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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001952 
 
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 
 
MONDAY, JULY 30, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Bagis Warns Turkey will Move against the PKK 
All papers report Egemen Bagis, a Member of Parliament and advisor 
to Prime Minister Erdogan, said in an interview with The Sunday 
Telegraph that Turkey was prepared to launch unilateral operations 
against the PKK threatening Turkey from northern Iraq unless its 
allies "start doing something."  "Our allies should help us with the 
threat, which is clear and present.  If an ally is not helping you, 
you either question their integrity or their ability," Bagis said. 
Papers also cite the British daily as noting that Turkey's newly 
elected government is "prepared to turn its back on its 
long-standing alliance with the United States to counter the threat 
of Kurdish terrorism." 
 
Independent Kurdish MPs to Establish DTP Party Group in Parliament 
All papers report that on Sunday, independent candidates elected as 
members of parliament with the support of the Kurdish DTP, have 
joined together as members of the party.  Ahmet Turk, independent MP 
from Mardin, said the DTP was "aware of its responsibilities," 
adding it would work to strengthen democracy as well as seek a 
peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue.  Turk said they were in the 
parliament for reconciliation and dialogue, and added they will not 
take their oath in Kurdish.  Sirri Sakik, independent MP from Mus, 
said just like the [nationalist] MHP, the DTP was a "fact" of this 
country.  "We will not engage in a fight with the MHP," Sakik 
stressed, and added, "MHP chairman Devlet Bahceli is actually much 
more sensible compared to CHP's Deniz Baykal."  Sakik also said no 
amnesty for the PKK would be possible without establishing the 
necessary grounds first.   Mainstream Milliyet reports that some 
Kurdish deputies entered "Turkish" in the space marked "foreign 
language" on their application forms.  Akin Birdal, independent MP 
from Diyarbakir and the former head of Human Rights Organization 
(IHD,) has also joined the DTP on the invitation of the party's 
former chairman Ahmet Turk.  On Monday, the 20 DTP lawmakers are 
expected to petition the national assembly to form a party group in 
the parliament. 
 
Meanwhile, papers reported over the weekend that according to a new 
regulation prepared by the Justice Ministry, members of parliament 
will not be free to visit inmates convicted or tried for terrorism 
charges.  Only members of related parliamentary commissions will be 
allowed to conduct such visits after informing the head of their 
commission.  Papers say the new regulation is intended to block DTP 
lawmakers from visiting the PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. 
 
 
Election Analysis 
Mainstream Vatan reports on research it conducted to find out what 
motivated the voters in last week's Parliamentary election. Vatan 
spoke with people from every level of society for three days and 
came to the conclusion that the rich people in Turkey voted for the 
AKP for stability in the country, intellectuals for democracy and 
the poor people for job opportunities. Vatan points out that this is 
in sharp contrast to the analysis of the western press who concluded 
that votes for the AKP were votes for "moderate Islam" and the 
conclusions drawn by Turkish pundits who said the AKP votes were a 
"message to the military" from the people. 
 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Election Results 
Okay Gonensin comments in the mainstream Vatan: "People have voted 
for peace and stability.  Certain rhetoric by other parties such as 
having problems with the outside world, making a strong argument for 
cross-border operations in Northern Iraq and talking about 'hanging 
a terrorist' were not seen as acceptable.  Given the anti-EU 
sentiment within the two other parties in the new parliament, the 
election victory for AKP should also be seen as strong support for 
the EU integration process.  At this point, the AKP has an important 
 
ANKARA 00001952  002 OF 002 
 
 
role to play especially in the new period ahead.  It will be wrong 
to say the reason for the election victory was the military's 
intervention and the presidential election process.  If the AKP acts 
based on this argument, it may be misreading the popular votes. 
Such a victory is a clear manifestation of the people's search for 
reconciliation and a peaceful atmosphere.  There are three tasks in 
the coming days which will indicate clearly whether AKP has read the 
messages correctly: electing a parliament speaker, forming of the 
new government and electing the president. These are the major 
events that will show the AKP's general approach to the issues 
during its second term." 
 
 
Reaction to AKP Deputy's Comments on Constitutional Changes 
Sabah, Milliyet, Vatan, Cumhuriyet and others:  Newly elected AKP 
Istanbul Deputy Prof. Zafer Uskul proposed that provisions related 
with Kemalism be removed from the constitution.  Opposition party 
CHP leader Deniz Baykal reacted to this proposal by saying that "AKP 
scored a goal in the first minute of the game...AKP acted right 
after the elections to amend the constitution in the direction of 
their own beliefs." Meanwhile, the Ataturk Thought Association also 
criticized Uskul and stressed on its web page that "being against 
Kemalism, means being against the secular social order." 
 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 6 A.M.) 
Domestic News 
 
- One Turkish soldier was killed and two others were wounded in a 
fight between security forces and PKK militants in the southeastern 
province of Mardin. 
 
- DSP leader Zeki Sezer said the general elections should not be 
seen as a referendum for the presidency of Gul, urging AKP not to 
press on. 
 
- On August 1-4, Turkey's Supreme Military Council will hold its 
annual meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Erdogan. 
 
International News 
 
- The US Administration is to ask Congress to approve an arms sale 
package for Saudi Arabia and five other Gulf countries that is 
expected to total USD 20 billion over the next decade. 
 
- Insurgents dressed as women have attacked an Iraqi army checkpoint 
west of the northern oil hub of Kirkuk, killing at least three 
soldiers. 
 
- Prime Minister Olmert said the US is committed to ensuring 
Israel's military supremacy over Arab countries. 
 
 
WILSON