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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001573 
 
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, JUNE 20, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Dutch ING Bank Purchases OYAK Bank 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Zaman, and others:  A Netherlands based 
ING Group has reached an agreement with OYAK, the Turkish Armed 
Forces Pension Fund, to buy OYAK bank for $2.7 billion.  Under the 
terms of the agreement, OYAK Bank will change its name within one 
year of the completion of the sale process.   Mainstream Milliyet 
reports that after the sale of OYAK Bank to ING Bank, foreigners 
will acquire control of 25.4% of the Turkish banking sector. 
Tabloid Aksam says in return that foreign capital in the Turkish 
banking sector will reach 42% after the sale of OYAK bank. 
 
Hudson Institute Rejects Controversial Scenarios 
Milliyet, Radikal, Yeni Safak, Aksam, and others:  Hudson Institute 
Turkey expert, Zeyno Baran, issued a written statement rejecting 
allegations that disaster scenarios were discussed at a meeting 
organized by the Institute in the U.S..  Mainstream Milliyet says 
Baran apologized for any inconvenience caused by reports on the 
scenarios that they discussed, such as the assassination of former 
Constitutional Court President Tulay Tugcu.  However, Milliyet was 
not convinced by the denial and published the copy of the invitation 
sent by Baran with her signature on it and some of the alleged 
scenarios attached to it. 
 
The NSC will Convene Today 
Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet:  The NSC will convene today to 
discuss increasing terrorist incidents, election security, and 
measures to be taken against PKK terrorists.  Mainstream Hurriyet 
reports that a high level official said that the visit to Turkey of 
Iraqi PM, Maliki, as well as the establishment of a joint buffer 
zone along the Iraq border will also be taken up at the meeting. 
Meanwhile, mainstream Milliyet reports that a group of 105 AKP 
deputies who were not nominated as candidates for July 22 general 
elections, issued a declaration before the NSC meeting saying that 
they promise to attend a Parliamentary session where PKK terrorism 
will be discussed.  Observers say that the declaration aimed to 
eliminate the pretexts to the effect that Parliament cannot be 
convened due to disgruntled deputies even if NSC suggests the 
convening of Parliament. 
 
Secretary Rice Urges Zebari to Cooperate with Turkey 
 
SIPDIS 
Sabah, Yeni Safak:  Speaking after talks in Washington with Iraqi 
Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, Secretary Rice said that the 
United States and Iraqi Governments are both opposed to terrorists 
using Iraqi territory for terrorist actions against neighboring 
Turkey.  Rice stated that the work of the trilateral security 
mechanism that Turkey, the U.S., and Iraq instituted against the PKK 
should be accelerated. 
 
Meanwhile, all papers report that one soldier was killed at a 
terrorist attack in the Black Sea province of Gumushane.  In the 
operations started after the terrorist attack, three terrorists were 
killed.  In Erzincan, gendarmerie stopped a suspicious truck trying 
to enter the city center.  In the clashes between the gendarmerie 
and the 13 PKK terrorists in the truck, five soldiers were injured 
and four terrorists were killed.  Gendarmerie managed to capture two 
terrorists, one of them injured.  Security forces stopped a lynching 
attempt by the people against the injured terrorist.  Huge amounts 
of ammunition were found in the truck.  The officials said that the 
terrorists might have been planning to reach the Black Sea coast for 
attacks there or were planning a big attack in Erzincan; they will 
be able to get information about the terrorists' action plan from 
the injured terrorist. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:   Situation in Palestine 
 
"About Palestine" 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in the conservative daily, Turkiye (6/20): 
"Hamas gained control over Gaza and became a neighbor to its two 
 
ANKARA 00001573  002 OF 002 
 
 
major enemies, Israel and Egypt.  Given the nature of accusations 
exchanged between the two Palestinian groups, Al Fatah and Hamas, 
such as being an Israeli agent or being a murderer of Arabs, one 
wonders how they will succeed to save Palestine from Israel.  The 
Shiite nature of Hamas also demonstrates the Iranian influence on 
Palestine.  The Iranian President managed to infiltrate right next 
door to Israel with Hamas' control of Gaza.  We should realize that 
Hamas is a terrorist organization, and like the PKK is for Turkey, 
Hamas is for Israel and the US.  The situation in Palestine will get 
even worse if Al Qaeda manages to gain control over Palestinian 
groups.  The impact of such development will be big enough to 
overshadow the Iraq issue.  Regardless of the developments, peace in 
Palestine seems like a distant future." 
 
"Ankara's View on Palestine" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mainstream daily, Milliyet (6/20):  "The two 
Palestinian groups are in competition with each other as well as 
hostile towards each other.  The future will be shaped through the 
policies of the two groups' respective leadership and also through 
the policies applied by international community.  Western 
strategists hope to strengthen the Abbas administration by providing 
aid.  Once West Bank citizens feel comfortable, they hope to restart 
the Middle East Peace Process.  During that time, the Hamas 
administration will be isolated.  Turkey is once again showing that 
it views Palestine differently than the Western world.  Turkish 
officials believe that this strategy will not produce any results 
and may even backfire.   A Turkish official explaining Ankara's 
approach to the issue, highlighted that an isolation policy will 
only increase the suffering of the people in Gaza and will 
radicalize the Hamas administration even more.  Ankara believes that 
the solution lies in finding ways for reconciliation of the two 
Palestinian sides." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV (6 A.M.) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- DP Leader, Mehmet Agar, started his party's election campaign from 
Aydin 
 
- In an address to people in Agri, PM Erdogan urged people not to 
vote for independent candidates because this would mean a wasting of 
votes 
 
- 4,000 people marched in Duzce yesterday to denounce terrorism 
 
- Main opposition party, CHP, has filed a second petition for the 
annulment of presidential election reforms 
 
 
 
International News 
 
- A truck bomb detonated outside a Shiite mosque in Baghdad 
yesterday, killing 78 people and injuring more than 200 
 
- A missile attack targeted at a militant training base killed at 
least 32 pro-Taliban militants on Tuesday in a Pakistani tribal 
region near the border 
 
- President Bush and Israeli PM Olmert agreed to support Palestinian 
President, Abbas, in his battle against Hamas 
 
WILSON