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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001926 
 
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, JULY 27, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
MHP Promises not to Stir Tensions on Presidential Elections 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Yeni Safak, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others:  Papers 
report that MHP leader Devlet Bahceli's statement that they will be 
present during the parliamentary session convened to elect the 
President eased tension, as the presence of the MHP deputies 
combined with the AKP deputies would ensure the necessary quorum. 
Sabah quotes Bahceli as saying "My party will only participate in 
the voting, not give support to any of the candidates named by AKP." 
 
 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that FM Gul called MHP leader 
Bahceli to convey condolences on the death of MHP deputy-elect Cihat 
Ozonder and, at the same time, thanked him for the MHP's support for 
the upcoming Presidential elections.  MHP has asked to the High 
Electoral Board to allow the next candidate on MHP's list to go to 
parliament in place of Ozonder, who lost his life in a traffic 
accident yesterday. 
 
Editorial Comment: Gul as President 
Ismet Berkan comments in the liberal Radikal: "Following MHP's 
decision not to boycott the presidential voting, the election has 
become only a matter of procedure.  Roughly speaking, Foreign 
Minister Gul is expected to take over the presidency from Sezer 
before the end of August.  If we compare between political climates 
before and after the elections we see that things have completely 
changed.  Three months ago, the 367 quorum was the main problem and 
the tension in the country was high.  The rules of engagement 
changed following the military e-warning and everybody wondered if 
the presidential election process could even turn to a reason for a 
military coup.  During this process, many political parties -- CHP, 
ANAP and DYP -- have committed suicide by boycotting the 
parliamentary presidential election session.  Furthermore the main 
opposition party CHP shot itself in the foot by not taking a stand 
against the military warning statement.  Fortunately, the 
presidential election process, given the new parliamentary 
composition as well as MHP's positive stance, is not a problematic 
matter any longer.  We can at least now move on to debate the real 
issues of Turkey." 
 
Gas Deal Signed Between Turkey, Greece and Italy 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Zaman and others: 
Turkey, Greece and Italy signed an agreement yesterday in Rome to 
construct a pipeline to bring natural gas from central Asia to 
European markets by 2011.  The agreement aims at piping natural gas 
from the Caucasus to Western Europe through Turkey and Greece. 
 
Meanwhile, mainstream Hurriyet reports that US Ambassador Ross 
Wilson, answering a question on the Embassy website's "Ask the 
Ambassador" page, said that Turkey's signing the Memorandum of 
Understanding with Iran on energy, would "seriously set back the 
work that Turkey and the United States have been doing for a decade 
to develop Caspian Basin gas resources as well as a pipeline 
infrastructure to bring those resources to Turkey and to 
international markets." 
 
US Congressmen Remarks on the Elections and the PKK 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Zaman and others:  US Congressional 
Helsinki Committee Co-Chairman Alcee Hastings said that PM Erdogan 
has made a major contribution to democracy in Turkey.  Speaking at a 
special session where Turkey's July 22 elections were evaluated, 
Hastings added that PM Erdogan worked for Turkey's EU membership and 
this was reflected positively in the markets.  Hastings noted that 
democracy in Turkey is very important for the US.  Speaking at the 
same meeting, Congressman Robert Wexler said that the US did not 
exert enough effort to eliminate the PKK. 
 
TV Highlights 
 
ANKARA 00001926  002 OF 002 
 
 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- A sergeant was killed in clashes between PKK terrorists and 
security forces in rural parts of the Black Sea province of Giresun 
 
 
- One non-commissioned officer was injured in a mine blast in 
Hakkari 
 
- Turkey rejected passage through the Bosporus of a ship carrying 
heavy weapons to Armenia from Albania 
 
 
International News 
 
- Explosion at a military depot in Syria kills 15 soldiers 
 
- Palestinian Security Chief Mohammad Dahlan resigned yesterday 
 
WILSON