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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000012 
 
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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, JANUARY 3, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Forensic Tests Conclude Ogun Samast Was 19 When He Killed Hrant Dink 
 
All papers report the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institution said a 
bone density test proved that Ogun Samast was 19 years old when he 
killed the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.  Now, the court 
will decide whether to consider the population registry records or 
the bone density test as the best proof of age.  If the court 
determines Samast was not a minor when he committed the murder, he 
could be sentenced to life in prison.  If the court determines 
Samast was a minor when he committed the murder, he could be 
sentenced to a maximum of 17 years in prison. 
 
Bush-Gul to Meet at White House January 8th 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak 
and others report 
President Bush will receive President Abdullah Gul at the White 
House on January 8th. After the meeting, Bush will embark on a tour 
of the Middle East.  In his first visit to Washington as President, 
Gul is expected to discuss the situations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and 
Lebanon, as well as Turkish operations in northern Iraq.  Mainstream 
Vatan says that on January 8th, Gul will have breakfast with 
Secretary Rice and mainstream Hurriyet says Gul will meet Vice 
 
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President Dick Cheney before meeting Bush.  Bush and Gul will have 
lunch together after the meeting. 
 
Syria Wants More Water from Turkey 
All papers report a Syrian delegation headed by Deputy Prime 
Minister Abdallah al-Dardari is engaging in talks in Ankara.  In a 
meeting Wednesday, Dardari reportedly asked Turkey to release more 
water from the Euphrates River for Syrian use.  Environment Minister 
Veysel Eroglu responded by saying Turkey is acting in compliance 
with the bilateral agreement, where 500 cubic meters of water is 
released per second.  "Turkey is currently suffering from drought. 
If we have abundant rainfall, more water could be released for 
Syria," Eroglu said.  The Syrian delegation also met with Turkish 
businessmen in Ankara yesterday; during the meeting, Dardari asked 
the Turkish Union of Chambers (TOBB) to organize an industrial zone 
on a 2500 hectare field in Syria. 
 
Cicek: "Overhauling Turkey's Constitution Is As Hard As Moving Mt. 
Ararat" 
Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek told mainstream Sabah overhauling 
Turkey's constitution is like "moving Mount Ararat," but he pledged 
that the task will be done. 
Cicek said the AKP government has not examined the draft 
constitution yet, but called the process a "victory for democracy." 
Cicek rejected allegations that the AKP has "hidden intensions" 
regarding constitutional reform.  "The draft has been prepared by 
the AKP, but the constitution is not designed to serve the interests 
of AKP.  Charges that the new constitution will undermine the regime 
are ungrounded," said Cicek.  He noted the "irrevocable" provisions 
of the constitution will be preserved. 
 
Islamist-oriented Zaman writes Turkey's new draft "civilian" 
constitution will limit presidential powers to appoint officials, 
allow affirmative action for women and allow the use of Kurdish and 
other languages in courts.  The draft introduces a new definition of 
"Turkishness." The existing constitution says all citizens of the 
Turkish state are Turks, whereas the new draft says "all citizens of 
the Turkish state are Turks regardless of their race and religion." 
According to the new draft constitution, a political party can be 
banned only if it fails to arrange its regulations and programs 
within the constitutional provisions.  If a party is banned, the 
members of the disbanded party will not lose their parliamentary 
membership.  The Higher Education Board (YOK) will be abolished and 
replaced by the "Higher Education Coordination Board" (YOKK), which 
is to have financial and administrative autonomy.  The draft 
contains no changes regarding the status of the National Security 
 
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Council (MGK).  Prime Minister Erdogan will make the final decisions 
regarding controversial issues such as the headscarf ban, the trial 
of the chief of the military General Staff, and presidential 
appointments.  The draft will be opened for public debate and will 
be submitted to parliament in the spring.  The ruling AKP plans to 
hold a referendum on the constitution in the fall. 
 
Editorial Commentary on New Constitution 
Ergun Babahan commented in mainstream Sabah (1/3):  "During his 
interview with Cumhuriyet, CHP leader Baykal announced 2008 as a 
year of constitutional crisis for Turkey.  Deputy PM Cemil Cicek 
talked to Sabah and explained the difficulties of amending a 
constitution.   Cicek is right to say that "changing the 
constitution is as hard as moving a mountain."  The current 
constitution is a product of a revolution which only considered the 
state as a sole power.  There are political circles that do not want 
to lose their constitutional powers; these same circles are also 
against reforms which will carry Turkey toward EU accession. 
Despite this resistance, Turkey is changing.  This constitution has 
unchangeable provisions, including secularism, a unitary state 
system, and designation of Turkish as the official language.  But 
obviously, the rest of the provisions can be amended.  For this 
reason, it would be more appropriate to consider 2008 as a year of 
constitutional opportunities rather than a year of constitutional 
crisis." 
 
Legal Actions against DTP MPs 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others 
report the Ankara prosecutor has asked parliament to lift the 
immunity of DTP deputy Ahmet Turk for "insulting the military." The 
prosecutor sent the warrant to the Justice Ministry, from where it 
will be submitted to parliament.  Ahmet Turk criticized the 
exclusion of DTP lawmakers from an August 30th Turkish General Staff 
(TGS) reception. 
 
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Besir Atalay said there is evidence 
suggesting DTP MP Pervin Buldan's car was used for drug smuggling. 
Buldan rejected the charge, saying she is the target of a defamation 
campaign. 
 
Meanwhile, police searched the pro-Kurdish DTP office in the 
southeastern city of Gaziantep and arrested provincial deputy leader 
Mehmet Aslanoglu for making PKK propaganda. 
 
Turkey to Issue Annual Human Rights Report 
Mainstream Milliyet reports the Prime Ministry Human Rights Board 
will release annual reports regarding human rights in Turkey.  The 
Board's Chairman, Professor Hasan Fendoglu, said they were drawing a 
"map of human rights violations across Turkey." Statistical data and 
commentary on human rights violations would be compiled for all 
provinces in the country.  Fendoglu said, "Our reports will contain 
data, comments and suggestions for solutions," concerning human 
rights issues. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- On January 24, Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff (TGS) 
Ergin Saygun will go to the US for meetings with key Pentagon 
officials and the high-level defense group. 
 
- Prosecutors unexpectedly demanded a 25-year prison sentence for a 
police officer who fired at a young motorist in Izmir in November. 
 
- The Turkish General Staff (TGS) website said Wednesday two PKK 
militants were captured in Silopi while they tried to cross the 
border into Turkey. 
 
 
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- Turkey's annual exports for 2007 amount to USD 105.9 million, 
which is 23.49 % above the figure for the previous year.  However, 
exporters are concerned about rising electricity and natural gas 
prices. 
 
International News 
 
- Despite opposition from the Iraqi Central Government in Baghdad, 
Iraq's Kurdish regional administration signed a USD 800 million deal 
with Canadian firms to build three oil refineries. 
 
- Results from the Iowa caucuses will be announced Thursday night. 
 
 
- Following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan has 
decided to postpone the January 8th elections until February 18th. 
 
- The US Embassy, Israeli Embassy, and the British High Commission 
were evacuated in Canberra, Australia after mysterious packages were 
found. 
 
WILSON