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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001603 
 
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 22, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Intense Diplomatic Traffic in Ankara Causes Speculation 
All papers report on 'dazzling' diplomatic traffic in Ankara on 
Thursday, with Ambassador Ross Wilson meeting with Deputy Prime 
Minister Abdullatif Sener after Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign 
Minister Abdullah Gul called on the Turkish General Staff (TGS) 
chief Yasar Buyukanit earlier in the day.  After his meeting with 
the Ambassador, Sener went to the presidential palace, sparking 
speculation that Turkey had adopted a decision for a cross-border 
military incursion into northern Iraq.  Liberal Radikal says the 
busy traffic yesterday caused various conspiracy theories, but the 
meetings held yesterday were 'not linked to each other.' 
 
Cumhuriyet says Erdogan and Gul were briefed at the TGS with regard 
to PKK moves as well as Turkish military attempts to counter the 
terrorist organization.  The military also gave details about the 
location of PKK camps along the border in Iraqi territory.  Military 
officials added that an incursion into northern Iraq is inevitable, 
and that Washington could be persuaded 'while the army was in 
motion.'   Military plans include three possible options against the 
PKK -- air operations, extensive air and ground operations, and 
pinpoint attacks, according to Cumhuriyet. 
 
General Ralston Comments at CSIS 
Milliyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet:  Speaking at a panel at the Center for 
International and Strategic Studies, General (ret.) Joseph Ralston, 
Special Envoy to Counter the PKK, said he would like to see Kurds in 
Northern Iraq impose pressure on the PKK and kick terrorists out 
from the area.  PKK terrorists are murderers and all countries in 
the world, including the US, should treat them as murderers. 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reported that General Ralston 
criticized Danish authorities for allowing PKK linked Roj TV to 
broadcast from their countries. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Hudson Institute Turkey Scenarios 
Ismet Berkan commented in the liberal-intellectual daily Radikal: 
"The Hudson Institute meeting is absolutely an ordinary event 
because think-tanks need to brainstorm.  Creating futuristic 
scenarios, even in the extreme sense, is a necessity for brainstorm. 
 Meetings of this nature should be considered as part of the culture 
of freedom of expression.  However, the incorrect government 
reaction to this meeting, in which officials blasted the military 
for attending, was followed by a TGS statement that was equally 
wrong.  The Turkish military not only tried to argue that it had 
'limited participation,' but it also agreed with the argument that 
attendance at such meetings should be considered 'betrayal.'  The 
Turkish military itself organizes numerous war games and exercises. 
Don't they realize that all of those exercises are based on 
scenarios including a possible crisis?  Can't the military see that 
any war game is designed based on fictional war or chaos scenarios? 
It seems Turkey has a very long way to go towards adopting a 
mentality of free thought." 
 
US Congress Report 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that according to a recent Congressional 
Research Service (CRS) report, PM Erdogan's mistaken evaluation of 
opposition parties contributed to one of the biggest political 
crises in Turkish political history.  The report posited that the 
AKP, by nominating someone from among themselves as the Presidential 
candidate, escalated tension in the country.  The report adds that 
if the AKP tries the same method again after the upcoming elections, 
it is inevitable that the country would face a second tense period. 
In evaluating the various parties participating in the elections, 
the report characterized PM Erdogan as authoritarian and overly 
sensitive to criticism, indicated by his litiginous activities 
towards the press, indicates he does not fully understand freedom of 
speech. 
 
Erdogan Sees 'Deep Turkey' v 'Deep State' 
 
ANKARA 00001603  002 OF 003 
 
 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan yesterday claimed that a 
recent investigation into activities of a criminal ring - including 
members who are former military officials -caught with explosives 
pointed to the existence of 'deep state' structures in Turkey. "But 
thank God, in opposition to them we have 'deep Turkey' which loves 
this nation.  We must see that deep Turkey emerges as victorious in 
its fight against deep state," Erdogan said. 
 
Hamas Calls for Turkish Mediation among Palestinian Groups 
The conservative-Islamist-oriented Zaman reports  Hamas' number two 
official, Mahmoud Zahar, the  Foreign Minister of the Palestinian 
government sacked by President Abbas, called on Turkey to act as an 
intermediary among the fighting groups in Palestine.  He also asked 
for Turkish help in the Palestinians' fight against international 
sanctions.  Zahar said the new government appointed by Abbas was 
illegal and they (Hamas) would not obey any of the new government's 
decisions.  He said Fatah was 'worse than the PKK,' charging Fatah 
leaders of cooperating with the US and Israel.  Zahar denied Hamas 
was manipulated by Iran, and stressed they were not planning to 
create an Islamic state in Palestine. 
 
Akcam to Take Article 301 to ECHR 
Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet and Yeni Safak report Taner Akcam, a 
Turkish professor at 
The University of Minnesota, plans to apply to the European Court of 
Human Rights (ECHR) for the abolishment of article 301 of the 
Turkish Penal Code, the law that makes it illegal to "insult 
Turkishness."  Akcam, long a defendant of the thesis that Ottoman 
Turkish forces conducted a genocide of Armenians at the beginning of 
the last century, said article 301 poses a threat to his academic 
work, is a barrier against Turkey's EU aspirations, and also 
constitutes an attack against the rights of Turkish Armenians. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Turkish High Election Board said 7395 candidates, including 
726 independents, are registered to run in the July 22 parliamentary 
elections. 
 
- Daily Milliyet's Washington correspondent Yasemin Congar, charged 
with bias in her report about a recent Hudson Institute meeting on 
Turkey, insists her reporting was well-grounded. 
 
- On June 23, NGOs will hold a silent rally in Istanbul and 
Zonguldak, and on June 24 in Usak, Bursa, Gaziantep and Trabzon, 
against terror inspired by a recent call from the chief of the 
Turkish General Staff to display unity against terror. 
 
- Russian President Putin will participate in the Black Sea Economic 
Cooperation meeting to be held in Istanbul on June 25. 
 
International News 
 
- The regional Kurdish administration is preparing to open 
representative offices in 15 countries, including Germany, France, 
Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. 
 
- Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat blamed France and Russia 
for acting as 'Greek Cypriot militants' in the UN Security Council. 
 
 
- A four-way summit will take place in Egypt on Monday between the 
Palestinian, Israeli, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders. 
 
- A Taliban spokesman said militants are changing their tactics in 
Afghanistan and will increasing attacks in Kabul. 
 
 
ANKARA 00001603  003 OF 003 
 
 
WILSON