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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000624 
 
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, MARCH 19, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey Commemorates Dardanelles Campaign 
All papers report Turkey on Sunday marked the 92nd anniversary of 
the victory over a combined British-French fleet trying to pass 
through the Dardanelles (Canakkale) to Istanbul during World War I. 
Prime Minister Erdogan participated in the ceremonies on the 
Gallipoli Peninsula.  President Sezer stated in his speech on the 
Dardanelles Campaign that the Turkish nation had gained a respected 
place among the international community.  Sezer also emphasized the 
principle of secularism in his speech.  The Turkish General Staff 
(TGS) chief Yasar Buyukanit, in a statement to commemorate the 
martyrs of war, said the Turkish military would continue to counter 
all threats directed at Turkey.  Meanwhile, families of soldiers 
killed in clashes with the PKK also attended the ceremonies in 
Canakkale.  Another ceremony was held at Ataturk's mausoleum in 
Ankara, joined by at least 25,000 people including Turkish military 
personnel and the relatives of soldiers killed in action. 
Ceremonies were also held across the country on Sunday. 
 
Tensions Rising on Nevruz Eve 
All papers report tensions are on the rise on the eve of Nevruz 
celebrations across Turkey.  Justice Minister Cemil Cicek warned 
against provocative attempts during the celebrations.  In Ankara, a 
group was denied permission to hold a demonstration over the 
weekend, and will probably hold it March 25.  In Istanbul over the 
weekend, police detained 22 and used tear gas to disperse 
demonstrators chanting slogans supporting jailed PKK leader Abdullah 
Ocalan in a separate event to celebrate Nevruz. 
 
Anti-PKK Operations 
In synchronized police operations against the PKK in Istanbul and 
the nearby province of Kocaeli, 12 members were detained.  Police 
seized 12 kilos of A-4 plastic explosives, 10 detonators and 
documents on the PKK propaganda in the search of the party members' 
houses. 
 
Ankara Wants Iraqi Kurds to Release Iraqi Turkmen 
The leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports the Turkish General Staff 
(TGS) has given a file to US counter-terrorism envoy Joseph Ralston 
for the release of the jailed Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) security 
chief Emir Izzettin, who was sentenced to life in prison in northern 
Iraq.  Ralston has reportedly conveyed the file to the regional 
Kurdish administration president Massoud Barzani.  Iraqi sources 
said Izzettin could be released within the scope of a general 
amnesty to be declared by Barzani on the eve of Nevruz.  Izzettin, a 
former Iraqi army captain, had defected and went to Erbil to work as 
the head of security for the ITF.  He was detained, as a warning to 
Turkey, on the eve of the March 1, 2003, vote in the Turkish 
Parliament, as claims were being made that Turkish troops could 
enter northern Iraq.  Izzettin was sentenced to life in prison 
despite the fact that no concrete evidence could be found against 
him. 
 
Editorial Commentary: Fourth Anniversary of the War in Iraq 
Necati Dogru writes in the mainstream daily Vatan:  "The US action 
started with an argument for democracy and ended up with bloodshed. 
This is also a very bad for the US because Iraq has turned into a 
Vietnam-like swamp.   Interestingly enough, despite the fact that 
everything became pro-American in Iraq, including a puppet 
government and puppet security forces and judiciary, the American 
presence there still requires around 70,000 armed men for security 
purposes.  As for the democracy argument, the events during the last 
four years worked for everything but democracy.  Shiite leader 
al-Sadr organized an armed force.  Al Qaeda immensely increased its 
power.  The terrorist attacks increased seven times more than 
before.  Iran gained regional controlling power.  And the dictators 
of the region, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, 
enjoyed reinforcing their dictatorship after the US invasion of 
Iraq.  The US, once known as the world's superpower, is like a paper 
 
ANKARA 00000624  002 OF 002 
 
 
tiger after these four years." 
 
Messages from US on Joint Operations against the PKK 
Hurriyet:  Columnist Fatih Cekirge reports that three important 
messages came from the US during AKP Deputy Egemen Bagis's recent 
trip to the US as part of a Parliamentary delegation to lobby 
against the passage of the Armenian resolution.  Bagis said he had 
met with the Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns and Burns gave 
the delegation three important messages, messages which Bagis 
thought were conveyed to Ankara officially just a short time ago: 
first, General Ralston has completed all the preparations for an 
operation against the PKK; second, the Administration will do its 
best not to allow the passage of the Armenian resolution in 
Congress; and third, the US will start an initiative to lift the 
embargo on northern Cyprus. 
 
DTP Sends Letters of Complaint to Officials 
 Sabah reports that leaders of the Democratic Community Party (DTP), 
Turkey's main Kurdish party, sent letters to PM Erdogan, Justice 
Minister Cicek, Interior Minister Aksu, Chairmen of the Court of 
Cassation, Constitutional Court and State Prosecutor's Office, 
complaining that legal pressure against the DTP offices had 
increased and that investigations were launched against almost every 
DTP district office just after the party announced its intension to 
participate in the upcoming elections by fielding independent 
candidates. 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 8 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
-  A delegation of Turkish lawmakers said after wrapping up talks in 
Washington that the atmosphere in the US is changing in favor of 
Turkey with regard to the Armenian genocide resolution. 
 
- On Monday, the international donor community of 19 countries, the 
UN, the World Bank, and the IMF will gather in Istanbul for the 
fifth round of Iraq Reconstruction Forum to support Iraqi 
reconstruction efforts and to enhance partnerships with the Iraqi 
government. 
 
- Armenian Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosian said she will 
participate in the inauguration of the newly renovated Akhdamar 
Church in Van on March 29. 
 
- 178 illegal migrants were captured in the western coastal town of 
Ayvalik. 
 
International News 
 
- The UN Security Council has agreed to allow President Ahmadinejad 
to speak in defense of Iran's nuclear program at a session to be 
held next week in New York. 
 
- Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer said the EU was not ready 
for Turkey's membership.  German Chancellor Angela Merkel said 
Turkey's EU accession was not the best solution. 
 
- Israeli Prime Minister Olmert said he will not work with the new 
Palestinian government, but pledged to maintain limited contacts 
with President Abbas. 
 
- A Catalan newspaper survey shows about 60 percent of Spaniards 
want government peace talks reopened with the separatist group ETA. 
 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON