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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002579 
 
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, OCTOBER 18, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkish Parliament Approves Iraq Incursion Motion 
All papers report the Turkish Parliament has overwhelmingly approved 
a motion allowing troops to cross into northern Iraq to hunt down 
the PKK terrorists based there.  The resolution covering a one-year 
period was approved in an open session Wednesday by a vote of 507 to 
¶19. 
 
Visiting Iraqi vice president, Tariq al-Hashimi, is quoted in papers 
as saying that Iraq must be given a chance to stop the PKK 
terrorists before Turkey takes any step.  Papers report President 
Bush as saying yesterday such an action "would not be in Turkish 
interests."  "There is a better way to deal with the issue than 
having the Turks send massive additional troops into Iraq."  Prime 
Minister Erdogan responded by saying that the important issue was 
"not what others say, but the decision of the Turkish Parliament." 
The head of the main opposition CHP, Deniz Baykal, voiced hope that 
the US will now see that Turkey is serious, stressing he hopes there 
will be no need for Turkish intervention.  The Iraqi Prime Minister 
Nuri al-Maliki called Erdogan, asking him to give Baghdad and the 
Kurdish authorities in the area a new chance to eliminate the PKK 
terrorists.  Maliki delegated a security mission to Turkey, 
according to papers.  The Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, in Paris 
on a visit, said "We hope that the wisdom of Prime Minister Erdogan 
will prevent any military action.  The Iraqi government and the 
Kurdistan government are both willing to do whatever it takes to 
reach an agreement among the Iraqi, Turkish, and US officials to end 
this crisis."  Papers note that Turkey's western allies including 
the EU and US all urged Ankara to refrain from unilateral military 
action. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Iraq Incursion 
Fehmi Koru writes in the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak:  "The PKK's 
activities have no similarity to the ones they carried out in the 
past.  They take action mainly against the military and have planned 
to kill as many soldiers as they can to hurt more people across 
Turkey.  Also, with their attacks, they are continuously provoking 
the Turkish military. We can feel the fine calculations in every 
action the PKK takes.  If we are aware of the well-planned, 
conscious terrorist act, then, our counter actions should be well 
planned too.  PKK terrorism, today, aims to force Turkey to take 
certain actions in the international arena.  Terrorism can be beaten 
by isolating the terrorists.  However, we are after the plans to 
spread the front to a wider area.  In order to deal with a small 
number of terrorists in northern Iraq, we should not launch a 
cross-border operation that would make all of Iraq against us.  The 
right act here is to isolate the PKK and then develop new tactics to 
eliminate it.  While doing this Turkey should adopt a stance that 
would not isolate itself in the region and in the world.  Turkey 
should take lessons from the problems the US faces in Iraq. 
Otherwise, a wrong move that deals only with PKK terrorism, could 
turn Turkey into a free-zone for terrorism." 
 
Ismail Kucukkaya writes in the tabloid Aksam:  "Even though the 
motion for a cross-border operation has been approved in the 
parliament, I still hope that we won't be forced to use it.  Now it 
is time to think and act calmly.  We should start by diagnosing the 
problem correctly.  Turkey's biggest problem has been not diagnosing 
problems correctly.  Sudden decisions, emotional reactions and 
measures based on conjuncture, do not help us to take the correct 
decision and find lasting solutions.  Terrorism is a security 
problem as well as a foreign policy issue.  The PKK issue is 
affecting our foreign policy and international relations and 
cornering us.  That is why I consider the motion, which is a radical 
decision and a step with many risks, as an opportunity to free our 
policies and change the paradigm.  At this point, we need a major 
and deep strategy to explain terrorism in the international arena 
calmly and clearly.  We should exhibit a new approach which will 
allow us to take effective steps in our foreign policy.  If Turkey 
 
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manages to settle in a correct position in the global system, and 
determines its international relations and foreign policy 
accordingly, then, PKK terrorism will lose its purpose." 
 
