VZCZCXRO8129
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #2718/01 3091455
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051455Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4275
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8479
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3505
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 2441
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 6244
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 6050
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2642
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002718 
 
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 
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2007 
 
SECRETARY RICE VISIT SPECIAL EDITION 
 
SIPDIS 
 
All papers cover Secretary Rice's visit to Ankara in flashy front 
page stories along with commentaries attached.  Reports 
predominantly keep a positive tone highlighting the Secretary's 
emphasis on the US's commitment to fight against the PKK, but also 
add that Secretary Rice did not go beyond strong promises and 
nothing more than sharing intelligence.  Expectations for tangible 
results for action against the PKK have moved to the upcoming 
Erdogan-Bush meeting at the White House, papers report. 
 
Mainstream daily Milliyet says "Ankara has presented to Secretary 
Rice a plan to finish off the PKK.  The details of this 
comprehensive plan will be discussed at the White House.  Meanwhile 
Turkey once again reiterated to Rice that words are long gone and 
deeds are needed urgently."  Hurriyet mentions Secretary Rice's 
statement "PKK is also our enemy" and adds that "these words are 
good but not enough for concrete cooperation against PKK."  Sabah 
says during the meeting at the Prime Ministry a Turkish general was 
included in the delegation.  Therefore, Secretary Rice did the same 
by adding her military adviser to the American delegation. 
According to Sabah, Secretary Rice presented a plan to Turkey.  The 
plan aims at finishing the PKK: The initial stage is to cut off 
PKK's logistical support and provide intelligence, and during mid 
and long term wants to eliminate PKK without harming Iraq's 
stability.  Vatan maintains a negative tone and says that Secretary 
Rice "arrived Ankara empty-handed" and "passed the ball to the 
upcoming White House meeting." 
 
Liberal Radikal highlights that with the Secretary's visit, Ankara 
had the chance to express its expectations and remind her of the 
American obligation to fight against terrorism "in a bold manner." 
The paper does quote Rice's statement acknowledging the US's 
obligations concerning the PKK "We, also, have an obligation to 
counter the PKK and, absolutely, we want a solution." 
 
Islamist Yeni Safak raises expectations for the Bush-Erdogan meeting 
by reporting as "PM Erdogan told Rice, when she started talking 
about sharing intelligence, that Turkey has gone beyond that point 
and waits for steps not words." In addition, the paper reports that 
FM Babacan's question to Secretary Rice had a shocking effect when 
he stated "We've come to the end of your words.  What will you 
actually do?  We want effective steps."  In PM Erdogan's meetings, 
he affirmed "No more advice," while President Gul insisted "Turkey's 
patience has run out." Yeni Safak argues that "The Washington 
meeting will produce the final result."  Meanwhile Zaman reports 
that PM Erdogan has presented a comprehensive action plan to Rice 
which seeks to finish off the PKK.  However the paper adds no 
concrete result has been achieved on the plan which will be part of 
the discussions at the White House. 
 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet fronts "Once Again Words, No Deeds." 
According to the paper, Secretary Rice came to Ankara for checking 
the pulse prior to the upcoming PM Erdogan and President Bush 
meeting.  She once again asked for trilateral cooperation between 
the US, Turkey and Iraq instead of taking responsibility on fight 
with the PKK. Her proposals were just limited to the intelligence 
exchange.  Rice did not want Turkey to conduct any cross border 
operations into Northern Iraq.  The AKP government, despite its 
earlier statement opposing the suggestion of using trilateral 
mechanism, did not formulate any reaction to Rice as she came with 
exactly the same proposal for enhancing the trilateral mechanism. 
 
Editorial Commentary: 
 
In the mainstream daily Sabah, Erdal Safak writes:  "Secretary Rice 
reiterated well-known messages once again.  Even though Rice's 
remarks are not very satisfactory, it was clear that the parties had 
agreed on certain concrete steps and to keep these steps as a 
secret.  It is the general understanding that the main decision will 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ANKARA 00002718  002 OF 003 
 
 
be made after the Erdogan-Bush meeting on November 5.  However, we 
think that the US will take some action as a gesture to Turkey 
either before Erdogan-Bush meeting or immediately after the meeting. 
 For example, yesterday in Pakistan the US hit a Taliban target at 
Afghanistan-Pakistan border.  Could the US fire a rocket aimed at a 
PKK target identified by US intelligence in Northern Iraq? Why not? 
Anyhow, if the US does not take a concrete step soon, as General 
Ralston warned yesterday, it will be inevitable for Turkey to enter 
Northern Iraq." 
 
