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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000146 
 
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, JANUARY 24, 2008 
 
ANKARA 00000146  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Greece's Karamanlis Pays Historic Visit to Turkey 
All papers report Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis visited 
Ankara for the first official visit to Turkey by a Greek leader in 
49 years.  On Wednesday, Prime Minister Erdogan and Prime Minister 
Karamanlis held a joint press conference after their meeting.  In 
response to a question concerning the Aegean continental shelf, 
Karamanlis said Greece has declared its readiness to go to the 
International Court at The Hague, and that a solution would help 
improve the ties between Turkey and Greece.  When asked about 
Cyprus, Karamanlis said reunification was essential, "We are ready 
to provide all help in the efforts to find a solution."  Erdogan 
said talks for reunification should begin after the general 
elections in south Cyprus, stressing he expected Karamanlis to 
support the negotiations.  When asked about the Greek Orthodox 
Patriarchate in Istanbul, Karamanlis said if the Ecumenical 
Patriarchate was seated in Turkey, it would be a "European passport" 
for Turkey.  He also asked for the reopening of Halki Seminary in 
Istanbul.  Erdogan said the characterization 'Ecumenical' was of 
internal interest to the Christian Orthodox world, adding Ankara was 
evaluating the issue of the Seminary and would make a decision. 
Karamanlis was hopeful it would not take another 49 years for future 
official Greek visits to Turkey. 
 
Papers say consensus was reached between Karamanlis and Erdogan 
regarding non-Muslim minority problems and the cooperation against 
terror.  "Old demands are still on the table," says Milliyet, 
underlining that Karamanlis did not concede on Greek policies 
concerning the rights of Greek Orthodox minorities in Turkey and the 
territorial disputes in the Aegean.  Several papers say Turkey and 
Greece turned a new page in relations, and that there was a "climate 
of friendship" at the "historic" meeting between the two prime 
ministers. 
 
On Thursday, Karamanlis is to meet with the main opposition CHP 
leader Deniz Baykal.  Afterwards, the Greek PM will be received by 
President Abdullah Gul and will address a conference at Bilkent 
University before he moves on to Istanbul later in the day. 
 
'Ergenekon' Operation against Deep-State Affiliated Gang Continues 
All papers report on Thursday, two more suspects were detained in 
the southeastern city of Diyarbakir for being members of an illegal 
underground nationalist gang known as "Ergenekon." The group was 
plotting to assassinate Kurdish politicians as well as Turkey's 
Nobel Prize winning novelist Orhan Pamuk.  Papers say the 
"Ergenekon" network was behind the 2007 killing of Turkish-Armenian 
journalist Hrant Dink, the murder of an Italian Catholic priest in 
2006, the killing of a high justice in an attack on Turkey's top 
administrative court Danistay in 2006, and the bomb attacks on the 
nationalist-left-leaning Cumhuriyet daily.  Among the detainees is 
lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz, who filed court cases against Hrant Dink and 
Orhan Pamuk under article 301 of the Turkish penal code, which makes 
it a crime to insult "Turkishness."  Fuat Turgut, the lawyer 
representing Dink murder suspect Yasin Hayal, was also detained. 
Earlier this week, police arrested 33 people, including retired 
military officers, lawyers and journalists in an operation against 
the group.  The group has been linked to the shadowy 'deep state,' 
code for nationalists in the police, gendarme, and state 
bureaucracy.  Eight months ago, police seized 27 grenades and TNT 
blocks during an operation in Umraniye, a shanty town in Istanbul. 
Papers speculate retired general Veli Kucuk is a key leader in the 
organization.  The suspects are expected to be brought to court 
today or tomorrow, according to papers. 
 
Papers opine the suspects tried to create a "climate for a coup" in 
2008 by carrying out assassinations.  The group also wanted to prove 
they had powerful backers in the military and bureaucracy that 
deeply distrust the ruling AKP government.  Several columnists in 
today's papers warn that it is now up to the judiciary to penalize 
 
ANKARA 00000146  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
the gang members and put an end to the group. 
 
