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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001014 
 
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, APRIL 30, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Mass Rally for Secularism in Turkey 
All papers report as many as one million people rallied in Caglayan 
Square in Istanbul on Sunday, denouncing the Islamist aspirations of 
the ruling AKP government, demanding it withdraw its presidential 
candidate Abdullah Gul.  The rally was organized by women and was 
backed by over 600 NGOs, attracting people from all over the country 
and abroad.  The protestors, carrying Turkish flags and posters of 
Ataturk, shouted such slogans as "Turkey is secular and will remain 
secular" and "Neither Shariah nor military coup -- we want a 
democratic Turkey."  The crowd also called on the parties on the 
left and right to unite.  The number of participants given by 
officials, organizers and press vary from 180,000 to 1.2 million. 
The Istanbul rally follows a similar demonstration in Ankara on 
April 14 which drew, according to some estimates, up to 1.5 million 
people. 
 
Most mainstream and liberal dailies say in full front page coverage 
the Turkish people "raised their voices," adding all "must notice 
the clear message from the march that the solution is not a coup but 
elections."  Intellectual Islamist-oriented Zaman downplayed the 
march with a half-page reporting on inside pages.  Islamist-oriented 
Yeni Safak highlights that the demonstrators stood against a coup in 
an extensive report under the headline "Democracy is a Beautiful 
Thing."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says "the millions in 
support of a secular democratic Turkish Republic" gave the 
government "the biggest warning."  Mainstream dailies Hurriyet and 
Vatan say "women weighed in" at the rally, claiming about half of 
the protestors were women who came to Istanbul from all over the 
country.  Replying to a question on the demonstration, Deputy Prime 
Minister Abdullatif Sener said it was a democratic right, and their 
demands should be heeded. 
 
Turkish Military Threatens to Oust Government 
All papers:  The Turkish General Staff (TGS) posted on its webpage 
an unusually strong statement on Friday night, hours after an 
inconclusive first round of voting in parliament on Abdullah Gul's 
nomination as president, with a threat to intervene in the election. 
 The statement reminded the government that it was watching "with 
concern" developments that were threatening secularism, underlining 
that "the Turkish armed forces takes sides in these debates and is 
the absolute defender of secularism.  When necessary they will 
display their attitudes and actions very clearly."  The statement 
also described attempts to organize "alternative" Islamic 
celebrations to national festivals as "an open challenge against the 
state," claiming the organizers were hiding their true intentions 
under the guise of religion.  It indicated the AKP should drop plans 
to take the presidency, or the military will step in. 
 
On Saturday, the ruling AKP government sharply criticized the army 
threat, with Government spokesman Cemil Cicek saying the military 
was answerable to the civilian authorities.  Cicek added the 
statement would be perceived as influencing the Constitutional Court 
amid a legal challenge to the government's conduct of the 
presidential election.  Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said 
on Sunday general elections can be held after the presidential 
election, in around August, stressing the AKP candidate Abdullah Gul 
won't be withdrawn. 
 
EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn called on the military to 
"leave the remit of democracy to the democratically elected 
government."  "This is a test case to see if the Turkish armed 
forces respect democratic secularism and the democratic arrangement 
of civil-military relations," said Rehn in a statement over the 
weekend.  Sunday papers quoted Assistant Secretary of State Dan 
Fried as saying, "We hope and expect that the Turks will work out 
these political issues in their own way, in a way that's consistent 
with their secular democracy and constitutional provisions."  "I 
don't see that Turkey is about to revert to a previous condition 
 
ANKARA 00001014  002 OF 003 
 
 
from the 1970s and the 80s.  Turkish democracy has deepened a great 
deal in the last few years," Fried was quoted as saying. 
 
Economic-political daily Referans expects Turkish markets to 
destabilize heavily if AKP insists on electing a president before 
holding early elections.  Foreign investors, controlling 70 percent 
of Turkish stock exchange, might leave Turkey if the presidential 
process moves forward, warns Referans. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Military Warning 
Washington-based Ali Aslan writes in the intellectual 
Islamist-oriented Zaman: "Washington first reacted to the military 
warning by expressing support for 'the democratic process.'  Shortly 
after that it felt the need to revise this line with 'the US fully 
supports the Constitutional process of Turkey's secular democracy.' 
Apparently, the US official view on this issue was crafted after 
hearing different comments from different branches.  In other words, 
the State Department's initial reaction favoring democracy was 
balanced in a way not to disturb the military too much.  The 
majority of the US expectations from Turkey are of a military 
nature, thus angering the Turkish military was considered to be a 
bad thing.  Maybe the US did not want to be seen as interfering in 
Turkey's affairs either.  In any case, the US should have been 
clearer about democracy at such a critical time." 
 
