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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000319 
 
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 20, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Babacan: Land Operations against the PKK Are 'On the Table' 
All papers report Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told reporters while 
en route to Moscow Tuesday that the option of a ground operation 
against the PKK in northern Iraq was "on the table."  He noted that 
the timing of an operation would depend on weather conditions. 
Papers interpret the FM's remarks as indication of a possible 
Turkish land operation into northern Iraq in the spring.  Babacan 
also said Turkey has called on Kurdish regional administration 
leader Massoud Barzani to declare the PKK a terrorist group. 
"Barzani must take concrete forward steps which inspire trust," 
Babacan said.  When asked about the increasing number of official 
visits between Turkey and the US, Babacan said, "We are working in 
cooperation with the US.  What is happening today is normal; you 
should actually question the times in the past."  Islamist-oriented 
Zaman reports Babacan also said no timetable was set for a possible 
visit by Iraqi President Talabani to Turkey.  "A clear date will be 
set which will fit the calendars of President Gul and Prime Minister 
Erdogan." 
 
Barzani on Turkish Air Raids, the PKK 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and others report 
the northern Iraqi Kurdish regional administration leader Massoud 
Barzani gave an exclusive interview to al-Arabiya TV to emphasize 
that there was a limit to the Kurds' patience for Turkish 
cross-border raids.  "These raids effect the lives of our citizens; 
if they continue, we will not be able to remain silent," said 
Barzani.  He noted the Turkish military has been fighting against 
the PKK for the past 24 years.  "Turkey has not been able to wipe 
them out.  Because, the PKK is actually a pretext -- I suspect 
Turkey has ulterior motives concerning the Kurdistan region. 
Turkey's main concern is not the PKK."  Barzani also noted the PKK 
was "Turkey's problem, not the Iraqi Kurds' problem," and urged for 
a "peaceful political solution" rather than a military one. 
 
The First Armenian Language Course in Turkey 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that the Bogazici University Senate 
decided to include Armenian language as an elective course in the 
curriculum.  This course, which will commence in the second half of 
2007-2008 education year, aims at examining the texts written in 
Turkish using Armenian letters. 
 
'PKK Mouthpiece' Roj TV in Panic after Heavy Tax Fine from Belgium 
Vatan, Turkiye, Radikal, Bugun, Today's Zaman, and Cumhuriyet:  The 
Belgian Finance Ministry charged Roj TV with a four million Euro tax 
fine.  During a press conference in Brussels yesterday, Roj TV 
officials Metin Yuce, Ahmet Dicle and Manouchar Zonoozi announced 
that the Belgian Finance Ministry recently imposed a tax fine worth 
around 4 million Euros and confiscated all the funds of the station. 
 They claimed that Turkey's pressure to close Roj TV led to the 
fine.  Mainstream Vatan and liberal Radikal report that in 1996, 
Turkey's demands prompted Belgium to begin an investigation against 
the television station, which was known at that time as Med-TV. 
Turkey submitted evidence to Belgium indicating the PKK was 
financially supporting the station with money earned through drug 
and arms trafficking.  The investigation led to the four million 
Euro tax fine.  Vatan highlights US Counter-terrorism official Frank 
Urbancic's remarks that "we are changing our stance in fighting 
against the PKK.  We managed to jail Mafia leader Al Capone on a tax 
fine.  We are going to use same method against the PKK."  Vatan 
claims that Roj TV could be shut down, not because of ties to 
terrorism, but for tax violations. 
 
Meanwhile, mainstream Hurriyet reports that in March, Turkey will 
host a summit meeting of EU prosecutors.  The summit will be 
organized by the Turkish Justice Ministry and the US Embassy in 
Ankara.  Talks at the summit will address legal and procedural 
problems regarding PKK extraditions from Europe.  Hurriyet claims 
this is the new formula introduced by the US for PKK extraditions 
 
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from Europe. 
 
MEDIA REACTION: VP Cheney; Fidel Castro 
 
"Why Is Cheney Coming to Turkey?" 
Nagehan Alci wrote in mainstream Aksam (2/20):  "Even though we do 
not have official confirmation yet, the ongoing rumors in Washington 
speculate US Vice President Dick Cheney will visit Turkey in March. 
Actually, Cheney travels abroad rarely; when he does travel, his 
goals are always target-oriented.  This upcoming visit to Turkey is 
scary enough given the fact he is the architect of the Iraq war.  We 
all know how Iraq has turned out. There are several possible reasons 
for this visit, six years after his first visit to Turkey.  After 
Cheney's 2002 visit to Turkey, the US invaded Iraq.  Now, it is 
possible he has come to discuss Iran.  He will certainly talk about 
the Middle East and Afghanistan as well as the current situation in 
Iraq.  However Iran will likely be the chief priority and he may 
even signal towards possible military action against Iran.  Cheney 
represents the war-mongering wing of the Bush administration.  Iran 
is next on their list.  It will be interesting to watch Ankara's 
response to this approach." 
 
"Castro Is Gone but Castro-ism Continues" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet (2/20):  "The longest 
serving communist leader in the world has resigned from his 
presidential duty.  However, he appears determined to maintain his 
political legacy.  In his resignation statement, he clearly 
indicated that 'he will continue as a warrior of thought.'  Fidel 
Castro, a devout follower of Marx and Lenin, fundamentally changed 
Cuba's political, social and economic structure.  This created 
serious problems for Cuba's relations with outside world.  During 
the Cold War, the US opposed Castro from the moment his popularity 
began to rise.  This prompted Castro to embrace the Soviet Union. 
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba has tried to survive US 
sanctions; but Cuban citizens were the ones who paid the price for 
this tiff.  Following Castro's departure, Cuba finds itself at a 
turning point.  Now there is more potential for bringing Cuba into 
the greater global environment.  Realistically speaking, the 
possibility of rapid and fundamental changes during the post-Fidel 
period is very weak.  There may be certain economic measures they 
can take, but ultimately the socialist regime will remain the same. 
This is particularly true because Castro's brother Raul is the one 
who is taking over." 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal said President Abdullah Gul's 
eight-day delay shows he has doubts about approving the 
constitutional headscarf reforms. 
 
- Britain's Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip will visit 
Turkey in May. 
 
- The TMSF state banking fund is expected to fix a date for handing 
over Sabah daily and ATV television to their new owner, Calik Group. 
 
 
- Visiting French foreign trade minister Herve Novelli said after 
meeting Tuesday with Energy Minister Hilmi Guler that France wants a 
share in Turkey's nuclear projects. 
 
International News 
 
- Serbia has submitted a diplomatic note to Turkey to protest 
Ankara's recognition of Kosovo's independence.  The Serbian 
Ambassador to Turkey will depart for Belgrade today. 
 
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- Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan has been elected president of 
Armenia, winning 57.1 percent of the votes. 
 
- Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian says "the recognition of 
Armenian genocide is not a precondition for the normalization of 
ties with Turkey." 
 
- Franco Frattini, vice-president of the European commission, said 
Turkey was "very far" from the EU and cannot be accepted into the 
union before it "matures and grows up." 
 
WILSON