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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001316 
 
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, MAY 30, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey Warns US Not to Repeat Airspace Violation 
All papers report Turkey asked the US formally on Tuesday to avoid 
another violation of its airspace after two US F-16 jetfighters 
briefly infringed on Turkish airspace near the Iraqi border last 
week.  Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) gave a note to a US Ankara 
Embassy official, requesting that this kind of incident not be 
repeated.  State Department spokesman Tom Casey told the press the 
planes had inadvertently violated Turkish airspace for "a couple of 
minutes, adding "'We are very respectful of Turkish sovereignty and 
of Turkish airspace.  We are going to make sure we thoroughly look 
into this and make sure that there are no further incidents of this 
kind."  Prime Minister Erdogan said in a televised interview that 
"We warned them not to repeat this.  If this happens again, what we 
will do is obvious," papers report. 
 
AKP Displays 'Centrist' Image 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports that on Tuesday some prominent 
politicians joined the AKP, the party of Prime Minister Erdogan. 
Among those formally introduced at a party meeting by the PM were 
the former secretary general of opposition CHP Ertugrul Gunay, 
former education minister Mehmet Saglam, former CHP member Haluk 
Ozdalga, Merrill-Lynch economist Mehmet Simsek, lawyer Aysenur 
Bahcekapili, Alevi writer Reha Camuroglu, and the wife of famous 
cartoonist Salih Memecan, Nursuna Memecan.  Erdogan said AKP is 
Turkey's "centrist" party, stressing they will protect the nation's 
basic values and diversity as well as its cultural legacy. 
 
US-Made Missiles Found on Train 
Hurriyet and Milliyet report 300 US-made missiles were found in a 
train traveling from Iran to Syria after the train was attacked by 
PKK terrorists in the southeastern province of Bingol.  Eight cars 
of the freight train were derailed when PKK terrorists detonated a 
bomb planted on the tracks. 
 
US Transfers Security to Kurds in Northern Iraq 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and 
others report the Kurdish regional administration in will take 
charge of security for the provinces of Erbil, Dohuk and Suleymaniye 
in northern Iraq Wednesday in a transfer of command from the US-led 
coalition.  A US coalition forces statement said the Kurdistan 
regional government was deemed ready to assume security 
responsibility in the region.  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports the 
decision to transfer security responsibility to Iraqi Kurds was made 
during a meeting held in Baghdad between Kurdish regional president 
Massoud Barzani, Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and US 
military leaders. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Intervention into North Iraq 
Hadi Uluengin comments in the mainstream daily Hurriyet:  "Turkey 
should confess that the main reason for the much-wanted intervention 
into Iraq is not really to stop PKK terrorism but because of concern 
over the possible establishment of an independent Kurdish state and 
the influence of this state on the Kurds in Turkey.  First of all, 
from the angle of international law, the Turkish military has no 
right to enter Northern Iraq, because Iraq has been an independent 
country since 1932.  The US violated international law by invading 
Iraq, but, alas, it is the only super power.  Moreover, the 
Turkey-Iraq border was determined in 1926 by the Ankara agreement 
and there is no Iraqi Kurdistan demanding more land than that 
determined by this agreement.  Therefore, any possible operation 
against Iraq will have no legal justification.  Some might describe 
this as 'hot pursuit,' however, crossing the border, building a 
military headquarters there and engaging in armed clashes is not 
counted hot pursuit.   People should consider international law 
before encouraging a cross-border operation against Iraq." 
 
Ismet Berkan writes in the liberal Radikal:  "Following the 
violation of Turkish territory by US F-16s, the issue of a 
 
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cross-border operation against Iraq rose to the top of the agenda 
again.  This issue has three angles: domestic politics, countering 
terrorism and foreign politics.  From the angle of domestic politics 
the plan is very simple: those calling for an operation are accusing 
the government of being afraid of the US and trying to weaken its 
power.  In order to fight against terrorism the solution is to stop 
PKK activities in the autonomous Kurdish region in Northern Iraq. 
As for the third angle, the foreign policy front, Iraq is under US 
invasion and the US is responsible for Iraq's territorial integrity. 
 Some time ago, after Turkish demands, the US urged Kurdish leaders 
to stop PKK infiltration into Turkey.  The violation of Turkish 
territory by American F-16s might be a new issue but maybe the 
purpose was to stop the PKK activities at the border.  Nevertheless, 
there are certain facts that no one can deny: the autonomous Kurdish 
Administration in Northern Iraq is not behaving like a good neighbor 
to Turkey and continues to shelter and protect the terrorist 
organization which claimed many civilian and military lives in 
Turkey.  It is not possible to remain silent for long to such a 
situation." 
 
Sarkozy to Tone Down on Turkey until December's EU Summit 
Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet and Zaman report, citing the 
French daily Le Figaro, that President Nicolas Sarkozy has decided 
not to take any anti-Turkish steps until the EU summit six-months 
from now.  Sarkozy is also careful about moves that could have an 
impact on general elections in Turkey.  Sarkozy will not veto the 
opening of EU discussions with Turkey in three new chapters at the 
EU summit on June 21-22, but will raise the issue of fixing EU 
borders at the EU summit in December.  Following a phone 
conversation with Prime Minister Erdogan last week, Sarkozy sent his 
top diplomatic advisor Jean-David Levitte to Ankara.  During talks 
with Levitte, Turks said Sarkozy's proposal for forming a 
Mediterranean Union as alternate to Turkey's EU membership would not 
be accepted.  Erdogan mentioned some half a million Turks living in 
France, and the French investments in Turkey, stressing ties with 
France will be strengthened further, say papers. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal said the ruling AKP attempts to 
change the constitution are "wrong and unhealthy." 
 
- Seven PKK terrorists have been killed in clashes with the security 
forces in the southeastern province of Sirnak. 
 
- The parliament has agreed to extend the mission of Turkish troops 
in UNIFIL in Lebanon by one year. 
 
- Marginal left-wing Turkish parties have agreed to cooperate in the 
upcoming parliamentary elections to form a joint platform for 
supporting independent candidates. 
 
International News 
 
- President Bush imposed economic sanctions against Sudan in a bid 
to curb the violence in Darfur. 
 
- Tehran, accusing Washington of using intellectuals and others 
inside the country to undermine the Islamic state, has charged three 
Iranian-Americans with spying. 
 
- The White House is expected to announce President Bush's 
nomination of Robert Zoellick to replace Paul Wolfowitz as World 
Bank president. 
 
- Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has reversed a controversial ban 
on mosques using loudspeakers for the Muslim call to prayer. 
 
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WILSON