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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000212 
 
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, FEBRUARY 6, 2008 
 
ANKARA 00000212  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkish Parliament to Debate Turban Reforms 
All papers report that on Wednesday, the parliament will discuss the 
AKP-MHP proposal for lifting headscarf restrictions in universities. 
 Prime Minister Erdogan pledged in his ruling AKP group meeting 
yesterday to uphold secularism.  "The new regulation will strengthen 
secularism.  What we are trying to do is totally about the right to 
a university education," said Erdogan.  Responding to criticism 
against the opposition MHP for helping the ruling AKP in the turban 
controversy, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli said his party was the 
'strongest link' between 'Anittepe and Kocatepe,' referring to two 
important landmarks in Ankara: Ataturk's mausoleum and the capital's 
largest mosque, symbols of secularism and Islam.  Opposition CHP 
leader Deniz Baykal in remarks at an event marking the 71st 
anniversary of the introduction of secularism into a Turkish 
constitution, claimed preparations for a severe blow to secularism 
were underway.  The issue under discussion in the country is not a 
headscarf ban, but secularism, according to Baykal.  "Erdogan says 
'entrust secularism to us.'  I'd rather entrust liver to a cat than 
secularism to you," Baykal said to his party's members.  The CHP 
leader noted the turban was not a requirement of Islam.  President 
Abdullah Gul, in Qatar on a state visit, told Turkish reporters the 
secular character of Turkey is an irrevocable quality which is one 
of the founding principles of modern Turkey.  "We should not make 
some issues so tough.  Opinions are expressed, everything is 
discussed and democratic systems operate as they should," Gul 
emphasized. 
 
Liberal Radikal writes on page one that 71 years after the inclusion 
of the principle of secularism in the Turkish Constitution, the 
country is still debating the same issue. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turban 
Ismet Berkan wrote in liberal Radikal (2/6):  "The Constitutional 
Court might reject the amendments that liberate the headscarf in the 
universities.  In that case, all eyes will turn to PM Erdogan and 
MHP leader Bahceli.  If both leaders accept this decision and say 
'although we think this ruling is against democracy, we still have 
to abide by it,' then the crisis will not deepen.  But if the both 
leaders object to this decision and try to amend the relevant 
article of the constitution, then a regime crisis will start in 
Turkey.  In that case, no one can guess when and how this crisis 
will end and, despite being ruled by a single party, Turkey will 
become a country searching for political stability.  I personally 
consider the possible annulment of the amendments by the 
Constitutional Court  a serious issue, and that is why I believe 
that a constitutional crisis is inevitable.  Only the MHP and AKP 
leaders can avoid deepening this crisis." 
 
Germany Investigates Fire Killing 9 Turks 
All papers report Turkish officials will fly to Germany to help 
police investigate the cause of a fire which killed nine Turks, 
including five children, in a housing block largely inhabited by 
Turks.  The blaze took place during carnival celebrations in the 
western city of Ludwigshafen.  The cause of Sunday's blaze in an 
apartment block is unclear but the tragedy raised of a targeted 
attack by racist groups.  Prime Minister Erdogan, who is to visit 
Germany later this week, said a delegation headed by State Minister 
Mustafa Said Yazicioglu and four security officials would travel to 
Germany to hold talks about the fire.  He noted Turkey did not want 
a repeat of the firebomb attack by German 'skinheads' on a house in 
Solingen where five Turks were killed in 1993.  Erdogan said he 
hoped to visit the site of the tragedy on Thursday.  Erdogan will 
meet Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday.  Meanwhile, papers report 
16 people were hurt in a fire in another building inhabited by Turks 
in Ludwigshafen. 
 
Kurdish DTP Protests in Sirnak Turkish Raids on Northern Iraq 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Taraf, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, and Zaman 
 
ANKARA 00000212  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
report thousands of pro-Kurdish DTP supporters from several 
provinces gathered in Diyarbakir and later went to the border 
province of Sirnak to protest Turkish cross-border attacks into 
northern Iraq.  More than 3,000 demonstrators, including DTP 
lawmakers and mayors, spent the night in tents in an area between 
Cudi and Gabar mountains.  They are expected to release a statement 
today. 
 