Syria's Bashar Supports Turkish Incursion into Iraq 
All papers report Syrian Head of State Bashar al-Assad, on a 
four-day visit to Turkey starting Tuesday, met with his Turkish 
counterpart Abdullah Gul in an official ceremony at Cankaya Palace 
Wednesday.  Assad stated Syria's support to Turkey's right to 
self-defense.  "President Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan assured me 
Turkey had no ulterior motives in attacking northern Iraq," Bashar 
told the press after meeting Gul.  Assad claimed the US-led 
coalition forces were mainly responsible for tackling the PKK in the 
region.  Bashar will meet Turkish business representatives in 
Istanbul on Thursday and leave Turkey on Friday. 
 
Turkish Incursion Fears Hurt Trade in Southeast Turkey 
Mainstream Sabah says about 40,000 Turkish troops backed by Cobra 
and Sikorsky helicopters continue security operations in the 
southeastern provinces of Sirnak, Hakkari and Siirt.  Several papers 
report people and businessmen fear the impact of the operations, 
saying oil trade with northern Iraq was halted.  Trade with northern 
Iraq diminished to USD 2.085 billion in 2006 from USD 8 billion in 
2005, says Sabah.  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports 
businessmen in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir say Turkish 
attacks will bring trade activities in the region to a standstill, 
and take business in the region "back to the 1990s." 
 
Paper: Iraq May Not Join Istanbul Summit 
Without citing sources, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet claims Iraqi 
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari will not participate in the expanded 
Iraq's neighbors' summit talks to be held in Istanbul soon unless 
Vice President Tarik al-Hashimi convinces Kurdish leader Massoud 
Barzani to take urgent measures against the PKK and cut support for 
the terrorist organization.  Secretary Rice might also cancel her 
participation in Istanbul talks in the face of such a development, 
Cumhuriyet reports, saying the diplomatic initiative launched by 
Turkey could be deadlocked. 
 
Armenian Resolution in US Congress Waning 
All papers report 11 US lawmakers have withdrawn support from the 
Armenian genocide resolution in Congress, which was approved last 
week by House Foreign Affairs Committee.  Papers say after receiving 
a call from President Bush, Speaker Pelosi said it was not certain 
that the resolution would come to the floor for a vote.  Mainstream 
Vatan says the Armenian lobby has been stunned by the developments. 
 
 
Turkish General Staff chief General Yasar Buyukanit, in Rome on an 
official visit, told the press that if the resolution should be 
adopted in the Congress, the Turkey-US military ties will "never be 
the same."  "But I hope it will not pass, and our ties with the US 
will be better," Buyukanit said.  Buyukanit, in response to a 
question, said he was "surprised" to see Tom Lantos vote in favor of 
the bill.  Papers also report President Bush as saying "Congress has 
more important work to do than antagonizing a democratic ally in the 
Muslim world, especially one that is providing vital support for our 
military every day." 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- High Election Board (YSK) said the referendum on the 
constitutional reforms will be put to vote on October 21.  The 
reforms foresee general elections to be held once in every four 
years instead of five, the president to be elected by popular vote, 
the presidential term to be lowered from the current seven years to 
five with a second term in office, and a quorum of one-third (184) 
 
ANKARA 00002579  003 OF 003 
 
 
of the total number of MPs (550) to be required to open a 
parliamentary debate. 
 
- Brent Scowcroft, Chairman of the American-Turkish Council (ATC), 
met yesterday 
Prime Minister Erdogan.  The two discussed Turkey-US ties. 
 
- Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir faces two lawsuits for describing 
the PKK as an "armed Kurdish opposition movement" and making PKK 
propaganda in London in December last year.  The prosecutor in 
Diyarbakir asks for a total 12.5-year prison sentence for Baydemir. 
 
 
International News 
 
- NATO secretary general Scheffer called President Gul to urge 
restraint over a possible Turkish military operation into Iraq. 
 
- Standard & Poor's said the parliamentary approval of incursions 
into Iraq will have no immediate impact on the ratings on Turkey. 
 
- IMF's "World Economic Outlook" report contains only one sentence 
about Turkey: In 2007 Turkish growth is expected to be 5 percent, 
and inflation 8.2 percent. 
WILSON