Mainstream daily Sabah's managing editor Ergun Babahan asserts: 
Rice came to Turkey to explain US sensitivities and to show that the 
US understands Turkey's sensitivities.  In international politics, 
there are no lasting friendships or the hostilities, only the 
relevant parties' interests.  Continuation of this process is very 
important for Turkey.  That is why the upcoming Erdogan-Bush meeting 
has great importance.  The United States' determined stance against 
the PKK and terrorism, along with its cooperation with Turkey, will 
have an immense effect in preventing a military operation into 
Northern Iraq.  Diplomacy is based on 'give and take' policies and 
what is important here is that both sides give and take equally. 
 
Mainstream daily Milliyet's Semih Idiz observes: During her visit to 
Ankara there were good remarks made by Secretary Rice which could be 
taken as a 'guarantee.'  However, after the recent bloody PKK 
attacks, mere words are no longer satisfying the Turkish public. 
The Erdogan government should advance with this fact in their mind. 
That is why all eyes turned to the Erdogan-Bush meeting to be held 
in Washington on Monday.  However, the results of Rice's meetings in 
Ankara indicate that it will be wrong to expect huge decisions from 
Monday's meeting at the White House.  Nevertheless, just like 
democracies, in diplomacy also, solutions never end.  That is why it 
will be useful to wait for the results of the meeting at the White 
House, even if there is caution and suspicion in this waiting 
period. 
 
In the leftist-nationalist daily Cumhuriyet, columnist Cuneyt 
Arcayurek blames the Turkish government for not acting 
independently: "Everyone knows there is no chance for the Turkish 
Government to begin a cross-border operation without permission from 
the US. Everyone knows that the so-called independent Turkey is 
dependent on the US.  While Turkey stays close to the US in its 
expressions of friendship and strategic partnership, Turkey also 
boasts that it's an independent state.  Meanwhile, the US tries to 
calm the AKP government, who feels pressured by the public anger, 
against terror.  Anyone watching these developments can ask: If your 
patience has really run out and you are determined to take your own 
steps, then why do you have to go to Washington to repeat the same 
information to Bush and receive the same response one more time?" 
 
Columnist Murat Yekin writes in the liberal daily Radikal: "It 
indicated a toughening of rhetoric for Turkey when its foreign 
minister reminded the US Secretary of State, in public, of the US 
responsibility concerning the PKK operations in Northern Iraq. 
Except for this, no surprises were seen during the visit.  Prime 
Minister Erdogan said Thursday the Rice visit would be a 
'preliminary gathering' before his upcoming November 5 meeting with 
President Bush.  Erdogan, through his provincial party heads, had 
already told the US Embassy in Ankara that Turkey's patience has run 
out [on the PKK issue] and he entered the meeting with Rice with no 
intention of being submissive.  To make the situation clear, he 
brought Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, international relations chief 
advisor Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, AKP representative Egemen Bagis, 
and his chief military advisor General Nusret Tasdelen, who is also 
the Turkish General Staff (TGS) Operations Chief.  The State 
Department's chief military advisor participated in the meeting 
together with Assistant Secretary Dan Fried.  This is an indication 
that Bush may include a four star general in the November 5 meeting 
at the White House.  This is a point not to be missed, because as of 
yesterday, talks between the US and Turkey regarding the PKK 
 
ANKARA 00002718  003 OF 003 
 
 
presence in Iraq has gained a military dimension, suggesting the US 
has consented to discuss the military aspects of the matter. 
According to sources, US General Benjamin Mixon's remarks, i.e. that 
he has received no instruction to combat the PKK, played a role in 
the issue reaching this point.  This newly-added military dimension 
must be seen as the only sign of hope that the Bush-Erdogan meeting 
will produce a tangible result.  If not, the Americans seem to have 
understood that Turks, who have shown through the example of Cyprus, 
that they will cut their nose off to spite their face, and they will 
attempt to do more on the PKK issue." 
 
Abdulhamit Bilici, in the Islamist-oriented Zaman, does not speak 
directly of Rice's visit, but argues that Turkey should, in essence, 
follow Rice's suggestions to engage with Iraq by talking to Barzani. 
 In today's column, "Why Does Turkey Not Talk to Barzani?" he 
asserts that Turkey should engage with Barzani.  "It's not true that 
Turkey does not speak to the Kurdish leaders in Iraq, because both 
Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Babacan meet with their 
Iraqi counterparts at all international meetings in which Iraq and 
Turkey participate.  There's no sense in the fact that Iraqi 
President Talabani has not yet come to Turkey.  It was a significant 
inconsistency of Turkey to exclude Talabani, while at the same time 
insisting that Iraqi Kurds should not break away from the Iraqi 
central administration.  Diplomatic sources say that if he distances 
himself from terror, Massoud Barzani can visit Turkey as the leader 
of the KDP, and that Turkish leaders will meet with him. Barzani 
should think about the effects of his own statements [concerning the 
PKK] before he criticizes Turkey for not talking to him. 
 
WILSON