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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000917 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Presidential Debates Continue 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan met with opposition leaders 
Mehmet Agar of DYP and Erkan Mumcu of Anavatan to discuss the 
process of presidential elections in the parliament.  Agar told 
reporters after the meeting that he did not see Erdogan as fully 
determined to run for president.  Mumcu said after meeting Erdogan 
that he saw the PM "desirous but undecided" to run for the post. 
Agar and Mumcu both said they suggested Erdogan meet with the main 
opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal as well, but Erdogan reportedly 
said he won't. 
 
Meanwhile, Baykal told his party group meeting, "Now, besides the 
government, the presidential powers will be assumed by a mentality 
which challenges the constitution.  This will have grave 
consequences."  "Erdogan cannot ignore one million people rallying 
against his candidacy.  His presidency will do the country, nation 
and the state no good," stressed Baykal. 
 
On Wednesday, Erdogan will attend an AKP executive board meeting to 
 discuss the presidential elections, but he may not name a candidate 
until next week. 
 
DYP-Anavatan to Unite 
Liberal Radikal and mainstream Vatan report opposition leaders 
Mehmet Agar of DYP and Erkan Mumcu of Anavatan have confirmed moves 
to unify their two parties before parliamentary elections later this 
year.  The two parties will also cooperate in the presidential 
elections.  Vatan says the parties will merge in late April, and 
Agar and Mumcu will hold a rally in Bursa.  Radikal claims Anavatan 
party candidates will participate in the general elections on the 
DYP card, and after the elections, the two parties will merge under 
a new name. 
 
Turkey Unveils EU Roadmap 
All papers report Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and chief EU 
negotiator Ali Babacan made public at a press conference Turkey's 
"seven-year roadmap to the EU," Turkey's Harmonization Program to EU 
Acquis.  Gul underlined Turkey's commitment of full membership to 
EU, adding the program includes the reform of over 200 laws and 600 
regulations, including the controversial Article 301 of the Turkish 
Penal Code.  Babacan said the roadmap was created based on the needs 
in Turkey, and not according to the demands of the EU.  Babacan 
noted about one-third of the Turkish Constitution has been amended 
so far. 
 
Mottaki Pays 'Surprise' Visit to Ankara 
All papers report Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki paid a 
"surprise visit" to Ankara yesterday.  The visit's aim was to 
discuss Iran's participation in the upcoming Iraq neighbors meeting 
in Egypt, to try to seek Turkey's help in releasing the five Iranian 
diplomats detained by Americans in Erbil in January, and to discuss 
Iran's nuclear program. Mainstream Sabah reports Mottaki told 
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul that Iran was reluctant to participate 
in the next Iraq's neighbors meeting since the US and G-8 will be 
attending as well.  "We would have participated in the meeting if it 
was held in Istanbul, but we don't want to be at the same table with 
countries whose approach toward us is obvious," said Mottaki.  Gul 
expressed dissatisfaction that the meeting will not be in Istanbul, 
but added Turkey will join the conference in Egypt.  The FM urged 
Mottaki that Iran should participate as well.  Sources told Zaman 
Iran will not participate in the May 4 gathering in Egypt unless the 
US releases the five diplomats captured in Erbil. 
 
Buyukanit Visits Thessalonica 
All papers report the Turkish Chief of the General Staff (TGS) 
General Yasar Buyukanit, in Thessalonica to participate in the first 
regional conference of Balkan countries, said he wants a favorable 
atmosphere for the settlement of disputes between Turkey and Greece. 
 
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 "Turkey and Greece are not enemies," Buyukanit said, noting the 
Turkish side was ready to start unarmed military flights over the 
Aegean, urging Greece to do the same. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Iraq 
Hikmet Bila comments in the nationalist-leftist daily Cumhuriyet: 
"The main concerns of Turkey stem from the current phase of 
Turkish-American relations.  Turkey certainly has no problem with 
the American people.  But the American people are being held hostage 
by the current US administration which continues to mess up 
everything in the world.  The 60-year old Turkish-American alliance 
has also been messed up by Washington.  Turkey has been a staunch 
supporter of the US, from both the civilian and the military 
perspectives, but it turned anti-American in a few years time.  The 
reasons for this should be searched for in Washington, not in 
Ankara.  The Middle East policy of the Bush administration is 
nothing but an elephant in a glass house.  Whether Turkey actually 
goes for a cross-border operation in Northern Iraq remains to be 
seen.  Yet something can be said even today:  Turkish-American 
relations are doomed to experience problems as long as the Bush 
administration remains in power and maintains its current policy in 
the Middle East, including in Iraq." 
 
Cuneyt Ulsever writes in the mainstream daily Hurriyet:  "Even 
though Turkey is very focused on domestic politics, the Northern 
Iraq issue remains crucially important for us.  Had Turkey passed 
the March 1 parliamentary motion [to allow US troops to access Iraq 
via Turkey], we would have a different and more positive picture for 
Turkey and Iraq.   Given the current situation, it is too late for 
Turkey to intervene in Northern Iraq.  On the contrary we should 
work on finding ways to establish a close link with the structure in 
Northern Iraq.  The US is very confused in Iraq.  Washington can be 
influenced to Turkey's favor if Ankara displays a determined stance. 
 Turkey should also think about pursuing a carrot and stick policy 
regarding Northern Iraq, with the military representing the stick 
while the MFA offers the carrot.  One of the things that Turkey is 
concerned about is the upcoming referendum in Kirkuk.  Turkey should 
give a kind of ultimatum to Northern Iraq and insist on the 
postponement of the referendum.  If the Northern Iraqi 
administration shows its good will by asking to postpone the Kirkuk 
referendum, this will be the beginning of a new era between Turkey 
and the Northern Iraqi administration, one in which both sides will 
begin to understand each other well." 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Labor union DISK has disclosed plans to hold a mass demonstration 
in Taksim Square in Istanbul on May 1.  Istanbul governor's office 
said demonstrations will not be allowed in Taksim. 
 
- Arzuhan Yalcindag, chair of the influential Turkish business group 
TUSIAD, said she does not expect Prime Minister Erdogan to run for 
president. 
 
- Murat Ozturk, the head of Kurdish party DTP branch in Agri, has 
been arrested for making terror propaganda during Nevruz 
celebrations in late March. 
 
- On Thursday Turkey, Iraq and the UNHCR will hold a meeting in 
Geneva to discuss the closure of Makhmour Camp in northern Iraq. 
 
International News 
 
- Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said Azerbaijan and 
Armenia were very close to a deal on Nagorno Karabakh. 
 
- Police announced that the gunman who killed 33 people at Virginia 
 
ANKARA 00000917  003 OF 003 
 
 
Tech University has been identified as a 23-year-old South Korean. 
 
 
- At a two-day conference in Switzerland hosted by UNHCR, diplomats 
from over 60 nations are considering how to tackle the problem of 
around 4 million Iraqi refugees. 
 
- Britain's International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said the 
British government has dropped the term "war on terror" to refer to 
the struggle against political and religious violence. 
 
WILSON