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Viewing cable 07ANKARA1360, ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07ANKARA1360 2007-06-04 05:00 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO3917
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #1360/01 1550500
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 040500Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2378
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8113
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2798
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1998
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5943
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5721
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2337
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 03 ANKARA 001360 
 
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 
FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Buyukanit: Turkish Troop Movements on Iraq Border Routine 
All papers report the Turkish General Staff (TGS) chief General 
Yasar Buyukanit told a 
symposium at the War Academy in Istanbul that he had already drawn 
the government's attention to the need for launching a cross-border 
operation into northern Iraq, adding there is no need to submit to 
the government a written request for political authorization. 
Buyukanit emphasized that the aim for any operation must be clear. 
"The target should be set by political authorities; are we just 
going to go in and fight the PKK or will there be something with 
Barzani as well?" Buyukanit said, pointing out that "the US is in 
the middle of it all" as well.  The Turkish troop buildup on the 
border with Iraq is "routine spring planning," Buyukanit said, 
adding no new troops have been sent to the region. 
 
Commenting on the US transfer of security in northern Iraq to the 
regional Kurdish administration, Buyukanit said "There is no Shiite 
security authority in the Shiite region or a Sunni authority in the 
Sunni region, like the Kurdish one in northern Iraq.  This special 
status is drawing attention, and it is not appropriate." 
 
With regard to the recent violation of Turkish airspace by US F-16 
jetfighters, Buyukanit said Americans didn't need to send F-16s to 
monitor Turkish movements on the border, since they can take 
pictures from satellites.  "The violation by F-16s, however, is not 
appropriate," Buyukanit stressed. 
 
The army chief also said countries providing logistics, financial 
and propaganda support to terrorists should also be considered 
terrorists.  "Landmines and explosives such as C-4, A-3, and A-4 
which are used in every murder in Turkey are not bought from 
supermarkets" Buyukanit said, criticizing "the countries among 
Turkey's allies" that directly or indirectly support the PKK. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Buyukanit Remarks 
Mustafa Unal commented in the Islamist-leaning daily Zaman:  "There 
is no military operation which can be announced beforehand.  However 
the Turkish public has been discussing a possible military operation 
for days.  Given the fact that terrorist elements will be warned by 
this public discussion, I wonder what the real purpose of the debate 
is. Can this be a part of internal political tactics?  It looks to 
me like General Buyukanit's recent remarks are a maneuver to corner 
the AKP government vis-`-vis Turkish public opinion." 
 
Fikret Bila observed in the mainstream daily Milliyet:  "General 
Buyukanit gave some very important messages when he talked about the 
importance of clearly defined targets in northern Iraq should the 
Turkish army start a cross border operation.  The Chief of General 
Staff emphasized that every military operation has political 
targets, and noted that in northern Iraq there is not only the PKK 
but also Barzani, and the US in the middle of it all.  His comments 
centered on three major points: What is the Turkish government's 
goal in northern Iraq?  Can Barzani be considered one of the targets 
besides the PKK?  What is the Turkish government's position on the 
US presence in northern Iraq?" 
 
Turkish Parliament Approves Constitutional Reforms 
All papers report theTurkish Parliament on Thursday overriding an 
earlier veto from President Sezer, approved for a second time a 
controversial package of constitutional reforms that pave the way 
for voters to elect the president directly.  The package now will be 
returned to Sezer who cannot veto it a second time, but can call a 
referendum.  The reforms cut the term of the president's mandate to 
five years renewable for a second term, and also reduce parliament's 
term to four years from five.  The main opposition CHP is expected 
to challenge the amendments in the Constitutional Court, claiming 
that the adoption is invalid unless approved by a two-thirds 
majority of 367 votes.  The provision reducing parliament's term to 
 
ANKARA 00001360  002 OF 003 
 
 
four years was approved by 366 votes, falling short by one vote. 
 
Kissinger in Istanbul 
Sabah, Milliyet, Radikal, and others:  Speaking at a conference in 
Istanbul, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger called on the 
international community to cooperate with the US to end the war in 
Iraq.  Kissinger added that it is Turkey's right to take necessary 
measures against the possible problems at the Iraqi border; however, 
these measures should be acceptable to the international community. 
Kissinger said that the US understands Turkish sensitivity on the 
issue but will not welcome a cross border operation into Iraq by 
Turkey.  On the issue of Turkey's EU membership, Kissinger said that 
being part of the European system is very important for Turkey, 
however, if this process fails, the US should start a close 
partnership with Turkey. 
 
Controversy over Prayers in Public High School 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Bugun, Zaman and others:  Istanbul education 
director Ata Ozer defended the high school students praying in a 
prayer room in the basement of the high school saying "there is 
freedom of worship and conscience in Turkey."  Mainstream Hurriyet 
reports that Bagcilar district prosecutor in Istanbul has initiated 
an investigation into the incident.  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak 
and Zaman question the public reaction to the incident asking in 
front page stories "Is it a crime to pray?" 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Turkish police detained eight suspected al-Qaeda members in Ankara 
on Wednesday, seizing propaganda material and hardware.  On 
Wednesday, police in Istanbul had detained 11 suspects reported to 
be in connection with al-Qaeda. 
 
- A bomb mechanism was found in the bag of a Turkish passenger 
preparing to board an Iran-bound plane in Istanbul's Ataturk 
Airport.  The name of the passenger who was to fly via IranAir to 
Tehran has not been revealed. 
 
- PKK militants shot dead five forest workers in the southeastern 
province of Bingol on Thursday, army sources said.  Turkish security 
forces killed three PKK terrorists in operations in the eastern 
province of Tunceli. 
 
- Germany has detained two senior members, Faruk E. and Ilhan D., of 
Turkey's outlawed left-wing DHKP-C (Dev-Sol.). "Faruk E. is 
suspected of having been a member of the central committee of the 
DHKP-C, a deputy to the general secretary Dursun Karatas as well as 
the man responsible for Europe," the federal prosecutor's office 
said. 
 
- The annual Bilderberg Conference of the global elite will be held 
in Istanbul from May 31 to June 3 to discuss possible military 
operations against Iran, Turkey's EU membership, and energy 
policies.  Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, World Bank 
President Paul Wolfowitz, former Secretary of Defense Donald 
Rumsfeld and UNDP chief Kemal Dervis are some of the international 
personalities expected to attend this year's meeting. 
 
International News 
 
- UN Security Council has voted to establish an international 
criminal tribunal to prosecute the masterminds of the February 2005 
suicide-bomb killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri 
and 22 others. 
 
- A suicide bomber hit a police recruiting centre in Fallujah in 
northern Iraq, killing at least 25 people and wounding 50. 
 
ANKARA 00001360  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
- Andrei Lugovoi, the man charged by the UK with murdering the 
Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko, claims British intelligence 
was involved in his death. 
 
- Russia's test firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile on 
Tuesday was in response to US steps that have sparked an arms race, 
President Putin said. 
 
WILSON