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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000932 
 
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 
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Attackers Kill Three at Christian Publishing House in Malatya 
All papers report on the brutal murders of three employees of 
Christian literature publisher Zirve in the eastern city of Malatya. 
The killers bound the hands and feet of the victims, German citizen 
Tilman Ekkehart Geske (46), Necati Aydin (35) and Ugur Yuksel, and 
then slit their throats. Five suspects between the ages of 19 and 20 
were detained.  Sources said that all five were students preparing 
for university entrance exams, living in a dormitory in Malatya. 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports the suspects said in initial questioning 
they carried out the killing for the "homeland." 
 
Prime Minister Erdogan told the press yesterday the incident in 
Malatya was "savagery."  "We are deeply saddened by the terror in 
Malatya," said Erdogan, adding those responsible will be brought to 
justice.  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul strongly condemned the 
attack before leaving for Belgrade on Thursday to attend a foreign 
ministers meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization 
(BSEC).  "We strongly condemn the attack which actually targeted 
Turkey's long-standing tradition of tolerance.  We are extremely 
uneasy about such events which harm Turkey's image in the world." 
The German government condemned "in the sharpest manner" the 
murderous attack.  Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called 
on Turkish authorities to do everything "to bring those responsible 
to justice."  "The circumstances of this incident must be brought to 
light," said Steinmeier.  Terry Davis, Secretary General of Council 
of Europe, strongly condemned the attack which "seems to have 
religious grounds." 
 
Mainstream Milliyet, under the headline "The nightmare continues," 
links the killings to the murder of Roman Catholic priest Andrea 
Santoro in the Black Sea town of Trabzon and the killing of Armenian 
journalist Hrant Dink.  Mainstream Vatan believes the youngsters 
were manipulated by "dark forces."  The 
intellectual/Islamist-oriented Zaman describes the killings as 
"provocation."  Zaman columnist Ali Bulac argues the incident was a 
"provocation" related to the upcoming presidential elections, saying 
the ruling pro-Islamist AKP government was being "dragged into an 
environment of violence, provocation and lack of tolerance."  The 
economic-political daily Referans columnist Cengiz Candar calls the 
murders a result of growing hatred and efforts to hush up the 
killing of Dink as well as attempts to disrupt the presidential 
elections via illegal means. 
 
Gungor Mengi comments in the mainstream daily Vatan:  "Given the 
recent events, Turkey is doomed to get labeled as a hell for 
believers in non-Islamic faiths.  The gruesome murder in Malatya 
will undoubtedly provoke anti-Turkey sentiment in its all forms in 
the Christian world.  There is another strange thing about this 
murder.  There were no protective measures for the victims even 
though the constant death threats against these people were known by 
the authorities.  The intelligence units of Turkey are incapable of 
saving the lives of our citizens and undermine Turkey's prestige at 
the same time.  The suspects will be arrested but it is unlikely 
that the real perpetrators which transform 18-year-old youngsters 
into bloody murderers will be caught.  When will that hideous ghost 
[the unknown "real perpetrators"] stop betraying Turkey and the 
Muslims?" 
 
AKP Asks Erdogan to Stay on as PM 
All papers report the ruling AK Party executive board gave Prime 
Minister Erdogan full authority to pick the party's candidate in the 
presidential election.  Papers say approximately 30 members of a 
50-member party board want Erdogan to stay on as prime minister but 
will support him if he decides to run for president.  Analysts say 
without Erdogan the AK Party fears losing votes in the forthcoming 
parliamentary elections in November.  The PM said he will announce a 
candidate on April 24 or 25.  Erdogan is expected to make his 
decision after weekend talks with Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc 
 
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and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. 
 
Ralston: Turkey Will Enter Iraq if PKK is not Stopped 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others 
report on a Washington Post op-ed by David Ignatius claiming US 
special anti-terror envoy Joseph Ralston told the Bush 
administration that at the end of April, Turkey will enter about 
eight miles into northern Iraq if the PKK is not stopped.  Ralston's 
Turkish counterpart Edip Baser told NTV that he conveyed to Ralston 
a personal view that Turkey's patience is about to run out, adding 
Turkey is left without much option.  "I did not set a definite date, 
like the end of April, but I said 'in a month,' -- which corresponds 
to the end of April." 
 
Court Acquits Policemen over Killing Kurdish Father, Son 
Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report a 
Turkish court acquitted four policemen on Wednesday of charges of 
manslaughter over the deaths of a father, Ahmet Kaymaz, and his 
12-year-old son, Ugur, in Kiziltepe in the southeastern province of 
Mardin in 2004.  Police had said the two died accidentally in front 
of their home at Kiziltepe during a firefight with the PKK 
militants.  The four policemen were first removed from their posts 
after the killings but were then reassigned to different provinces. 
The EU had expressed concern at the killings at the time and urged a 
full investigation.  Critics said the case demonstrated the 
authorities' tolerance to security forces' illegitimate actions in 
the mainly Kurdish region. 
 
Court Rejects Erdogan Charge against Humor Magazine 
The leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports a court in Ankara 
rejected Prime Minister Erdogan's application for a lawsuit to be 
filed against the weekly humor magazine Leman, asking for 
compensation for drawing the PM as a tick sucking Turkey's blood. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 6.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Former mayor of Ankara and deputy speaker of the parliament Ali 
Dincer dies at age 62 from an infection, four months after receiving 
a liver transplant. 
 
- Opposition leader Erkan Mumcu said Anavatan Party and DYP agree to 
form an alliance during the general elections. 
 
- On Thursday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will travel to Belgrade 
for a meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. 
Gul is expected to meet his Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyannis on the 
sidelines of the summit. 
 
- Standard & Poors director Farouk Soussa said Prime Minister 
Erdogan becoming Turkey's new president will not be a surprise. 
 
International News 
 
- General Yasar Buyukanit, chief of the Turkish General Staff, said 
Turkish military flights over the Aegean were conducted within the 
framework of international laws, adding violation of the Greek 
airspace was out of the question. 
 
- UNHCR will discuss with Turkey and Iraq the closure of Makhmour 
refugee camp in northern Iraq at a meeting Friday in Geneva. 
 
- Kurdistan regional administration prime minister Nechirvan Barzani 
said Ankara should consider a general amnesty  for PKK militants to 
lay down their arms and return to Turkey, allowing them to 
participate in the political process in Turkey. 
 
- US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said failure in Iraq would 
 
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unleash sectarian strife and extremism and would be felt first in 
the Middle East. 
 
WILSON