports on Direct Flights between Yerevan-Van 
Milliyet, Sabah and others:  MFA Spokesman Levant Bilman said 
yesterday that he does not have any information about a possible 
direct flight between Yerevan and Van in order to bring Armenian 
officials to the opening of the Armenian Church on Akdamar Island in 
Van, scheduled for March 29.  Meanwhile, MFA sources said that the 
direct flight option came on the agenda of the technical group 
meeting last week as an alternative to highway transportation. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 6.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Turkish National Security Council (MGK) monthly meeting will 
be held on April 9 or 10, earlier than scheduled, to avoid 
coinciding with the presidential elections between April 16-26. 
 
- Istanbul lawmaker Goksal Kucukali resigned from Motherland Party 
(ANAP), dropping the number of his party's seats in the parliament 
to 20.  If one more lawmaker resigns, ANAP will lose the required 
number to form a group in the parliament.  The distribution of seats 
in the Turkish parliament is, AKP 354, CHP 153, ANAP 20, DYP 4, SHP 
1, HYP 1, GP 1, Independent 10, and Vacant 6. 
 
- President Sezer has vetoed the appointment of five Turkish Foreign 
Ministry deputy undersecretaries because he had not been consulted 
on the appointments beforehand. 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan is resting at home because of back pain 
problems.  Health Minister Recep Akdag denied Erdogan had a hernia, 
saying the prime minister is suffering from muscle spasms. 
 
International News 
 
- The Greek Cypriots refused to comply with an EU decision for 
launching direct trade with Turkish Cyprus. 
 
- Iran said 207 militants of the Kurdish terrorist organization 
PEJAK have been detained in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran. 
 
- Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said Iran would 
respond militarily in the face of a US attack to disrupt Tehran's 
nuclear program. 
 
- Several hundred protesters burned American flags in Mexico City to 
protest the visit of President Bush. 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON