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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002222 
 
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 
TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Abdullah Gul Set to Become Turkey's 11th President in Today's Voting 
 
All papers report Abdullah Gul is set to be elected Turkey's next 
president in a third round of voting in the parliament on Tuesday. 
A simple majority of 276 votes is needed for Gul's election in the 
550-member assembly.  The main opposition CHP said it will continue 
to boycott the voting.  Mainstream Milliyet said on its website 
Monday the 20 Kurdish DTP lawmakers have decided to support Gul in 
today's voting.  The paper sees the sudden change in the position of 
DTP as the result of the AKP decision to place Kurdish language 
rights in a draft of constitutional changes expected to be unveiled 
by the government in late September. 
 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet criticizes far-right MHP for taking 
part in the election process, thus enabling Gul to become the next 
president.  Sabah reports the chief of the Turkish General Staff 
(TGS) Yasar Buyukanit and force commanders were invited to join the 
oath-taking ceremony to take place at 6:00 p.m. today.  Gul's wife, 
Hayrunnisa Gul, is not expected to attend the ceremony in 
parliament. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Gul as Turkey's New President 
Hasan Cemal comments in the mainstream daily Milliyet: "There is no 
requirement to be pleased with Gul's presidency nor it is necessary 
to like the ruling AKP.  All you have to do is to find alternate 
policies instead of working as a crisis-monger.  Gul as president 
will be a historical breakthrough for Turkey.  The country will be 
relieved as long as Gul proves his full commitment to democracy, the 
secular nature of the Republic and supremacy of law.  When that 
happens, Turkey will be able to move forward to a progressive 
future.  There is a lesson to learn out of the ongoing presidential 
election process:  Nobody should consider any methods other than 
democracy." 
 
Gungor Mengi writes in the mainstream daily Vatan: "Gul is becoming 
the 11th president of Turkey.  Some believe that he has a secret 
Islamic agenda to change the nature of the regime, while others 
argue that such fears are baseless because of the past record of AKP 
government during the last 4.5 years.  It is important for Turkey 
that these fears and arguments come to an end as soon as possible. 
President Gul has a very urgent test and he has to prove his 
sincerity.  There was a Washington Post article which was saying Gul 
would become president unless there was a military coup.  Using a 
military coup as a constant reference for Turkey has a provocative 
and insulting tone.  Turkey has just concluded a democratic election 
and its outcome will be implemented regardless.  The antidote for 
fears is democratic policies within the supremacy of law not 
military coups.  President Gul comes with a credit as he expresses 
commitment to the values of Turkish Republic.  Let's hope that he 
uses this credit in a way compatible with his oath." 
 
TGS Issues Victory Day Statement on Eve of Presidential Election 
All papers report that on Monday, the eve of Abdullah Gul taking 
over the presidential post, the Turkish General Staff (TGS) released 
a "strongly-worded" statement to mark Victory Day to be celebrated 
on August 30.  Allegedly penned by TGS chief General Yasar Buyukanit 
himself, the statement underlines the importance of secularism, 
pointing to "insidious plans by internal and external forces to ruin 
the secular and democratic structure of Turkey and undo the 
country's modern achievements."  "The Turkish Armed Forces will 
never sway from its determined position while performing its duty of 
protecting and watching over the republic under the guidance of 
Ataturk's philosophy.  The army will not be deterred by attacks and 
betrayals.  As the founder of our republic Ataturk put it, 'Those 
who have established the Republic must also be capable of defending 
it,'" the statement said. 
 
Turkey's Ambassador to Israel: Use Influence Jewish Community in the 
 
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US 
Sabah, Star, Zaman and others:  In an interview with Israel's 
Jerusalem Post, Turkish Ambassador to Israel Namik Tan urged the 
Israeli government to use its influence on US-based Jewish 
organizations to ensure that the US Congress does not pass the 
"Armenian genocide" resolution.  Ambassador Tan stressed that "it is 
Turkey's expectation that Israel will not allow the Jewish community 
in the US to change their position and this is very, very important 
for Turkey."  When reminded by the Jerusalem Post of quotes by 
Israeli government officials reiterating that Israel does not 
control American-Jewish organizations, Tan said "I cannot accept 
this argument. On some issues there is no such thing as 'Israel 
cannot do it' and this is one of those issues." 
 
Talat Accuses the US of being Responsible for Cyprus Oil Issue 
 
 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reported that, northern Cyprus 
"President" Talat, in a TV interview, reacted to the oil exploration 
in Mediterranean by the Greek-Cypriots, saying that "the US will be 
the responsible party if a crisis erupts on this issue."  Talat 
added that "if the Greek Cypriots do not change their stance, 
anything can happen.  Everyone should be cautious; everyone could 
suffer from the consequences." 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Labor Minister Murat Basesgioglu said national carrier Turkish 
Airlines (THY) has reached a pay deal with aviation workers union, 
averting a possible strike. 
 
- Huseyin Travnisi, the KDP border security commander in Zaho in 
northern Iraq, said the Turkish military has been striking 34 border 
areas since February with tanks, jetfighters and napalm bombs. 
 
- President Sezer wrapped up his farewell visits before the election 
of the new president. 
 
- Torrential rains are expected in Turkey's north, the Marmara 
region and Black Sea region. 
 
International News 
 
- Greek officials said forest fires are threatening the ancient 
ruins of Olympia, adding the unprecedented disaster was not yet 
under control.  Turkey will send a JL215-type amphibian plane to 
Greece to help efforts to extinguish fires. 
 
- French President Sarkozy said his agreement to negotiate Turkey's 
EU membership would require the EU to establish a panel of ``wise 
men'' by the end of the year to study the future of Europe. 
 
- Climate negotiators from 191 nations assembled in Vienna on Monday 
with calls for a global deal beyond 2012 to replace the UN's Kyoto 
Protocol. 
 
- US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales handed in his resignation. 
 
MCELDOWNEY