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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001039 
 
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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, MAY 3, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey Debates Parliamentary Elections Date, Presidency 
All papers report Turkey's Parliamentary Constitutional Committee 
recommended Wednesday general elections be held on July 22 instead 
of June 24 as proposed in a bill by the ruling AKP.  The government 
is also pushing for a series of constitutional changes that would 
allow the people to elect the president for a consecutive two 
five-year terms, reduce the government's term from five years to 
four and decrease the minimum age for election to parliament to 25. 
The bill will be debated in the parliament today.  Opposition 
Anavatan Party leader Erkan Mumcu expressed "full support" to the 
changes proposed by AKP.  Opposition DYP leader Mehmet Agar 
expressed support as well, saying a decision for early elections 
should have been made before the Constitutional Court decision.  The 
main opposition CHP, however, demands election of the new president 
by a new parliament, and not by popular vote. 
 
Prime Minister Erdogan told his ruling AKP group yesterday the new 
president should be elected directly by the people.  "We will, 
through a referendum if necessary, take this issue to the nation to 
see that president is elected by direct popular vote," Erdogan said. 
 
 
The new first round of presidential election will be held on May 6 
in the parliament, to be followed by May 9, 12, and 15 if the quorum 
of 367 cannot be reached in the first round.  Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul, the sole candidate standing, said if participation of 
367 MPs is not secured in the first voting, the other rounds would 
not be held. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener and AKP deputy group chief 
Dengir Mehmet Firat said outgoing President Sezer will remain in his 
post until a new president is elected, as stipulated by article 102 
of the Turkish Constitution. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Elections in Turkey 
Derya Sazak wrote in the mainstream daily Milliyet: "Our priority 
should be democracy right now.  PM Erdogan described the recent 
court decision as a 'bullet fired at democracy,' a statement which 
does nothing but increase tension.  In fact both PM Erdogan's 
negative comment on the court decision and the military warning have 
cast shadows on democracy, but this can be ended through elections. 
The government should refrain from further political maneuvers in 
order not to accelerate the crisis atmosphere, and focus on the 
elections.  The newly elected parliament should elect the new 
president.  The ruling AKP failed to manage the presidential 
election process; let's hope they will manage to carry Turkey to the 
elections as soon as possible." 
 
Secretary Rice on Turkish Presidential Developments 
 
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Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Yeni Safak and others report Secretary 
Rice said in response to a question on whether the US "feels the 
same way" as the EU with regard to the presidential process in 
Turkey, "The US fully supports Turkish democracy and its 
constitutional processes, and that means that the election, the 
electoral system and the results of the electoral system and the 
results of the constitutional process have to be upheld.  Yes, the 
US would be in a similar position." 
 
Baykal Calls for Unity with DSP 
All papers report opposition Anavatan MP Suleyman Saribas has tabled 
a bill that would allow two or more parties to form alliances in the 
parliamentary elections.  The main opposition CHP leader Deniz 
Baykal told his party group yesterday he wants "unification" with 
Zeki Sezer's DSP.  "This is not political maneuvering on the eve of 
general elections," Baykal said, "Despite only getting one percent 
of the vote in the last elections, DSP has a respected institutional 
identity in Turkish politics, thanks to their late leader Bulent 
Ecevit."  Sezer said he would respond to Baykal Thursday after 
 
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discussions with his party members. 
 
Education Minister Visits Buyukanit to Reduce Strains 
Hurriyet and Sabah report on Tuesday, Education Minister Huseyin 
Celik called on Turkish General Staff (TGS) chief Yasar Buyukanit to 
explain that his ministry has no ties with the alleged anti-secular 
activities held last month in several provinces to celebrate the 
birth of Prophet Muhammad.  Celik said inspections were underway 
into the anti-secular activities.  Celik reportedly told Buyukanit 
the TGS should have warned the government instead of posting a 
statement on the Internet. 
 
PKK Member Killed, 4 Captured in Mardin 
Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report the 
son of Suleyman Anik, pro-Kurdish DTP mayor of Dargecit town in the 
province of Mardin, was killed by Turkish security forces during a 
raid on a house where four other PKK militants were injured.  Police 
found three Kalashnikov rifles, four cartridge clips and five hand 
grenades in the house. 
 
Editorial Commentary on US 2006 Country Reports on Terrorism 
Kubilay Celik wrote in the nationalist daily Tercuman: "The State 
Department's annual terrorism report for 2006...is a catalogue of US 
mistakes.  Let's analyze the report:  It was the US which bombed 
Afghanistan.  It was the US which started a war in Iraq and dragged 
the country into a civil war.  In sum, the US is the primary reason 
for the growing terror in the region, but it sees no harm in blaming 
others for that.  The US really needs to look in the mirror first 
before accusing others.  As for the Turkey part of the report, the 
PKK was extensively covered, mentioning the fact that the PKK uses 
northern Iraq as a headquarters and had spread out to Europe like an 
octopus.  The terrorist organization was defined as an organized 
crime gang engaging in money laundering and human trafficking. 
That's very accurate.  But the question is why does the US still 
wait and do nothing to prevent the PKK's actions?  Is it because of 
the promises given to the Kurdish groups in Northern Iraq?" 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 6.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Former parliament speaker Husamettin Cindoruk said the 
presidential crisis has been resolved by the timely intervention of 
Constitutional Court. 
 
- President Sezer will hold his weekly meeting with Prime Minister 
Erdogan and the chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Yasar 
Buyukanit. 
 
- 10th Eurasia Economy Summit is to be held in Istanbul today, with 
the participation of 30 countries. 
 
International News 
 
- The confederation of European workers' unions has condemned 
violent police intervention during May Day protests in Istanbul. 
 
- The US Commission on International Religious Freedom said 
religious freedom is lagging in Turkey. 
 
- Italy's Prime Minister Romano Prodi said Turkey's EU accession, a 
"historical fact," needs the support of the European public opinion 
and the harmony in the country. 
 
- German Interior Ministry gathered together Muslim groups in Berlin 
yesterday for a second conference in nine months to tackle growing 
alienation between Germans and Muslim immigrants. 
 
WILSON