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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001720 
 
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 
THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Erdogan Calls for International Cooperation against Terrorism 
All papers report that on Wednesday, Prime Minister Erdogan told the 
World Chambers Federation Forum in Istanbul that Turkey now wants to 
see "action" from its friends rather than mere statements of support 
saying that the PKK was a terror organization.  The PM noted the 
importance of joint international action against terrorism, 
stressing that Turkey had done its part to combat international 
terrorism, urging friendly countries to move in the same way. 
Papers comment that with pressure mounting on the government for a 
cross-border operation, eyes are turned to the next meeting of the 
cabinet, scheduled for July 9.  Papers also report Erdogan met with 
former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on the sidelines of the 
Istanbul gathering. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Northern Iraq; PKK-Cross Border Operation 
Cuneyt Ulsever observes in the mainstream Hurriyet:  "Just a short 
while ago, PM Erdogan rejected the allegations regarding a 
cross-border operation into Northern Iraq.  But, following pressure 
from the opposition parties CHP and MHP, and feeling that the AKP is 
losing out on the Northern Iraq issue due to the lack of clear 
policies, PM Erdogan made a sudden change in his stance and started 
to act as if he would adopt a resolution for a cross-border 
operation.  In the past, the government was unable to pass the March 
1 petition [the March 1, 2003, resolution to allow US troops to 
enter Iraq through Turkey] because Kurdish-origin AKP deputies 
vetoed it.  Today, when 154 AKP deputies have been eliminated from 
the candidate lists [for the upcoming July 22 election] it will 
never be possible to pass the petition in the Parliament.  Prime 
Minister Erdogan is just pretending that he would adopt the 
petition." 
 
Guneri Civaoglu comments in the mainstream daily Milliyet:  "It is 
true that terrorists and weapons come to Turkey from Northern Iraq. 
 And it is true that the PKK bases in Kandil Mountain and in 
Northern Iraq could be destroyed.  However, this would only serve as 
a good lesson to them and would never eliminate PKK terrorism.  Did 
34 previous cross-border operations ever manage to eliminate the 
PKK?  I am obliged to remind people of this fact when the rumors 
started that the Parliament might convene extraordinarily to debate 
a cross-border operation." 
 
Retired Military Officers Involved in Nationalist Organizations 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and 
others report a retired gendarme general living in Istanbul was the 
"number one" inside the ultranationalist association Patriotic 
Forces Union.  The police are now trying to find out who the retired 
general is.  Papers note prosecutors are probing the role of the 
members of the association in the slaying of Armenian-Turkish 
journalist Hrant Dink.  The head of the association Taner Unal 
reportedly told the police that retired captain Muzaffer Tekin was 
behind the murder of Dink.  Tekin is among the main suspects 
implicated in the Council of State (Danistay) attack perpetrated by 
an ultranationalist lawyer which resulted in the killing of a high 
justice in Ankara last year. 
 
US Position on Combating the PKK: AP Report 
Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others carry an AP story on 
the US cooperation with Turkey against the PKK, and quote an 
unidentified high level US diplomat as saying in the AP story that 
"the US has not paid sufficient attention or devoted enough 
resources to address Turkish concerns" on the issue.  Papers also 
quote Brigadier General Perry Wiggins, Deputy Director for 
Operations, Joint Staff, as "repeating after Secretary of Defense 
Gates" that a Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq "would 
not be helpful." 
 
Embassy Ankara Holds Independence Day Reception 
All papers and TV broadcasts report that at the US Ankara Embassy's 
 
ANKARA 00001720  002 OF 002 
 
 
Independence Day Reception held Wednesday, the Turkish government 
was represented by Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, State Minister Ali 
Babacan, and former Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, and the military 
by lieutenant generals.  Ambassador Wilson and Minister Gonul 
delivered brief speeches at the reception.  Gonul said Turkey and 
the US achieved great successes with regard to settlement of peace 
and freedom in several regions, underlining both countries also 
cooperated on defense, energy, economy, culture and tourism. 
Ambassador Wilson is quoted as responding to press questions that 
the US will work with whatever new government emerges after the 
elections.  Papers comment the Turkish military was represented at 
lower levels than in previous years, in protest against "the US 
inaction against the PKK." 
 
AKP-Commissioned Poll Sees Three Parties in Parliament 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries an election survey commissioned 
by the ruling AKP and conducted by Pollmark polling company. 
According to the survey which canvassed the views of 5,000 Turks on 
June 26-28, the distribution of votes after the undecided votes are 
added would be as follows: AKP 40.5 percent, CHP 21.0, MHP 10.5, DP 
7.0, GP 6.5, and others 7.5, with 7.0 saying they would not vote. 
Meanwhile, tabloid Aksam reports various opinion polls ahead of the 
July 22 parliamentary elections show the AKP will win between 274 
and 325 seats in the 550-seat parliament, with its share of the vote 
varying between 39.8 percent and 43 percent. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Turkish Foreign Ministry released a statement saying Turkey 
has never made commitments to the US to abstain from incursion into 
northern Iraq in exchange for loans. 
 
- The PKK is backed by 28 countries, according to former Justice 
Minister Cemil Cicek. 
 
- Turkey's banned Islamist leader, former Prime Minister Necmettin 
Erbakan said supporting the AKP means "supporting Zionism." 
 
- Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told the World 
Chambers Forum meetings in Istanbul that Turkey has made big 
progress in curbing inflation and interest rates. 
 
International News 
 
- BBC correspondent Alan Johnston has been released after nearly 
four months as a prisoner in Gaza. 
 
- The regional Kurdish administration president Massoud Barzani told 
Euronews TV that a Turkish cross-border military incursion into 
northern Iraq would lead to a destructive war in the region. 
 
- A roadside bomb killed six NATO soldiers and their Afghan 
interpreter in a southern Afghan region. 
 
- On Wednesday, Palestinian civil servants began receiving their 
first full salaries in 17 months. 
 
WILSON