VZCZCXRO8896
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #1081/01 1281340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081340Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1998
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8042
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2647
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1927
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5901
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5670
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2281
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001081 
 
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, MAY 8, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkish Parliament Debates Constitutional Changes 
All papers report the Turkish High Election Board (YSK) rejected an 
appeal by a minor opposition party to move the date for general 
elections up to June 24, saying parliamentary polls would be held on 
July 22, the date set earlier.  On Monday, the Turkish Parliament 
began debating an AKP proposal for changing constitutional 
provisions.  The bill drafted by AKP proposes direct popular for the 
presidency and limiting the term of the president to two consecutive 
five-year terms instead of the existing one seven-year term.  The 
package also envisions holding general elections every four years, 
reducing the government's term from five years to four, and 
decreasing the minimum age for election to parliament to 25.  The 
provision pulling the age limit down to 25 has been dropped due to a 
writing error in the text. 
 
Despite the support of 19 Anavatan MPs, the AKP failed to reach the 
two-thirds majority needed to adopt the reforms without going to 
referendum.  The second round in constitutional reform voting will 
be held on Thursday.  TUSIAD, Turkey's elite business group, said it 
would be "more healthy and ethical" if constitutional changes were 
handled by a new parliament. 
 
Turkish, EU Reaction to Sarkozy as French President 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan expressed hope that the 
anti-Turkey statements made by President-elect Sarkozy during the 
election campaign will not have an effect on Turkey-France ties. 
Mainstream Hurriyet quotes Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) officials 
as saying they believe Sarkozy used Turkey to attract votes in the 
elections, but just like German Chancellor Merkel, he will change 
his discourse once he assumes office. 
 
Papers report EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told European 
Parliament's commission for foreign affairs, "Turkey is undergoing a 
difficult but historic process of transformation.  Europe needs to 
show patience and prudence with Turkey."  He told lawmakers the most 
important thing now was to ensure that an early Turkish general 
election set for July 22 was conducted freely and fairly, and that a 
new parliament revived Turkey's reform process to meet the EU 
membership criteria.  Rehn also warned any member state which sought 
to cut the EU talks with Turkey would have to bear responsibility 
for the consequences.  European Commission President Jose Manuel 
Barroso said it would be impossible for Sarkozy to end talks on 
Turkey's EU membership, as the majority in the EU favors the 
continuation of the negotiations with Ankara. 
 
Editorial Commentary on French President-Elect Sarkozy 
Sami Kohen writes in the mainstream daily Milliyet: "If Sarkozy's 
strongly anti-Turkey stance during the campaign was reflecting his 
real intentions, Turkey-France relations as well as Turkey's EU 
process are about to enter a challenging period.  It is also 
possible that Sarkozy made those remarks as part of election 
campaign populism, which means he may soften his position in the 
end.  Although it has been the case for many politicians to revise 
their stances once they get to high level positions, many analysts 
do not think it will be the case for Sarkozy.  Coming from an 
immigrant family, Sarkozy is believed to act to prove himself, 
emphasizing his French national identity.  Sarkozy also believes 
that the EU should preserve its cultural identity and France can 
play a dominant role in that.  Whether he is successful or not, it 
is clear that Sarkozy will do his best to adapt French politics to 
his way of thinking.  He may face some opposition from the EU and 
from some of the French companies which are engaged in business with 
Turkey.  But it is unlikely that those pressures will be strong 
enough to have him change his policy in the short run." 
 
Erdal Safak writes in the mainstream daily Sabah: "Given Sarkozy's 
stance on Turkey, he has the power to block Turkey's EU negotiation 
process.  The upcoming EU summit in June will serve as a litmus test 
 
ANKARA 00001081  002 OF 002 
 
 
on whether Sarkozy will maintain his anti-Turkey stance.  Even 
though the EU says that France does not have the power to stop 
negotiations with Turkey, the fact of the matter is that Sarkozy 
still has the power to block the process.  He may simply object to 
the opening of chapters which would serve as a de facto stop to 
negotiations.  As a French saying goes, no disaster comes alone. 
Along with the Sarkozy disaster, the British Premiership will go to 
Gordon Brown who does not even like the idea of the European Union. 
In other words, Turkey is losing its primary supporters of the EU 
engine: the UK, Germany and France." 
 
Hrant Dink Assassination Trial 
Sabah, Milliyet, Zaman, Bugun  and Cumhuriyet:  The trial for the 
murder of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink will begin July 2 in 
Istanbul.  Because one of the suspects in the murder, Ogun Samast, 
is not 18 yet, this trial will be closed to the press, report the 
conservative Bugun and the mainstream Sabah.  Sabah also reports 
that the Court issued an invitation to author Orhan Pamuk to serve 
as a witness at the trial. 
 
Military Operation in Sirnak 
Milliyet, Sabah, Hurriyet, Vatan, Cumhuriyet and others:  The 
Turkish Military started a 20,000-troop operation against the PKK in 
the mountains of Cudi, Gabar and Namaz in the Sirnak region, after 
four soldiers were killed in the last five days in the area.  Air 
support was given to the operation by Sikorsky and Cobra type 
helicopters.  Meanwhile, yesterday during the funerals of two of the 
soldiers crowds chanted anti-PKK slogans. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Istanbul governor has set up a special commission to probe 
police brutality against demonstrators during May Day protests. 
 
- The main opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal said CHP and the 
center-left DSP will form an election alliance without closing down 
the DSP. 
 
- Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP kicks off two-day meetings in 
Diyarbakir to determine its election strategy.  DTP deputy chairman 
Osman Ozcelik believes his party might win 37 seats in the 
parliament through independent candidates. 
 
- A mass rally in support of the secular republic will be held in 
the Aegean port city of Izmir on May 13. 
 
International News 
 
- Dutch MEP Ria Oomen Ruijten, the new EP rapporteur for Turkey, 
said in her first statement Turkey should continue reforms. 
 
- Yerevan has denied visas to eight Turkish OSCE observers tasked to 
monitor the May 12 elections in Armenia, saying the two countries do 
not have diplomatic ties. 
 
- The Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki told Time in an 
exclusive interview his country wants talks with US. 
 
- Human rights groups accuse Israeli Shin Bet security forces of 
using physical measures and torture against Palestinian prisoners. 
 
WILSON