VZCZCXRO0326
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #3039/01 3611525
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271525Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4770
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8575
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3677
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 2556
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 6324
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 6147
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2726
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFISS/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU
RHMFISS/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003039 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2007 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey Bombs More PKK Targets 
All papers report on the statement from the Turkish General Staff 
(TGS), which confirms that Turkish warplanes bombed PKK targets in 
northern Iraq on Wednesday.  According to the statement, Turkish 
military fighter jets successfully hit PKK targets during the early 
morning on December 26."  Turkish fighter jets destroyed eight caves 
and shelters where PKK members were planning to spend the winter. 
The TGS said the successful operations demonstrate the Turkish 
military's ability to operate during heavy winter conditions. 
Papers report the Peshmerge security forces spokesman said the 
strike lasted about half an hour in a mountainous border region of 
Dahuk province.  The spokesperson also said there were no casualties 
because the area had been evacuated. 
 
In an additional statement, the TGS reported that inside Turkey, six 
PKK terrorists were killed during clashes with security forces in 
the Kupeli Mountains in Sirnak province. 
 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports White House Spokesman Scott 
Stanzel told a news briefing the US was "helping Turkey and Iraq 
counter a destabilizing force."  Stanzel added, "we've made it clear 
to the Turkish government that anything that could lead to escalated 
concerns, or civilian casualties, causes us concern.  The Iraqis 
don't want terrorists in their country and the PKK is a 
destabilizing force in the northern part of Iraq, so we continue to 
work collaboratively with Iraq and Turkey on these issues." 
 
Erdogan and Gul on Turkish Attacks on Northern Iraq 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan responded harshly to 
charges that Turkey may have made concessions in exchange for US 
support in cross-border operations against the PKK in northern Iraq. 
 "The Turkish Prime Minister is not such a dishonorable person who 
makes concessions in exchange for support," Erdogan told Kanal 7, a 
private television channel.  He continued, "the Turkish military did 
what was required to combat terrorism within the scope of 
intelligence-sharing with the US."  The PM stressed that 
cross-border operations would continue. 
 
"Everything is right on track; Turkey and the US are pleased with 
the intelligence sharing cooperation," President Abdullah Gul told 
the press yesterday.  He added, "This is the way it should be; we 
could have come to this point earlier."  In response to a question 
about Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Gul said there was no obstacle 
to officially inviting Iraq's President to Ankara.  "Talabani is an 
elected president of a neighboring country.  He can come here, and 
we can go there."  Meanwhile, papers report Talabani said on 
Wednesday that he would "accept with pleasure" an invitation from 
Turkey. 
 
DTP to Campaign Against Turkish Operations into Northern Iraq 
All papers report that on Wednesday, the DTP (Turkey's mainly 
Kurdish party) adopted a plan for demonstrating against Turkish 
cross-border operations into northern Iraq.  In a statement released 
after the party meeting, the DTP criticized the state for abandoning 
democratic efforts and political formulas.  It said the PKK was a 
"political organization" which aims to resolve the Kurdish problem. 
The statement emphasized that families with children in the 
mountains were especially worried about Turkish operations.  DTP is 
expected to stage mass protests against the Turkish attacks, 
including a march from the southeast region to Ankara, according to 
papers. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey's Kurdish Problem 
Mahmut Ovur commented in the mainstream Sabah (12/27):  "Turkey is 
going through an historic social and political process as it seeks 
to solve the Kurdish problem.  As a senior politician says, "the 
Kurdish problem is a very complicated problem and common sense is 
required in the resolution of the issue."  The resolution of this 
 
ANKARA 00003039  002 OF 003 
 
 
problem will affect Turkey, the region, and the world.  There is no 
single magical formula.  The most important thing is to be able to 
discuss the issue freely.  The best solution is to expand democracy 
and strengthen local administrations.  We must do this." 
 
PKK May Increase Attacks in Cities 
All papers report that 48 vehicles have been torched in Istanbul 
over the last 18 days.  The Istanbul Governor said security forces 
are studying camera recordings of Molotov cocktail attacks on cars 
and have identified potential suspects.  Papers report similar 
incidents were seen in Adana and Hakkari.  Leftist-nationalist 
Cumhuriyet claims the PKK-affiliated Kurdish Freedom Falcons (TAK) 
is behind the arson attacks.  Analysts expect the PKK to shift to 
attacks in urban areas in the coming days in order to retaliate 
against Turkish military operations in northern Iraq. 
 
Kirkuk Referendum Postponed 
Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and Yeni Safak report the 
parliament of the Kurdish regional administration on Wednesday 
approved a six-month delay to the referendum on the fate of the 
oil-rich city of Kirkuk.  The referendum was due to take place by 
December 31, 2007 under Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Kosovo 
Sami Kohen observed in mainstream Milliyet (12/27):  "The Kosovo 
issue has reached a critical point.  No consensus was reached during 
the UN Security Council meetings, Serbia is intensifying its 
campaign to prevent Kosovo's independence, and Kosovo's newly 
elected government is prepared to unilaterally declare independence. 
 The leaders in Kosovo may wait a little while for the UN to make a 
decision, but , if no decision is reached by March or April, they 
will declare independence unilaterally.  If this happens, more 
serious problems will develop.  For historic, cultural, and 
political reasons, Turkey is closely interested in Kosovo and 
supports its independence.  Turkey wants Kosovo's status to be 
resolved by the UN Security Council, but there is no agreement among 
the council members.  If Kosovo declares independency unilaterally, 
Turkey should follow other countries' actions closely before 
determining its own stance.  There are many reasons for Turkey to be 
cautious.  The contradiction between the principles of 'sovereignty' 
and 'self-determination' can cause problems for Turkey. 
Implementing these principles differ from country to country. 
Kosovo's independence could establish a precedent on which both 
Turkish Cypriots and Iraqi Kurds could use to formulate arguments 
for their own independence.  Thus, Turkey must act carefully on the 
issue." 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- A 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit Bala in Ankara province around 1:30 
a.m. on Thursday.  There were no initial reports of serious damage 
or casualties. 
 
- New Year's Eve celebrations in Istanbul's Taksim Square have been 
cancelled.  The cancellation comes as an effort to show respect to 
Turkish soldiers killed in operations against the PKK. 
 
- A military hospital in Ankara found Nurettin Demirtas, the 
detained leader of the pro-Kurdish DTP, to be healthy and unable to 
prove that he once had tuberculosis.  Demirtas is accused of 
claiming he had tuberculosis in order to avoid his obligatory 
national military service. 
 
- Turkey has 13 million people living below the poverty line and 
600,000 living under the hunger line, according to Turkey Statistics 
Institute figures. 
 
 
ANKARA 00003039  003 OF 003 
 
 
International News 
 
- Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani and Iraqi President Jalal 
Talabani met yesterday with US Ambassador Crocker and expressed 
their anxieties about Turkish military operations in northern Iraq. 
Crocker promised to convey the leaders' concerns to Turkey. 
 
- Turkey has officially protested to Greece about Greek boats 
violating Turkish territorial waters. 
 
- Georgia's pro-opposition television channel Imedi suspended 
broadcasts Wednesday because of the "extremely tense political 
situation" ahead of the January 5th presidential election. 
 
WILSON