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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001496 
 
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, JUNE 12, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Government Protested at Soldiers' Funerals 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others 
report that three Turkish soldiers -- a lieutenant colonel, a major 
and a private -- killed over the weekend in PKK attacks in the 
southeastern province of Sirnak were buried Monday in separate 
funerals in Istanbul, Ankara and Manisa.  Thousands attending the 
funerals expressed frustration with the mounting death toll from 
terrorism.  During Monday's protests, the crowds also protested 
against the government, calling on the Prime Minister to resign.  In 
Manisa, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc was met with strong protests 
at the funeral of a soldier killed by the PKK. 
 
President Sezer, opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal, the chief of 
the Turkish General Staff (TGS) Yasar Buyukanit, Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul and a number of cabinet ministers and top judges as 
well as opposition party representatives attended a funeral service 
at Kocatepe Mosque in Ankara.  Thousands at the funeral applauded 
the force commanders and the military chief as well as President 
Sezer, while AKP cabinet ministers were met with angry slogans.  The 
dead soldier's family refused to accept the condolences of 
government representatives with the exception of Deputy PM 
Abdullatif Sener, who said last week that he will not run for 
parliament in July 22 elections. 
 
Meanwhile, papers report two more soldiers were killed by PKK 
terrorists in the southeastern provinces of Sirnak and Erzincan 
yesterday. 
 
Security Summit to Discuss Rising Terrorism 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and 
others report 
Prime Minister Erdogan and Turkish General Staff (TGS) Chief Yasar 
Buyukanit, Land Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug, Gendarme 
Commander General Isik Kosaner, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul 
will meet on Tuesday to discuss the security situation in the 
southeast following a spate of attacks by the PKK terrorists. 
Cumhuriyet claims the meeting was requested by the government to 
discuss the fight against the PKK, including a possible cross border 
operation into northern Iraq.  Media speculate that he group may 
decide to send a "last warning" to countries and international 
organizations supporting the PKK. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Possible Turkish Incursion into Northern 
Iraq 
Bilal Cetin in mainstream daily Vatan believes that the possibility 
of a cross border operation is getting stronger given the current 
tempo of terrorism, but it is unlikely to occur before the 
elections: "The security summit will provide a good opportunity for 
both military and government officials to express their thoughts to 
each other and increase understanding of each.  In this context, 
Foreign Minister Gul's recent remarks 'We are ready for everything' 
should be noted carefully.  Those remarks hint at a cross border 
operation in Northern Iraq when the time comes.  This will be one of 
the main topics at today's security summit.  At this point, we don't 
know what type of decision will be made at the summit. 
Nevertheless, there is growing speculation that the government may 
call for an emergency session of Parliament to pass a mandate 
authorizing a cross border operation.  Still, even the availability 
of a parliamentary mandate does not necessarily mean an operation in 
northern Iraq is imminent.  The government will continue making its 
calls to the Iraqi government and to the US with this mandate in 
hand.  Whether this policy will produce any concrete results remains 
to be seen, but in any case, nobody in Ankara expects a cross border 
operation will happen before the elections." 
 
Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II Visits TGS Chief General Buyukanit 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II 
visited TGS chief General Buyukanit last week and extended his 
 
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condolences for the martyrs who lost their lives in recent terror 
attacks.  The Patriarch also relayed the latest concerns of Armenian 
community and said that the Armenian-Turks continue to live their 
lives in a rather anxious atmosphere because of the threats they 
receive.  General Buyukanit reportedly told the Patriarch that the 
TGS will fulfill its duties relative to the issues Mesrob raised. 
 
764 Independent Candidates for Parliament 
Mainstream Sabah, Milliyet and liberal Radikal report that a total 
of 7535 candidates will run in the July 22 elections.  764 of them 
are independent candidates - a record number.  In the last elections 
in November 2002 only 190 independents ran.  A total of 14 political 
parties will compete in 85 election districts.   Milliyet says 4192 
of the candidates are university graduates, and 947 of them are 
primary school graduates. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer arrived in Ankara on 
Monday to meet Prime Minister Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah 
Gul, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and TGS chief Yasar Buyukanit 
today.  Scheffer visit to Turkey comes shortly after Ankara objected 
to the participation of Greek Cyprus in an EU police mission. 
 
- Former US Vice President Al Gore arrived in Istanbul yesterday for 
a conference on global climate change. 
 
- Police are seeking four terrorists, two of them women, believed to 
have come from northern Iraq to carry out suicide bombings in 
northwestern Turkey. 
 
International News 
 
- Britain's next Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, made a surprise visit 
to Baghdad "to listen and learn" before he takes office later this 
month.  Brown assured Iraq's leaders of continued British support. 
 
 
- The Sweden-based International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 
said in its annual report that global military spending rose 3.5 
percent last year to USD 1.2 trillion. 
 
- Germany will store digital fingerprints and digital photos in 
passports as a biometric security measure in an effort to fight 
organized crime and international terrorism. 
 
WILSON