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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000604 
 
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 
FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Assistant Secretary Fried Testifies against Armenian Resolution 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak 
and others report 
Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian 
affairs, told a hearing of a House foreign affairs subcommittee on 
Europe that Turkey has warned the US that approval of the resolution 
could lead to a shutdown of the Incirlik Air Base or a restriction 
on US overflight privileges granted by Turkey.  Fried added Turkey 
might also restrict the use of the Habur crossing on the border of 
Iraq and Turkey, used for the delivery of supplies to US troops in 
Iraq.  Fried stressed adoption of the resolution would silence those 
in Turkey calling for a "truthful exploration" of the events in 
pursuit of Turkey's reconciliation with Armenia.  Fried also said 
the resolution is opposed by the some 70,000-strong Turkish-Armenian 
community, which has been warning that the measure would "raise 
popular emotions so dramatically as to threaten their personal 
security."  Fried warned that the adoption of the resolution might 
also fuel fresh anti-American sentiments in Turkey. 
 
Ralston on the PKK, Makhmour Camp 
All papers report Joseph Ralston, US special envoy for countering 
the PKK, told Associated Press that US pressure has resulted in 
moves against the PKK's operations by the Iraqi and European 
authorities.  Ralston said the US has not yet met Turkish demands 
for the capture of the PKK leaders and closure of Makhmour Camp in 
northern Iraq.  "All options are on the table," Ralston said, "the 
PKK is a terrorist organization and needs to be put out of 
business."  He noted Turkey has suffered greatly at the hands of the 
PKK.   Ralston added the US, Turkey and Iraq are close to a deal to 
close Makhmour Camp, recalling that in January, the US and Iraqi 
forces searched the camp and found artillery shells believed to have 
belonged to the PKK.  Papers say Ralston's remarks were in contrast 
to earlier statements by the Iraqi Kurdish officials and the UN 
inspectors that no weapons were found during the search in the camp. 
 Ralston also said the PKK has held a ceasefire since October that 
was arranged by Massoud Barzani, the president of the regional 
Kurdish administration. 
 
In response to press questions yesterday, UNHCR Turkey 
representative Metin Corabatir said no weapons were found during the 
search in Makhmour Camp.  "At a recent meeting in Geneva, the US 
confirmed the civilian nature of the camp," said Corabatir. 
 
Turkish Security Body Warns against Operations into Northern Iraq 
 
Cumhuriyet, Zaman and Yeni Safak report CNN-Turk television said 
Thursday a report drafted by the Turkish National Security Council 
(MGK) warns that if Turkey enters northern Iraq, it will be "stuck 
in a swamp."  "A cross border military incursion into northern Iraq 
will have a large human toll and bring a heavy financial burden," 
the report said, stressing that Turkey should improve ties with all 
groups in northern Iraq, including the Kurds. The MGK has denied the 
report. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Ocalan/the PKK, US/the PKK 
Mehmed Ali Birand observes in the tabloid daily Posta:  "Even though 
while in prison Ocalan has never been out of the spotlight, it is 
also true that his PKK leadership has been a subject of debate. 
There has been a search for leaders to replace him who are both 
active and capable of controlling the organization.  Although 
several names were in circulation, none of them has been found to be 
acceptable.  Following the Iraq occupation, Barzani managed to 
increase his influence immensely in the region and he is still 
influential.  However recent developments also indicate that Ocalan 
has regained his previous status and managed to return to the 
limelight regardless of the criticism against him, including that he 
is a servant of the Turkish deep state.  It is now too early to talk 
about it, but a campaign to free Ocalan should not come as a 
 
ANKARA 00000604  002 OF 002 
 
 
surprise.  However, the most important requirement for this to 
happen -- the PKK abandons terrorist acts and leaves Kurdish 
politics to the DTP - seems unlikely in the near future." 
 
DTP Pledges Peaceful Nevruz; Further DTP Detentions 
Milliyet, Sabah, Hurriyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet and others:   Ahmet 
Turk, leader of the DTP, Turkey's main Kurdish party, stressed that 
he will do his best to ensure peaceful Nevruz celebrations and that 
his party will organize Nevruz celebrations in Mersin, Sanliurfa, 
Diyarbakir, Batman, Van and Istanbul.  Turk added that they are 
against celebrating Nevruz on a date other than March 21 and that he 
will be attending the celebrations in Diyarbakir. 
 
Meanwhile, Izmir police yesterday detained 14 people, including the 
DTP Izmir head Mehmet Mihdi Arslan, Torbali district head Husnu 
Koyuncu and Buca district head Mehmet Emin Yildiz. 
 
NGO Campaign for More Women in Politics 
Liberal Radikal reports KADER, an association to support female 
candidates for the Turkish parliament, has launched a campaign to 
increase to 10 percent the women members in the assembly.  The 
current percentage of women lawmakers in the Turkish parliament is 
4.4.  At a press conference in Istanbul, KADER called on political 
parties to apply a quota of female candidates.  In the meeting, 
KADER members posed for the press wearing fake moustaches, asking 
"Do you have to be a male to enter the parliament?" 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Turkey has decided to suspend the construction of a new natural 
gas pipeline parallel to the Blue Stream pipeline in retaliation to 
a Russian project bypassing Turkey and carrying Russian oil to 
Europe through Bulgaria and Greece. 
 
- A Turkish delegation of archeologists and historians will travel 
to Jerusalem on March 20 to examine Israel's excavation work near 
the al-Aqsa mosque. 
 
- The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Turkey has not contacted any 
third country in connection with the former Iranian deputy defense 
minister Ali Reza Asgari who went missing in Istanbul. 
 
- A Parliamentary debate over corruption and irregularities in 
Istanbul municipality became heated and AKP MP Ahmet Isik spit on 
CHP MP Mehmet Ali Ozpolat. 
 
International News 
 
- US Senators Dick Durbin and John Ensign have introduced an 
Armenian genocide bill in the US Senate. 
 
- Reporters Without Borders said leaked reports show that in Turkey 
the military and the prime minister's office punish and reward 
journalists according to their "loyalty." 
 
- The government of Iraq, under heavy international criticism for 
the way it executed Saddam Hussein, wants to abolish capital 
punishment. 
 
- Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said security services 
were doing all they can to secure the release of a BBC reporter 
abducted in Gaza. 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON