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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001987 
 
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, AUGUST 2, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Speculation Continues on Presidency 
All papers continue speculating on the topic of Turkey's next 
president.  Mainstream papers say it is unclear whether Foreign 
Minister Abdullah Gul is still the AKP's candidate for the top job, 
or whether Gul will withdraw his candidacy due to opposition from 
the military General Staff.  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet claims 
Prime Minister Erdogan has asked Gul to refrain from running for 
presidency, but Gul turned the PM down by saying now there is "no 
obstacle" left in front of him.  Gul is expected to announce on 
August 6 whether he will remain in the race, according to 
Cumhuriyet.  Papers say Gul may be given the post of Parliament 
Speaker if he does not run for President.  Papers also say Defense 
Minister Vecdi Gonul is again emerging as a possible compromise 
candidate if Gul withdraws. 
 
Iraqi PM to Visit Turkey 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and 
others report that next week Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is 
to visit Turkey as the official guest of his Turkish counterpart 
Erdogan.  Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) Spokesman Levent Bilman 
told the press Maliki is expected to be in Turkey August 6-8.  Yeni 
Safak says Erdogan will give Maliki intelligence reports regarding 
the PKK activities in northern Iraq and the organization's offices 
in Baghdad.  Erdogan is expected to call for coordinated action 
among Iraq, Turkey and the US to fight against the PKK.  The sides 
will discuss a project for building a new natural gas pipeline 
parallel to the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik line between the two countries. 
Turks will also raise the issue of the problems Turkish contractors 
face in the reconstruction of Iraq. 
 
GAO Report: Thousands of US Weapons Missing in Iraq 
Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report the US 
government cannot account for 190,000 weapons issued to Iraqi 
security forces in 2004 and 2005, according to a report made public 
by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Wednesday. 
Commenting on the GAO report, "Stabilizing Iraq: DOD Cannot Ensure 
that US-Funded Equipment Has Reached Iraqi Security Forces," 
mainstream papers question wonder whether the weapons went to the 
PKK and liberal Radikal says "the US blames Iran and Syria for 
giving weapons to the Iraqi insurgents, but 190,000 of its own 
weapons are unaccounted for."  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak quotes 
US military spokesman in Iraq, General Kevin Bergner, as saying they 
were investigating claims that some members of the Iraqi military 
sold weapons from arms caches for which they were responsible. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Alleged US-Turkey Operation against the PKK 
 
Oktay Eksi writes in the mainstream daily Hurriyet: "While the AKP 
figures use strong words about the urgent need for a cross-border 
operation and ask the US to understand that, news came from 
Washington.  The Washington Post article by Robert Novak undermined 
yet another plan to fight against the PKK.  The PKK leadership in 
Northern Iraq can now do business as usual and act freely.  On the 
other hand, such fiascos do not come as a surprise any longer since 
we saw too many of them in the past.  This is all about our 
so-called strategic partner who keeps fooling the Turkish people all 
the time.  Going through the newspaper archives, starting in 2003, 
one can see clearly how many times Turkey was told and promised by 
the US that they would disarm the PKK and fight against the PKK in 
Northern Iraq.  Obviously the so-called efforts by the US against 
the PKK did not bring any tangible result for us.  Moreover while we 
expected the US would collect the weapons from PKK, exactly the 
opposite is happening -- the PKK has started using American weapons 
against us.  Given all this, the leak of the secret operation plan 
against the PKK does not come as a surprise." 
 
Turkey Files a Complaint to the UN Against Austria 
Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Yeni Safak and others:  During the 
 
ANKARA 00001987  002 OF 003 
 
 
weekly press briefing, MFA spokesman Levent Bilman said regarding 
the release of PKK leader Riza Altun from Austria to Iraq that 
Turkey had filed a complaint against Austria with the European 
Security and Cooperation Organization and soon "will present the UN 
with the same kind of complaint." 
 
Water Shortage in Ankara 
All papers report that Ankara Metropolitan Municipality implemented 
a water rationing system, cutting off water to alternating halves of 
the city every two days for a period of up to five months. 
Mainstream Milliyet wrote the State Water Works (DSI) Director said 
that if the drought continues water cuts could be increased to four 
days a week.  DSI stated that Metropolitan Mayor Melih Gokcek had 
been warned about water problem in June 2004, in an official letter 
saying that construction should start immediately to bring water to 
Ankara from Gerede.  Hurriyet claims that Treasury invited Melih 
Gokcek to talk about the expenses of this project.  However, Gokcek 
rejected this proposal with a written statement saying that "as the 
municipality, we do not want to increase our debt.  Our priority is 
not the drinking water but the metro [subway] project.  We will 
reserve all our financial resources for our privileged metro 
project." 
 
Editorial Commentary on US Arms Sales to Arab States 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mainstream daily Milliyet (8/2): "The 
recently-announced US military aid package is a clear indication of 
the American long-term strategy to maintain its presence and 
influence in the Middle East.  Having strategic partnerships with 
the countries in this region is certainly the most efficient way to 
realize that goal.  The trip by Secretary Rice and Secretary Gates 
to the region is a significant step toward promoting this project. 
The main question is whether these countries really need such a huge 
weapons package?  According to US strategists there is definitely a 
need for arming Arabs given Iran's military power and threat.  In 
fact the US wants to create a regional front against Iran and 
against its supporters, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas; not to even 
mention the huge revenues that would result from this sale.  However 
this plan contains some risks.  What if these 'friendly regimes' 
change their stances and those weapons fall into the hands of 
others?  What if Russia wants to be a supplier in the arms race? 
And what about the effect on the Sunni-Shiite conflict in the 
region?  The fact of the matter is that the Middle East needs fewer 
weapons not more." 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Three Turkish soldiers and five outlawed PKK militants were killed 
in clashes in the eastern province of Tunceli. 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan was briefed on the current political and 
military situation at the High Military Council meeting Wednesday. 
 
 
- Finance Ministry will reduce public spending by the end of the 
year. 
 
- Nineteen people were killed and 64 others were injured in traffic 
accidents across Turkey yesterday. 
 
International News 
 
- Turkey submitted a list of candidates for a vacant seat in the 
European Court of Human Rights to the Parliament Assembly of the 
Council of Europe. 
 
- The USS Enterprise aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East on 
Wednesday, replacing two carriers that had left the Gulf after a 
 
ANKARA 00001987  003 OF 003 
 
 
months-long deployment. 
 
- The UN Security Council has passed a resolution mandating a 
26,000-strong "hybrid" force to take over peacekeeping in Darfur 
from 7,000 Australian troops. 
 
- A Hamas official said Wednesday Russia has invited a Hamas 
delegation to visit Moscow in the next few days. 
 
 
MCELDOWNEY