Sukru Kucuksahin observes in the mainstream daily Hurriyet: "There 
is no way to feel empathy for supporters of the military warning or 
those who plan to use this as an internal political tool in the 
upcoming elections.  While the Constitutional Court process is 
expected to speed up the election decision, and while the people 
demonstrated their democratic demands in the largest rally in the 
country's history, the Turkish army warning remains unacceptable and 
unnecessary.  The ruling AKP, on the other hand, continues to do 
unacceptable things as well.  The AKP enjoyed the democratic process 
so far but it was like a one-way street.  The party achieved a 
two-thirds majority in parliament with 34 percent of the popular 
vote, and during the last 4 years ignored the remaining 66 percent 
on every occasion.  More important than the military warning, the 
recent popular rallies in Ankara and Istanbul are giving a clear 
message: elections.  Following yesterday's rally, I am sure that the 
AKP board members are wishing the Constitutional Court rules against 
them so that elections becomes a de facto reality." 
 
Taha Akyol comments in the mainstream daily Milliyet: "The 
government took a dignified stance against the military warning 
which indicates the strength of Turkish democracy.  But the 
government should also take steps toward eliminating worries and 
tension in society.  The AKP should open itself to the center and 
isolate the marginal voices.  From a political point of view, the 
government can wait for the Constitutional Court decision regarding 
the presidential election.  However, real politics call for an 
immediate general election regardless of the Court's ruling.  FM Gul 
is certainly a viable figure for the presidency, but he will have to 
go through that process after the general elections." 
 
Turkish Constitutional Court to Rule on Presidential Election 
All papers:  On May 2, the Turkish Parliament is due to hold a 
second round of voting on Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's nomination 
as Turkey's new president.  After the first round of voting last 
week, the main opposition party CHP has asked the Constitutional 
Court to rule the presidential election invalid.  The court said it 
will try to announce its decision before Wednesday's vote.  If the 
court annuls the presidential procedure, early parliamentary 
elections must be called.  Outgoing President Sezer will remain in 
office until a new parliament chooses his successor.  If the court 
backs the government, Gul is expected to win in the third round on 
May 9, when he needs just a simple majority of 276 votes.  "The 
presidential election process has begun and will continue.  There 
can be no question of my withdrawing my candidacy," Gul told the 
press Sunday. 
 
ANKARA 00001014  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
Turkey's influential business group TUSIAD called in a statement on 
Sunday for early parliamentary elections "to preserve the 
inseparable principles of democracy and secularism."  TUSIAD also 
criticized the military's threat to intervene in the presidential 
election.  Prime Minister Erdogan will address the nation on Monday 
at 8.15 pm local time amid the crisis that has pitted the military 
and secularists against his AKP government. 
 
Sezer Hosts Karzai-Musharraf Meeting 
Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and others report 
outgoing President Sezer hosted a meeting on Sunday between Afghani 
President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in 
Ankara.  Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Gul joined the 
meeting of the two presidents who are in Turkey for two days to 
discuss border security and terrorism. 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 8 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Two Turkish soldiers killed in clashes with the PKK in southeast 
Turkey were laid to rest in their hometowns Mardin and Konya. 
 
- The cousin of CHP MP for Hakkari Esat Canan has been found dead in 
his hotel room in the southeastern city of Hakkari. 
 
- Consultants to Turkish Central Bank say the real unemployment rate 
in Turkey is 16.9 percent. 
 
International News 
 
- President Ahmadinejad called Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki to 
confirm Iran will participate in the expanded meeting of Iraq's 
neighbors to be held in Egypt.  Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki 
will participate in the talks May 3-4 in Sharm al-Sheikh. 
 
- Turkish Cypriot "Foreign Minister" Turgay Avci has offered to hold 
talks with his Greek Cypriot counterpart George Lillikas in a third 
country. 
 
- A suicide car bomber killed 60 people and wounded 170 in Karbala, 
near a revered Shiite Muslim shrine on Saturday. 
 
- About 200 Iraqis celebrated Saddam Hussein's birthday in his 
hometown of Tikrit over the weekend. 
 
WILSON