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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002436 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 28, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey-Iraq Sign Anti-Terror Accord 
All papers report that Turkey and Iraq failed to tie an anti-terror 
accord on Thursday after Baghdad said Ankara must seek its "formal 
and explicit permission" before sending troops over the border in 
pursuit of the PKK terrorists.  The Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad 
al-Bolani told reporters they would extend their stay in Ankara 
until Friday, saying the sides were close to an agreement.  The 
disagreement has been over the clause allowing "hot pursuit," with 
Ankara saying it has the right under the UN Convention to chase the 
PKK militants into northern Iraq.  Several papers claim that the key 
clause of "hot pursuit" would be removed from the accord due to the 
opposition of Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq, with Radikal 
reporting that the regional Kurdish administration leader Massoud 
Barzani was in communication with FM Zebari and PM Maliki about the 
issue. 
 
TV news reports the deal was signed on Friday, with the sides 
failing to agree on ways that would have let Turkish troops seek 
terrorists across the border.  The two countries pledged to take all 
necessary measures to fight against the PKK and other militant 
groups, and they will hold meetings every six months to coordinate 
their work, according to the deal.  Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad 
al-Bolani told the press after signing the accord with his Turkish 
counterpart Besir Atalay that the agreement was very important for 
Iraq, and that his government would do all in its power to implement 
the measures.  Atalay said the sides could not reach agreement on 
the article regarding border security cooperation, and that 
negotiations on this issue would continue. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Iraq Anti-Terror Deal, Iraq's 
Division 
Fikret Bila writes in mainstream Milliyet: "The Visiting Iraqi 
delegation in Ankara insists that to sign an anti-terror agreement 
between the two countries, the right to 'hot pursuit' of PKK 
terrorists into northern Iraq will be given to Turkey only with 
Baghdad's formal permission.  Ankara therefore believes the right to 
chase terrorists would be used, as was the case before, through the 
UN Convention which gives Turkey the necessary authority...The 
regional Kurdish administration in northern Iraq's opposition to the 
agreement will make it impossible to implement.  Stalling Turkey, as 
in the case of the tri-lateral special anti-terror envoy mechanism, 
will not bring the desired outcome.  Both Iraq and the US should be 
honest in their claims to combat terror, and see that the documents 
they have signed are enforced in northern Iraq as well." 
 
Mustafa Balbay writes in leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet: "Democratic 
Senator Joe Biden's bill adopted by the US Senate envisages a loose 
federal system for Iraq with partition along Shiite, Sunni and Arab 
ethnic lines, leaving the central government in Baghdad responsible 
for distribution of oil revenues. Iraq already has a three-party 
structure in which we see further divisions inside each party.  The 
Shiites in the south, despite their cooperation with Iran, have 
serious disagreements among themselves.  The Sunnis dominate Baghdad 
and its surroundings, but the Shiites too have sizable populations 
in the capital.  The north of the country seems intact for now but 
the situation of the Turkmen in the region will be subject to 
debate.  What is more, questions about whether the tribes, the most 
decisive element of the social structure in Iraq, will benefit from 
the country's division are to be raised as well.  Such seemingly 
simple questions and problems might bring along even more Qivisions 
in a divided Iraq." 
 
Erdogan Addresses Council on Foreign Relations, Meets with ADL and 
Ahmadinejad in New York 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan met Anti-Defamation League 
(ADL) national director Abraham Foxman in New York to discuss 
Armenian genocide claims.  Erdogan later participated in a panel 
discussion of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) where he said 
 
ANKARA 00002436  002 OF 003 
 
 
attempts to pass the Armenian genocide resolution in the US Congress 
would "poison" Turkey-US ties.  On the question of terrorism, 
Erdogan said, "PKK attacks deepen the trauma, test the patience of 
Turkish people and limit the options of the political authority. 
The US-originated weapons falling into the hands of the terrorists 
have drawn a strong public reaction in Turkey."  Erdogan said that 
Turkey has commanded NATO forces twice in Afghanistan within the 
scope of combating terrorism, and that it was preparing for a third 
time.  Yeni Safak reports Prime Minister Erdogan said in response to 
a question that Turkey would look positively at allowing the US 
military to withdraw from Iraq through Turkey, after stressing that 
Washington should set a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq. 
 
Meanwhile, papers report Erdogan met yesterday Iranian President 
Ahmadinejad to discuss bilateral energy cooperation despite the fact 
that the US House has decided to toughen sanctions against companies 
working with Iran.  Ahmadinejad told the press after the meeting 
that there were no problems between the two countries regarding 
energy issues.  Mainstream Milliyet says that after the 
Erdogan-Ahmadinejad meeting, Secretary Rice gave to Foreign Minister 
Ali Babacan the message that everybody had to comply with the UN 
sanctions against Iran. 
 
Babacan Meets Rice in New York 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others 
report Foreign Minister Ali Babacan met Secretary Rice on the 
margins of the UNGA talks in New York.  Babacan delivered the 
message that the PKK terror must be stopped, with Rice confirming 
that the PKK terror must be stopped not in the region but around the 
world.   Mainstream Milliyet quotes Secretary Rice as saying 
regarding the Biden Amendment that would divide Iraq into three 
regions that "we do not support any policy that would lead to the 
division of Iraq." 
 
Meanwhile, Cumhuriyet and Radikal report Babacan is to kick off a 
tour of Middle Eastern countries in October including Jordan, Israel 
and Palestine.  The tour is a preparation for the expanded meeting 
of Iraq's neighbors to take place in Istanbul next month, say 
papers. 
 
Turkey-Iran to Sign Energy Deal in October 
Vatan and Cumhuriyet report that in October, Turkey and Iran are 
expected to sign the second part of the agreement for energy 
cooperation.  Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari will visit 
Ankara in October to discuss the details of a memorandum of 
understanding on energy cooperation.  The Iranian Embassy in Ankara 
said the document to be signed would list the Turkish and Iranian 
companies to participate in the implementation of the project. 
Radikal believes US pressure might force Turkey to suspend plans for 
an energy deal with Iran.  The paper reminds that India was forced 
to scrap a similar deal with Iran, warning that the deal drafted 
between Turkey and Iran would be difficult to implement. 
 
Survey: Women Wearing Headscarves Declining in Turkey 
Liberal Radikal reports on page one that a public opinion survey 
conducted by A&G polling company shows the number of women wearing 
Islamic-style headscarves declined by 2.8 percent in the last four 
years.  The survey was conducted on September 21-23 in seven 
provinces with 1863 people.  More than 73 percent of those polled 
said headscarf ban in universities should be removed, and only 19 
percent think that the headscarf was a political symbol.  Mainstream 
Milliyet, however, points to a different aspect of the survey that 
31.4 percent of the interviewees believe that Turkey will be 
gradually transformed into a moderate Islamic state. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 7.00 A.M. 
 
Domestic News 
 
 
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- New bureaucratic appointments made by President Abdullah Gul are 
published in the Official Gazette which shows that Gul is approving 
appointments that had earlier been vetoed by his predecessor Ahmet 
Necdet Sezer. 
 
- The new legislative year opens in the parliament on October 1, 
with President Abdullah Gul to deliver the opening speech to members 
of parliament.  Opposition CHP administration has decided to 
participate in the opening. 
 
- Two soldiers have been killed by a PKK landmine in the 
southeastern province of Bitlis.  In Sirnak on the border with Iraq, 
four PKK terrorists were killed in fighting with security forces. 
 
- The Times reports Japan Tobacco is poised to offer about USD 1.5 
billion for the purchase of the cigarette business of former Turkish 
monopoly Tekel. 
 
International News 
 
- Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered US military commanders 
in Iraq to review the rules governing contractors' use of arms and 
to begin legal proceedings against violations of military law. 
 
- After meeting with President Papadopoulos in New York yesterday, 
U/S Nicholas Burns called on UNSYG to appoint a new special envoy to 
Cyprus to restart peace talks on the divided island. 
 
- Azerbaijan has shelved a regulation banning the headscarf in 
universities following growing protests in Baku. 
 
- A survey conducted for BBC World Service shows the Turkish 
government has failed to meet the expectations of the Turkish public 
for coping with climate changes. 
 
WILSON