Saygun Thanks Americans for Sharing Intelligence against PKK 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, and Zaman report General Ergin 
Saygun, deputy chief of the Turkish General Staff (TGS), met Tuesday 
with General James Cartwright, the vice chairman of the US Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, in Washington.  Saygun has been in the US since 
January 31 and has visited military bases and facilities.  Saygun 
also chaired the Turkish delegation in the Turkey-US High-Level 
Defense Group (HLDG) talks in Washington. 
 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports from Washington that an unidentified 
American source said General Saygun thanked American officials for 
sharing intelligence with Turkey against the PKK.  "The Turkish 
side, for the first time in recent years, has not complained at 
all," the source said.  Other sources said in order to back Turkey, 
some intelligence gathering equipment for intelligence gathering 
needed to be shifted to the region from places like Afghanistan. 
"We will continue supporting the Turkish military.  Turkish air 
operations have dealt heavy blows to the PKK; we know the 
organization is puzzled and damaged," sources said.  They also said 
for the first time since 2003, the bilateral HLDG meetings had 'a 
future perspective.'  "All is happy with the operations which have 
restricted the PKK's maneuverability.  More importantly, Turkish 
soldiers now have the means to move freely in northern Iraq.  The 
Turkish military's view of the US is changing," sources told 
Hurriyet. 
 
Turkey to Host 'African Summit' in August 
Mainstream Milliyet reports Turkey is to host an 'African Summit' in 
August to which 53 African leaders will be invited.  Turkey, eyeing 
a seat in the UN Security Council, aims to secure the support of 
African countries at the October 2008 UN vote.  Libyan leader 
Muammar Gaddafi, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, and Sudan's 
President Omar al-Bashir would be among the invitees.  Turkish 
Foreign Ministry (MFA) sources said Mugabe, a controversial figure, 
was invited to join a recent EU-Africa summit in Portugal, and that 
the Turkish invitation should pose no problem. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Kosovo 
Kamuran Ozbir commented in nationalist Ortadogu (2/6):  "By electing 
pro-western candidate Boris Tadic as president, the Serbian people 
gave a message to the world that their goal is the EU membership. 
Tadic, just like his rival Nikolic, is not supporting Kosovo's 
independence but he still believes that Serbia's priority should be 
EU membership.  Prior to the Serbian elections, Reuters News Agency 
claimed that, if Nikolic was elected, Kosovo would declare 
independence immediately this weekend, but in case of Tadic's 
presidency, Kosovo would abide by EU demands and wait for a few 
weeks.  The US has already stressed support for Kosovo's 
independence while Russia, together with Serbia, claims that an 
independent Kosovo will change balances in the world. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The pro-Kurdish DTP leader, Nurettin Demirtas, is to appear before 
the court Wednesday for forging medical reports to avoid military 
service, which is compulsory in Turkey. 
 
- Osman Baydemir, the mayor of Diyarbakir, has been acquitted in a 
lawsuit for distributing in 2006 invitations for a culture festival 
 
ANKARA 00000212  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
in several languages, including Kurdish. 
 
- Two PKK terrorists have surrendered to Turkish security forces in 
Silopi in the southeastern border province of Sirnak on Tuesday. 
 
- An OECD report says two-thirds of Turkish girls between the ages 
of 25-29 stay at home instead of working or going to school. 
 
International News 
 
- Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies warned in 
its annual report on the world's military forces that strains among 
the Kurds,Turkmen and Arabs in northern Iraq could increase. 
 
- The Iraqi Oil Ministry has accused Iran of stealing oil from a 
shared field under their common border. 
 
- A new Iraqi flag that does not include Saddam Hussein's 
handwriting and the three green stars of his ousted Baath Party has 
been hoisted over the Iraqi Cabinet building in Baghdad. 
 
WILSON