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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000830 
 
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, APRIL 10, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkish Leaders React to Barzani Remarks 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan issued a stern warning on 
Monday to the regional president of the Iraqi Kurdish administration 
Massoud Barzani for saying in televised remarks over the weekend if 
Turkey intervenes in northern Iraq, the Iraqi Kurds would intervene 
in the cities in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast. 
"They should be very careful in their use of words; otherwise they 
will be crushed by those words.  Barzani has again exceeded the 
limits," Erdogan told the press. 
 
Papers report the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) has presented an 
"ultimatum-like" note of protest to Iraq, demanding urgent and 
decisive action against the PKK, stressing that otherwise Turkey 
will invoke its rights stemming from international treaties. 
Government spokesman Cemil Cicek said northern Iraq extends support 
to ethnic terror, adding the subject would be raised at the Turkish 
National Security Council (MGK) meeting today.  Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul telephoned Secretary Rice, requesting Barzani be given 
a "warning for his arrogant statements." 
 
Iraqi President Talabani called Erdogan on Monday, "apologizing" to 
the PM for Barzani's statement.  Talabani said he attached 
importance to relations with Turkey, stressing they were ready for a 
joint fight against the PKK. 
 
Papers also report State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said 
with regard to Barzani remarks, "We think that those kinds of 
statements are really unhelpful, and they certainly do not further 
the goal of greater Turkish-Iraqi cooperation on issues of common 
concern, including fighting the PKK."  "Iraqi leaders should focus 
on how they might work together closely with the Turkish government 
to further their mutual interests," McCormack said.  Several papers 
point out that McCormack referred to the Kurdish leader as "Mr. 
Barzani," without describing him as head of the regional government 
in northern Iraq. 
 
Papers speculate that at the National Security Council (MGK) meeting 
today, Turkish leaders will discuss possible measures against the 
northern Iraqi Kurdish administration such as shifting Turkish 
trucks delivering goods to Iraq to a crossing in Ovakoy on the 
border with Iraq, "bypassing" the Habur bordergate in an effort to 
deprive Barzani of USD 500 million gains annually.  Other measures 
would include blocking civilian flights to and from the Kurdish 
region by closing Turkish airspace. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Northern Iraq, Barzani Remarks 
Writing in the mainstream daily Vatan, Mehmet Tezkan criticizes 
Turkey's Iraq policy:  "Kurdish leader Barzani quietly supports the 
PKK terrorists' activities in Turkey, while in the last three days 
Turkey gave up ten martyrs to PKK terrorism.  While they are doing 
so much damage to Turkey, there are 913 Turkish firms working in 
nrthern Iraq at the moment trying to rebuild the towns from scratch. 
 Turkey managed to enter Iraq economically but not politically.  We 
couldn't manage to get the Peshmerge's support.   Barzani threatens 
Turkey and what do we do?  We ask US Secretary of State Rice to pull 
Barzani's ear!  In dealing with the PKK as well, we are not very 
successful.  PM Erdogan already announced that the PKK coordinator 
mechanism was not successful.  In other words, we couldn't enter 
nrthern Iraq politically and could not establish good relations. 
Our military should enter, not to settle down there, but to 
eliminate the PKK. Unfortunately, we missed that opportunity on 
March 1, 2003, when we refused to allow Americans to enter Iraq 
through Turkey." 
 
Asli Aydintasbas comments in the mainstream daily Sabah that 
understanding Barzani's psyche might be helpful:  "How should Turkey 
deal with Barzani?  First of all we should do a personality 
analysis:  Barzani is a proud tribal leader and the controlling 
 
ANKARA 00000830  002 OF 003 
 
 
power in his region.  The founder of the first independent Kurdish 
establishment, the Republic of Mahabad, was Barzani's father, Mollah 
Mustafa Barzani.  Barzani has a strange complex after fighting 
against the PKK for years together with Turkey.  He feels like a 
king in his own territory but every remark that comes from Turkey, 
such as he is a 'leader of a few tribes;' peshmerge;' 'for years he 
carried a Turkish passport;' and 'he was like our servant at our 
door,' hurts his ego immensely.  So, could Turkey continue its 
policy of dialogue with Northern Iraq by praising Barzani's ego? 
Probably yes, if you agree with his targets.  Barzani is a powerful 
Kurdish nationalist.  He believes that he has a historic mission 
(the formation of an independent Kurdish state) and he doesn't want 
to miss the opportunity his father missed.  He doesn't hide his main 
aim.  And, he is stubborn. Under these conditions I will ask you to 
answer this question: Is it possible for the relationship between 
Ankara and Barzani to improve within the next 15 years?" 
 
 Security Operations against the PKK Continue 
All papers report some 13,000 Turkish troops backed by helicopters 
launched operations against PKK militants in southeast Turkey. Eight 
PKK members were killed in operations in Bingol and Tunceli, and 
four members of the leftist DHKP-C were killed in fighting with 
security forces in Tunceli.  Thousands of troops from around Turkey 
are being deployed to the Hakkari-Sirnak border for the operations 
across the southeast.  Funerals were held with the participation of 
5,000 in Corum as well as in Adiyaman, Van, and Samsun for the 
members of security forces killed in skirmishes with the terrorists. 
 
 
Turkish National Security Council to Meet Today 
All papers report the Turkish National Security Council (MGK) will 
discuss recent Barzani remarks, the PKK activities, the 
fundamentalist threat in Turkey, and the Turkish presidential 
elections at a meeting Tuesday.  President Sezer will attend today's 
meeting for the last time before his term in office expires next 
month.  At the meeting Sezer is expected to present a report on 
Islamic activities in Turkey. 
 
Debate over Presidency Continues 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan continues his round of 
talks with groups of the ruling AKP lawmakers.  Reports say AKP is 
firmly behind Erdogan becoming the country's next president.  The 
leader of the opposition DYP, Mehmet Agar, said the controversial 
requirement of 367 MPs to be present for the first two rounds of 
voting in the parliament was not necessary.  Agar said the presence 
of 184 MPs would be enough during the election process.  Government 
spokesman Cemil Cicek said the 367 requirement, supported by the 
main opposition CHP, would amount to an "exploitation of law." 
Meanwhile, secularist NGOs and groups, worrying that Erdogan as 
president would undermine Turkey's regime, plan a protest rally in 
Ankara on April 14 with participation of over 300 organizations. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Government spokesman Cemil Cicek said prosecutors in Istanbul have 
launched a probe into the weekly magazine Nokta for stories alleging 
military takeover plots by high-level commanders in 2004. 
 
- State banking fund TMSF chairman Ahmet Erturk said the sale of 
Sabah media group would be raised after the presidential elections. 
 
 
- Four children drowned after falling into a 3-meter deep waterhole 
in Yuksekova in the mainly Kurdish southeastern province of Hakkari. 
 A 4-year-old child drowned when he fell into a waterhole in the 
Mediterranean tourist city of Antalya. 
 
 
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- The fourth World Mayors Summit will be held in Istanbul from April 
12-15. 
 
- The ruling AKP government is preparing to open 84 schools on the 
84th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. 
 
International News 
 
- Tens of thousands of supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada 
al-Sadr took to the streets of the holy city of Najaf on Monday, the 
fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad, to demand an end to the 
American military presence in Iraq. 
 
- Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki warned cooperation with 
Iraq could deteriorate if five Iranian diplomats detained by US 
troops in Iraq are not set free. 
 
- Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas claimed Turkish 
strategy in Cyprus aims for the division of the island. 
 
- The kidnappers of two Turkish engineers contacted the Turkish 
Embassy in Abuja and Italian firm Merpa demanding ransom. 
WILSON