AKP Proposes a Constitutional Amendment to MHP 
Sabah, Milliyet, Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Zaman and others: 
Papers report that the negotiations between the AKP and MHP 
regarding the turban issue began yesterday.  The ruling AKP proposed 
amendments to constitutional articles 10, 13 and 42 in order to find 
a solution to the turban issue.  Article 10 is about equality before 
law; Article 13 is about basic rights and freedoms and Article 42 is 
about the right to education.  Liberal Radikal reports that PM 
Erdogan is impatient regarding the headscarf issue and does not want 
to wait for a new constitution.  Mainstream Sabah reports that MHP 
approaches the proposal cautiously. 
 
Meanwhile, responding questions of CNN Turk, the main opposition 
party CHP leader Deniz Baykal said "beneath the turban debates, 
there is a search for a new regime.  It seems that the ruling party 
is bored with secularism.  I feel the creation of a 'religious 
state' is approaching." 
 
Cartoon Crisis 
Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Vatan and others report that Sisli 
Chief Public Prosecutor in Istanbul opened an investigation against 
Cumhuriyet cartoonists Musa Kart and Zafer Temocin on charges of 
insulting President Gul with their cartoons.  If a court case is 
allowed to proceed, both cartoonists will be tried and could face up 
to four years in prison. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Sudan's al-Bashir Visit to Turkey 
Soli Ozel commented in mainstream Sabah (1/24):  "Foreign policy is 
a serious thing and cannot be run by fantasies.  Once fantasy 
prevails over reality, there is a heavy price to pay.  The visit of 
Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir to Turkey is a shameful scandal. 
Whoever is responsible for this policy decision has harmed Turkey's 
foreign policy and its image abroad.  This cannot be justified as 
creating business opportunities with Sudan.  A bloody dictator was 
welcomed to Turkey's Presidency. President Gul, for the sake of 
Sudan, preferred to take a mild tone in describing the Darfur 
massacre as a 'human drama.'  There is an argument that Turkey must 
talk with everybody and make useful suggestions.  But Turkey has not 
been able to change anybody's attitude so far.  The leader of Hamas 
was welcomed in Turkey, but Hamas did not change any of its hard 
lined policies after the visit.  Hamas did not release Israeli 
soldiers just because Turkey can talk to both Hamas and Syria.  The 
benchmark for success in foreign policy is measured through national 
interests and not through fantasies." 
 
Semih Idiz commented in mainstream Milliyet (1/24):  "The president 
of Sudan came to Turkey as an official guest of the Turkish 
President.  Normally, Omer al-Bashir should be welcomed with 
protests.  Instead, he received a warm welcome, which helped his 
notorious regime gain morale.  As a result of this warm welcome, 
Turkey will suffer from a loss of credibility.  If this was a 
necessary visit, we should have seen a stronger message from 
president Gul concerning Darfur.  He could have suggested that, 
unless Islamic nations address the Darfur crisis, the Western world 
will intervene.  In other words, al-Bashir should have left Turkey 
with a frown instead of a smile.  On the contrary, he was provided 
with the best possible treatment and was sent back with a smile on 
his face.  There must be something else behind the reason for this 
visit: perhaps it was due to Islamic or Sunni solidarity." 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- One police officer and two militants were killed in fighting 
during security operations on suspected al-Qaeda houses in the 
southeastern city of Gaziantep. 
 
ANKARA 00000146  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
- Turkish markets tumble again -- both the USD and Euro gained 
against the Turkish Lira in Wednesday's trading in Istanbul stock 
exchange. 
 
- Turkish authorities are trying to contain an outbreak of avian 
influenza reported in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak earlier 
this week.  It has yet to be determined if the bird flu is the 
deadly H5N1 strain of the virus or a less dangerous strain. 
 
 
International News 
 
- Abdullah Demirtas, the Kurdish Mayor of Sur Municipality in 
Diyarbakir who was removed from office last year by the top 
administrative court Danistay, has applied to the European Court of 
Human Rights (ECHR) to reverse the Danistay decision. 
 
- Turkish General Staff (TGS) chief General Yasar Buyukanit met with 
the British Defense Secretary Des Browne. 
 
- The Albanian Head of State, Bamir Topi, told the Council of Europe 
Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) that he wants an independent and 
democratic Kosovo integrated into Europe. 
 
WILSON