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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002839 
 
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, NOVEMBER 27, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Papers: Annapolis' Actual Target is Iran 
All media outlets report the Middle East peace conference in 
Annapolis begins Tuesday.  Hurriyet, Milliyet and Radikal, and Vatan 
write that significant results are not expected to emerge from the 
meeting, while the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak and the 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet claim the meeting's actual agenda is 
to discuss Iran.  Under the headline "Annapolis Summit: Mission 
Impossible," the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says "although 
President Bush voiced hope after meeting with Olmert and Abbas, the 
non-involvement of Iran and Hamas in the summit has crippled the 
chances for a settlement."  Mainstream Hurriyet calls Secretary Rice 
the "architect" of the meeting where, for the first time, the Saudis 
and Israelis will sit at the negotiating table. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Annapolis Conference 
Akif Emre commented in the Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak (11/27): 
"At this point, sitting at the same table with Palestinians will 
benefit Israel and improve the US' position in the region.  Israeli 
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni reportedly said that it is good for 
Arab countries to participate in the Annapolis summit, but they 
should not intervene with bilateral meetings between Israel and 
Palestine.   Even these remarks prove that Israel is trying to make 
an agreement under their own conditions. In other words, the 
Annapolis summit is an initiative to gain time for a peace that will 
never be established.  It should not be interpreted as pessimism 
when Hamas claims that Annapolis will bring winds of war rather than 
winds of peace.  Initially, Syria's attendance increased hopes for 
peace, but now it appears the US is attempting to break the 
strategic alliance of Iran and Syria, meaning it wants to render 
Iran ineffective in the region.  Under these conditions, it is 
necessary to see that this meeting is America's way of taking one 
more step toward an attack on Iran.  Did Turkey calculate this 
possibility when working for Syria's inclusion in the meeting?" 
 
Hasan Cemal wrote in the mainstream Milliyet (11/27):  "There are no 
high hopes for the outcome of the Annapolis summit.  What is 
important is to jumpstart the negotiations toward the two state 
solution.  Going any further than that would be risky.  Both the 
Israeli and Palestinian leaders are weak, however, they know the 
situation in the region will deteriorate if they don't do something. 
 And both countries' leaders support the start of the peace process. 
 If unsuccessful results come out of this process, it will cause 
turmoil and unsteadiness in the region.  Such results will have a 
negative impact on Turkey as well." 
 
US Troops and Peshmerge Cooperate against the PKK 
Mainstream Milliyet reports the Kurdish administration in northern 
Iraq has taken measures to restrict the PKK movements in the region. 
 The number of US troops in northern Iraq has been increased as part 
of efforts to clamp down on the PKK militants' movements in 
coordination with the Kurdish Peshmerge and thus avert a Turkish 
cross-border incursion. 
 
Meanwhile, mainstream Sabah reports Osman Ocalan, the brother of the 
PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan, told the London-based 
Arabic daily al-Sharq al-Awsat that there are only 500 PKK fighters 
in the Kandil Mountains.  He stated that most of the PKK are in Iran 
with PJAK (Free Life in Kurdistan Party), which is fighting against 
the Tehran administration. 
 
Investigation Launched into DTP Diyarbakir Rally 
All papers report the launch of an investigation into the weekend's 
DTP rally in Diyarbakir, during which several people were detained 
during clashes with riot police.  Addressing the crowd carrying the 
posters of Abdullah Ocalan, DTP deputy chairwoman Emine Ayna 
apparently referred to Ocalan by using "Sayin" which means 
"esteemed" in Turkish. 
 
 
ANKARA 00002839  002 OF 002 
 
 
In related news, Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that 26 suspected 
PKK members were apprehended in Diyarbakir in recent days.  Today 
marks the 29th anniversary of the founding of the PKK. 
 
Meanwhile, liberal Radikal, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet and 
others report the DTP mayor of Tunceli Songul Erol Abdil called 
Zeynep Kinaci a "leading freedom fighter."  The comment came during 
a rally protesting violence against women. Zeynep Kinaci was a PKK 
militant who carried out a suicide bomb attack in the Tunceli 
in1996. 
 
TV News: 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The first hearing in the trial of Cengiz Yildiz, the police 
officer accused of killing Nigerian citizen Festus Okey in downtown 
Istanbul in September of this year, began Monday.  The prosecutor 
has asked for up to 25 years in prison for Yildiz. 
 
- The Interior Ministry dispatched inspectors to probe Sunday's 
incident in Izmir in which policemen opened fire at a jeep which did 
not stop at a checkpoint, killing the 20-year old driver, Baran 
Tursun.  In the last two years, 34 people have died in police 
shooting incidents across Turkey. 
 
- At the invitation of President Musharraf, President Abdullah Gul 
will visit Pakistan December 2-3 in order to intermediate between 
the government and opposition for "peace and democracy." 
 
- The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will hear the case filed 
by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul against Turkey's 
foundations directorate in connection with the control of an 
orphanage on Buyukada Island. 
 
International News 
 
- Israeli right-wing activists have launched the "One Jerusalem" 
campaign, demanding Prime Minister Olmert not make concessions on 
the "Holy City" at this week's Annapolis peace conference in the US. 
 
 
- The head of the Kurdish regional government, Nechirvan Barzani, 
told reporters in Erbil that Kurds made no deal with Turkey or the 
US for fighting against the PKK. 
 
- At least 25 police officers were injured when gangs of youths 
rioted in several Paris suburbs after two teenagers were killed when 
their motorcycle was struck by a police car. 
 
- Russia's upper house of parliament said on Monday the presidential 
elections would be held March 2, 2008. 
WILSON