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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001148 
 
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 
MONDAY, MAY 14, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
The Republic Rally 
All papers report that 1.5 million people gathered yesterday in the 
Aegean city of Izmir, decorating the city's Kordon district with 
flags and chanting slogans against the government.  Mainstream Vatan 
says that hundreds of thousands of people turned the city into a 
poppy field with the flags and they were "as ardent as they would be 
if they were there to meet Ataturk."  Mainstream Sabah describes the 
rally as a "feast of democracy."  Papers report that there was 
disappointment in Izmir when leaders of the Republican People's 
Party (CHP) and Democratic Left Party (DSP) did not jointly announce 
their alliance, as had been expected. Popular slogans at the rally 
included "Union on the Left," "Turkey is Secular and Will Stay 
Secular" and "We do not Want a Sharia State." 
 
Editorial Comment on the Rally: "Listen to the Voice of Masses" 
Nationalist-leftist daily Cumhuriyet editorialized on page one: 
"When the ruling party organized a rally recently, it had a 
political purpose.  However the rally of the masses in Izmir belongs 
to neither a political party nor the government.  The rally was a 
unique people's movement, an effort to bring a broader vision to 
Turkey.  These rallies are bi-partisan popular acts and receive no 
financing.  It also demonstrates the overall political awareness 
level - the people are more alert than the politician.  The 
participants are calling for opposition parties, particularly in the 
left wing, to unite as soon as possible.  Politicians should 
urgently work to find ways to turn this energy of the masses to 
synergy.  The voice of the masses cannot be ignored." 
 
A Counter Memorandum from Intellectuals against the Military 
Memorandum 
Mainstream Milliyet and liberal Radikal report that 500 
intellectuals issued a "counter memorandum" in response to the 
military memorandum of April 27.  They stated that they reject the 
memorandum, they have right to resist against all kinds of 
initiatives that would interfere in democracy and that politics 
could not be conducted under the shadow of military force. 
 
Iraq's Future and Transatlantic Relations Conference 
Liberal Radikal reports that the first session of Istanbul meetings 
arranged by Radikal newspaper and Turkish Foreign Policy 
Association, sponsored by Garanti Bank, took place in Istanbul 
yesterday.  Turkish and foreign media members, representatives of 
non-governmental offices discussed the situation in Iraq and agreed 
that the US always supported Turkey on the path to EU and in its 
relations with the EU.  However, it is generally believed that the 
US Administration's Iraq policy has had a negative role in Turkey's 
stability. 
 
Meanwhile, mainstream Sabah reports that the International Iraq Fair 
will be held in the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep May 
23-27.  Reportedly, more than one thousand companies from thirty 
different countries will attend the fair.  The report comments that 
the fair will help Gaziantep become the industrial and commercial 
center of the Middle East. 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 8 A.M.) 
Domestic News 
 
- The world's premiere press freedom organization opened its annual 
meeting in Istanbul yesterday.  The speakers at the World Congress 
of the International Press Institute (IPP) discussed Turkish 
secularism and censorship in the US. 
 
- DSP Leader Zeki Sezer said cooperation with main opposition CHP is 
aimed at unseating the ruling AKP. 
 
- Chairperson of the Constitutional Court Tulay Tugcu said, 
 
ANKARA 00001148  002 OF 002 
 
 
referring to the constitutional change package now under 
consideration by President Sezer, "constitutional reforms passed by 
parliament do not amount to regime changes." 
 
International News 
 
- World media gives extensive coverage to the Izmir rally for 
secularism. 
 
- Former CIA president George Tenet says war between Turkey and 
Greece in 1996 was averted with Washington's efforts. 
 
- A suicide truck bomber crashed into the offices of the KDP in 
Erbil, killing at least 50 people and wounding 70. 
 
- The United States and Iran will meet in Baghdad in the next few 
weeks to discuss Tehran taking a productive role in Iraq's 
security. 
- 
 
WILSON