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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000694 
 
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 27, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
General Saygun Addresses ATC Conference 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak 
and others report General Ergin Saygun, the Deputy Chief of the 
Turkish General Staff, told the American-Turkish Council (ATC) 
meeting in Washington that Armenian genocide accusations directed 
against Turkey were "politically-motivated" noting that Switzerland 
convicted a Turkish political party leader [Dogu Perincek] under a 
law making it illegal to deny the Armenian incident was a genocide, 
and adding that a Turkish writer [Orhan Pamuk] was awarded with the 
Nobel prize after holding the Turks guilty for the death of "1.5 
million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds."  He also showed the gathering 
photographs of PKK militants playing soccer and in training in 
northern Iraq, saying "They know that they are in a safe area."  He 
also stressed the importance of Iraq's territorial integrity, 
warning Kirkuk was "ready to explode."  Zaman reports Saygun said 
international agreements gave Turkey the right to infiltrate up to 
75 km into Iraq to solve border disagreements.  He also mentioned 
the defense cooperation between the US and Turkey, stressing the US 
should view Turkey as "a partner, not a client," say papers. 
 
Erdogan to Join Arab League Meetings in Riyadh 
Sabah, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others report that on March 28-29, 
Prime Minister Erdogan will deliver a speech at the Arab League 
summit in Riyadh as well as hold talks with other leaders including 
President Mahmoud Abbas and the Prime Minister of the new 
Palestinian government, Ismail Haniyah.  In his address to the 
gathering, Erdogan is expected to warn against the rising tensions 
between the Sunni and Shiite groups in Iraq, and extend support to 
the new Palestinian government.  Zaman says this will be Turkey's 
second participation in the Arab League meetings with the observer 
status since 2005. 
 
Editorial Opinion on Middle East and Sanction Against Iran 
 
Taha Akyol observed in the mainstream daily Milliyet:  "When the US 
introduced its Greater Middle East project, the goal was to topple 
dictatorships in the region and bring democracy as well as market 
economy.  The very same US, in an effort to find a way to counter 
Iran, is now forming strategic alliances with authoritarian Sunni 
regimes which indicates the collapse of Greater Middle East project. 
 The Bush administration is leaning towards a change of strategy 
since Iran is now considered a bigger threat than Sunni radicals. 
Therefore, the US is watching the Saudi efforts to bring the PLO and 
Hamas together and sees it as an effort to eliminate Iranian 
influence over PLO.  When Turkey tried to exert some effort to 
eliminate Iranian and Hizbullah influence over Hamas, Ankara heard 
angry messages from the Bush administration.   But today Washington 
is moving towards that policy line.  Along with the policy change in 
Washington, certain results could come.  If Sunnis and the US get 
closer to each other, it can help Iraq's territorial integrity. 
Turkey's balancing role might be required in the new equilibrium. 
Ankara will participate in the Arab League meeting and the Iraqi 
neighbors' conference will also be convened in Istanbul, which both 
signify Turkey's role.  The Middle East is just about to enter into 
a new period although uncertainties remain." 
 
Fikret Ertan wrote in the Islamist-intellectual daily Zaman:  "The 
UN Security Council has adopted new sanctions against Iran.  The 
list of sanctions as well as the tone of it enhances earlier 
resolutions 1737 and 1747.  Even though the new resolution is 
tougher than the previous two, it still required a consensus among 
the permanent members of the UNSC.  America and European countries 
defended the need for tough actions against Iran while China and 
Russia advocated a more softened stance.  In the end they all 
reached a consensus on the text which comes with an 18-page list. 
Iran once again was given a 60 day period in order to stop its 
uranium enrichment program.  Although the UN resolution lists in a 
very detailed manner the names and institutions connected with 
 
ANKARA 00000694  002 OF 003 
 
 
Iranian nuclear activities, the fact of the matter is that Iran will 
continue to defy just like it did for the previous resolutions." 
 
Investigation Launched Against PM Erdogan 
All papers report that Ankara's Chief Public Prosecutor's Office 
launched an investigation against Prime Minister Erdogan for his 
remarks in an interview with an Australian radio station in 2000, in 
which he apparently referred to PKK leader Ocalan as "Mr" (Sayin) 
and martyrs as "heads".  Use of the title "Mr" has led to countless 
prosecutions in Turkey when used to refer jailed PKK leader Ocalan. 
Earlier this month the leader of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Social 
Party (DTP) Ahmet Turk was sentenced to six months in prison for 
having used the title at a political rally.  The Prime Minister and 
other members of Parliament have legal immunity that protects them 
from prosecution and Parliament would need to approve any further 
legal steps against Erdogan.  Since Erdogan is the leader of the 
ruling party and has the vast majority in Parliament, it is very 
unlikely that the Parliament will annul his immunity. 
 
Foreign Visitors in Ankara 
Milliyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet and others:  British Foreign Minister 
Margaret Beckett arrived in Ankara on Monday for talks on Turkey's 
EU membership, Iraq and Iran.  Beckett is scheduled to meet PM 
Erdogan and FM Gul in Ankara today before traveling to Istanbul to 
hold talks with Minister Ali Babacan.  Responding to a question 
whether she had any expectations about Turkish intervention on the 
issue of seized British soldiers by Iran last week, Beckett said she 
had to discuss the issue with Turkish officials first. 
 
Meanwhile, TV channels and Anatolian Agency reported that Iraqi 
Vice-President Tariq Al-Hashimi arrived in Ankara today.  Al-Hashimi 
will hold meetings with Turkish President Sezer, PM Erdogan and FM 
Gul during his stay in Ankara on regional issues. 
 
50th Anniversary of the European Union 
Radikal, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Milliyet and others:  Today's papers 
highlight that German PM Merkel's anti-Turkish attitudes continued 
at the EU's 50th anniversary celebrations.  Merkel presented 
outgoing French leader Chirac, who is a great supporter of Turkey's 
EU bid, with a beer mug as a farewell present  The mug had a relief 
on it depicting the battle in which Napoleon beat the Ottoman army 
in 1799 in Egypt.  Papers comment that by this 'gesture', Merkel 
tried to give Chirac a message that he should think twice before 
supporting Turkey's EU membership. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Four members of the nationalist party BBP have been sent to 
Istanbul from Trabzon in connection with the assassination of 
Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. 
 
- Turkish General Staff chief General Yasar Buyukanit, accompanied 
by force commanders, paid a courtesy visit to Parliament Speaker 
Bulent Arinc yesterday. 
 
- "Turkey and Arab Countries' Economy Congress" will be held in the 
Aegean city of Izmir on March 29-31. 
 
- The Turkish council of ministers approved the Religious Affairs 
Directorate's (Diyanet) request for 15,000 new cadres. 
 
International News 
 
- The outgoing US Ambassador in Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, said he held 
talks last year with major insurgent groups in a drive to bring 
militant Sunni Arabs into politics. 
 
 
ANKARA 00000694  003 OF 003 
 
 
- The Iraqi government said Monday it has officially urged Iran to 
release 15 British sailors arrested for allegedly entering Iranian 
territorial waters last week. 
 
- The US Senate foreign relations committee will discuss on 
Wednesday a resolution drafted by Joseph Biden condemning the murder 
of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, calling for the abolishment of 
article 301 and urging Turkey to establish ties with Armenia. 
 
- Martti Ahtisaari, the UN special envoy for Kosovo, said in a 
report that independence is the only viable option for the province. 
 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON