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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000735 
 
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 30, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Erdogan Details Meetings with Talabani, Mottaki in Riyadh 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan told journalists on the way 
back from the Arab League Summit in Riyadh that Iraqi President 
Jalal Talabani suggested a Turkish delegation travel to Kirkuk to 
investigate the situation there.  "Send a delegation to Kirkuk to 
look into whether the records of deeds have been erased, and let 
them carry out demographic inspections as well.  Turkey's Mosul 
Consulate can look into the situation there," Talabani told Erdogan. 
 Erdogan welcomed the proposal, saying Ankara will make a decision 
soon.  Erdogan also claimed Talabani said they need Turkey.  "We 
cannot deny the things you have done for us.  We have made some 
mistakes, but then, so have you," Erdogan quoted Talabanimas saying, 
noting the Kurds were particularly uncomfortable with the negative 
attitude of the Turkish media. 
 
Erdogan also said Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchecr Mottaki agreed 
to release a female British sailor captured alongside 14 others in 
the Gulf region last week.  "After discussing the matter with 
Mottaki, I called Tony Blair and told him about the promise to set 
the female sailor free.  I also told the British PM that our Tehran 
ambassador would be allowed to visit the other sailors," said 
Erdogan. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Iran-Britain Hostage Crisis 
Fikret Bila observed in mainstream daily Milliyet (3/30):  "Iran 
continues to pursue the crisis which started with the capture of 15 
British sailors.  Using the fine details of international law and 
diplomacy cleverly, Iran escalates, and then backs off.  One can 
easily say that Iran is a using these captured sailors as a 
psychological operation to send delicate messages to the US, UK, and 
the administrations of regional powers.  Iran is trying to show to 
the US and the UK that they are not scared of international 
pressure.  Iran is sending the message that it will be using all the 
rights given to it by international law, and that American and 
British troops will not be allowed to enter Iranian territory as 
they did in Iraq.  Iran is showing its experience by ending such 
operations through diplomatic means right after the expected target 
is reached.  The tension between Iran and the US-UK impacts the war 
in Iraq immensely.  The Iraq war directly increased the influence of 
Shiites and indirectly increased the influence of Iran in Iraqi 
affairs, obstructing the ability of the US to obtain success in 
Iraq.  With its influence in Iraq, the Tehran regime prevents the 
completion of the US mission in Iraq and dissuades it from turning 
next to deal with Iran.  In other words, Iran is showing to the US 
and the UK how tough it is." 
 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in the conservative-nationalist Turkiye 
(3/30):  "There are strong allegations that the lost Iranian general 
is in the hands of British intelligence.  The 15 British sailors 
captured in the Gulf by Iran will now be used as bargaining chips 
for this Iranian general.  At the moment, Iran is challenging far 
too many countries and is acting as if there are no regimes, 
ideologies, administrations or policies other than their own. Iran 
has no sympathy for Turkey now, and for centuries it never has. 
Iran dislikes Turkey for being a NATO member, ally of the US and, 
recently because of its European identity.  But, the fact is, Iran 
is a Persian-Turkic state and it has been one for the centuries. 
After Turkey, Iran is the country where the Turkish language is most 
used.  I believe that because of this reason Turkey tries to protect 
Iran.  In reality, Turkey's allies are the US and the UK, not Iran. 
Iran hopes that the western world will not interfere with it because 
of its development of nuclear power.  Let us all wait and see what 
the developments in the region will be, and let us all remember that 
Turkey is placed in the south-west point of the Asian continent - 
the most strategic position." 
 
UNHCR Briefs Turkish MPs on Makhmour Camp 
 
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Cumhuriyet and Yeni Safak report in a briefing yesterday, the UN 
High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Turkey representative Metin 
Corabatir told parliamentary human rights commission members there 
was an agreement to close down Mahmour Camp in northern Iraq, adding 
that refugees in the camp should be given a chance to return to 
Turkey.  UN will survey the 12,000 inhabitants of the camp to see if 
they want to return to Turkey.  For the returnees, temporary housing 
will be established in seven provinces, namely Ankara, Izmir, 
Istanbul, Gaziantep, Van, Erzurum, Kayseri, and Kirklareli.  The US, 
EU, and UN will provide financial support to Turkey in connection 
with the construction of housing.  Corabatir explained the CHP 
members of the commission whom have claimed the camp was under PKK 
control that a recent UN survey indicated 51 percent of camp 
inhabitants were women and the remaining children, stressing "they 
are not terrorists." 
 
Edelman on the PKK, Armenian Genocide Resolution 
The intellectual Islamist-oriented Zaman reports US Undersecretary 
of Defense for policy Eric Edelman told Samanyolu TV in Washington 
that although it was a matter to be decided by Turkey, he didn't 
expect a Turkish cross-border military incursion into northern Iraq. 
 Edelman believes the troubled days of March 1 decree are now an 
issue of the past.  He said Turkish concerns over the PKK presence 
in northern Iraq have increased, stressing the US has been working 
hard towards a solution.  "The difficulty stems from geographical 
reasons; we don't have enough American troop presence in northern 
Iraq.  General Ralston and General Baser have been striving to 
resolve the question.  They have made progress, and I believe they 
will manage to make more.  We have forced our European friends to 
cut the financial sources of the PKK in Europe.  As you've seen, 
some arrests have been made, and these can be seen as the first 
fruits of our labor," Edelman emphasized.  On the Armenian genocide 
resolution, Edelman stressed that the Bush Administration maintains 
its previous position with regard to the matter, but that he could 
not guess the US Congress' decision.  "We believe this is an issue 
to be evaluated by historians, not politicians, and I hope the 
Congress understands that," said Edelman. 
 
Baser-Ralston Meet at ATC 
Sabah, Cumhuriyet and Yeni Safak report the Turkish anti-terror 
special envoy Edip Baser met with his US counterpart Joseph Ralston 
on the sidelines of the American-Turkish Council's (ATC) annual 
conference in Washington.  "Things are proceeding slowly, but there 
is progress regarding the fight against the PKK.  We're going in a 
good direction," Baser told the press after the meeting, adding, "I 
believe that the US is honest in its commitment.  We just have 
different views on the matter, based on the two sides' priorities." 
Baser stressed that it will be "the Turkish state and its related 
institutions to decide on a military cross-border operation against 
the PKK," say papers. 
 
Turkey Reopens Akhtamar Church 
All papers report the ancient Akhtamar Church -- known as Church of 
Surp Khach, or the Holy Cross -- has been reopened in Van with the 
participation of a 20-member Armenian delegation led by deputy 
Culture Minister Gagik Gyurjyan, the spiritual leader of Turkey's 
Armenians Patriarch Mesrob II, US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission 
Nancy McEldowney, and Israeli Ambassador Pinhas Avivi as well as 
other Armenians who traveled to Turkey for the occasion.  Cumhuriyet 
reports archbishops Museg Mardirosyian and Sempad Lapaciyan from Los 
Angeles, and Hacag Barsamyan from New York also participated in the 
ceremony. 
 
The Akhtamar Church, located on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van in 
eastern Turkey, will serve as a "monument-museum."  Patriarch Mesrob 
II called for legal permission to use the church for religious 
services at least one day a year and for an annual festival on the 
island.  Turkish Culture Minister Atilla Koc said he could not 
decide the issue alone.  Earlier this week, the head of the Armenian 
Orthodox Church, Karekin II, refused to attend the reopening because 
 
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the church will operate as a museum. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 a.m.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has decided to boycott the informal 
meeting of EU foreign ministers in Bremen following EU term 
president Germany's exclusion of Turkey from EU's 50th birthday 
celebrations. 
 
- European Commission representative Ambassador Marc Pierini has 
urged Ankara to focus on gathering public support for Turkey's EU 
entry bid. 
 
- A gas tank exploded at a five-star hotel in Turkey's Mediterranean 
tourist resort of Belek, killing one person and injuring 11 others. 
 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan will travel to Syria on April 3 for the 
opening of Aleppo soccer arena. 
 
International News 
 
- British media call on the Blair government to step up diplomatic 
pressure for the release of 15 British sailors detained by Iran last 
week. 
 
- The EU on Thursday opened membership negotiations with Turkey in 
the enterprise and industrial policy chapter, one of 35 areas where 
Turkey must adjust its domestic laws with European regulations. 
 
- Ryan Crocker was sworn in as the new US Ambassador to Iraq. 
 
- A Belgian court ruled on Thursday that fugitive Turkish leftist 
militant Fehriye Erdal can be tried in Belgium for crimes she is 
charged of committing in Turkey. 
 
 
WILSON