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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001392 
 
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, JUNE 4, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Center-Right Merger Fails 
All papers report that the DYP and Anavatan (ANAP) merger failed 
when the two center-right parties failed to reach compromise on the 
nomination list of candidates for the general elections.  ANAP did 
not disband itself and current leader Erkan Mumcu was re-elected as 
the party chairman on the second day of the convention.  Mumcu 
apologized to the Turkish people for not being able to realize the 
merger and accused DYP of not keeping its promises.  Weekend papers 
report that Mumcu's sharp criticism of former party leader Mesut 
Yilmaz caused turmoil in the party and many party members resigned 
from ANAP.  Meanwhile, DYP leader Agar who had planned to attend the 
ANAP convention, decided not to after learning of Mumcu's decision. 
DYP will retain the name of the intended new party -- the Democrat 
Party (DP) - and candidates will run under that banner in the 
elections. 
 
Rice, Gates, Kurdish Leaders on Turkey-Iraq Relations 
All papers report that following the warnings of Secretary Rice, 
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on Sunday cautioned Turkey not to 
 
SIPDIS 
use force in northern Iraq.  "The Turks have a genuine concern with 
Kurdish terrorism that takes place on Turkish soil.  We have been 
working with the Turks to try to help them get control of this 
problem on Turkish soil," Gates said.  "We have had ongoing 
discussions with Turkish officials," Gates noted, adding, "General 
Ralston is our envoy to Turkey and he continues to be deeply 
engaged." 
 
Meanwhile, papers report the regional Kurdish administration 
president Massoud Barzani met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in 
Dokan in Suleymaniye.  Talabani expressed hope after the meeting 
that "problems with our brothers, the Turks, will be resolved," 
adding "we do not accept interference in others' affairs and we do 
not accept interference in our affairs."  Barzani said they have 
always called for dialogue with Turkey.  "Turkey has not entered the 
Iraqi side of the border.  Bombs have fallen on some remote border 
areas, but it's not an issue of concern.  If a cross-border 
operation is launched, it will become Iraq's problem," Barzani 
emphasized. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Northern Iraq, US and Turkey Relations 
Washington-based Yasemin Congar writes in the mainstream daily 
Milliyet:  "The Bush administration considers the trilateral 
mechanism between Baghdad, Ankara and Washington as the proper 
platform for cooperation against the PKK in Northern Iraq.  In this 
context, Washington wants Turkey to maintain a high level dialogue 
with the Kurdistan Regional Administration (KRA).  Both Republicans 
and Democrats are pursuing the same line on this issue which 
envisions a solution through political dialogue between Ankara and 
KRA on every issue, including Kirkuk.  So the elimination of 
Turkey's worries regarding Northern Iraq require close and healthy 
ties between Turkey and the KRA, however it seems difficult at this 
point given the current domestic political tiffs in Turkey and some 
threatening remarks made by Kurdish leaders.  Yet the fact of the 
matter is not only the US and Kurds but also the Iraqi government 
itself is asking Turkey to maintain close ties with the KRA.  The 
Iraqi gjQQ4"NV[0| more a venue for expressing fury against PKK terrorism and 
 
ANKARA 00001392  002 OF 002 
 
 
the government for not solving the problem.  The US should realize 
that following the general elections, the political scene will not 
be the same as before.  Popular fury should be taken into account 
because there is a tendency to equate the PKK with the US.  The US 
currently emerges as a force which helps the ruling AKP as an 
example of moderate Islam and watches out for the PKK in northern 
Iraq.  None of those political approaches will do any good for the 
US.  Flirting with Islamism and courting terror are dead ends for US 
interests after all." 
 
Osman Ocalan Missing 
Vatan, Cumhuriyet and Aksam report that Osman Ocalan, the brother of 
Abdullah Ocalan and a founding member of the PKK, has been missing 
in Iraq for one week.  Vatan and Aksam speculate Ocalan went to Iran 
for medical treatment but was taken into custody by Iranian 
officials.  Cumhuriyet claims Ocalan wanted to flee to Iran after 
hearing he would be handed over to Turkey, but was captured at the 
border.  The paper expects Ocalan to be handed over to Turkey by 
Barzani as a "gesture" to reduce strains with Turkey before the 
upcoming general elections. 
 
Mesrob II Remarks on the Assassination of Hrant Dink 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that in an interview with Der Spiegel's 
Internet website, Patriarch of Turkish Armenians, Mesrob II said 
that those behind the assassination of Hrant Dink are being 
protected and he will take the issue to TGS Chief General Buyukanit 
soon.  Mesrob added that the Armenians in Istanbul are continuously 
threatened and their request for security measures from the Istanbul 
Governor's office was rejected with the recommendation that they 
hire private security companies. 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 8 A.M.) 
Domestic News 
 
- Turkey-EU troika meeting will take place in Ankara with the 
participation of German and Portuguese foreign ministers and EU 
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. 
 
- The Turkish Parliament has approved a bill that would increase the 
powers of the police. 
 
- The Turkish Parliament recessed on Sunday, June 3, to convene five 
days after the High Election Board announces the results of the 
general elections to be held on July 22. 
 
- On Monday, Land Forces Commander Ilker Basbug is to kick off an 
official visit to the Chinese capital of Beijing. 
 
International News 
 
- President Putin warned that US plans to build a missile defense 
system in eastern Europe would force Moscow to target its missiles 
against Europe. 
 
- Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has invited the foreign ministers of 
Jordan and Egypt to visit Israel for talks on an Arab plan offering 
Israel a peace deal. 
 
- More than 300 police were injured during protests in the German 
city of Rostock on Saturday against the upcoming Group of Eight (G8) 
summit in Germany. 
 
- Fourteen American soldiers were killed in three days in Iraq, the 
US military said Sunday. 
 
WILSON