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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000392 
 
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, FEBRUARY 28, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Secretary Gates Visits Turkey 
 
SIPDIS 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak 
and others report US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, speaking 
ahead of his visit to Ankara, said Turkey's assault against the PKK 
in northern Iraq "must not last longer than a week or two."  Gates 
noted Turkey has to be "mindful of Iraqi sovereignty."  He also 
warned Turkish leaders that "military activity needs to be 
accompanied by economic and political initiatives." 
 
Islamist-oriented Zaman and leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet claim 
Gates will ask for Turkish combat troops in Afghanistan.  Cumhuriyet 
reports Gates said he's not sure whether the US will consider 
cutting intelligence sharing with Turkey if the operations exceed 
two weeks.  Mainstream Hurriyet predicts Gates will discuss with 
Turks the duration of the land operation, the demands for more 
Turkish troops in Afghanistan, a stronger Turkish approach toward 
Iran, and a political-economic solution to the Kurdish question. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Gates Visit to Turkey 
 
"Gates Sent His Message First" 
Murat Yetkin is pro-American and a respected foreign affairs 
analyst. 
He wrote in liberal Radikal (2/28): "By sending his messages prior 
to his arrival, Secretary Gates very wisely set the media tone for 
his visit to Ankara.  He also provided enough time to Turkish 
authorities to devise answers to his remarks.  Gates talked about 
the need for limiting the duration of the operation to two weeks. 
While he was making that comment, Turkey presented Gul's official 
invitation to Talabani in Baghdad.  Talabani's visit to Ankara in 
the midst of military operation is unlikely.  Yet by extending this 
invitation at this juncture, Turkey has implied that the operation 
will be over by the time Talabani visits Ankara, which is expected 
in mid-March.  Credible information behind the scenes indicates that 
Ankara is preparing to finish the job in two weeks' time.  In other 
words, there is no problem as far as this part of Gates' message. 
Yet the other part concerning 'social and political steps to end the 
problem' makes Ankara uncomfortable.  The government does not want 
to be seen as initiating certain efforts due to ethnic reasons.  In 
that regard, the government's approach is parallel to the military's 
approach." 
 
Turkey Continues Operations in Northern Iraq, Death Toll Rises on 
Both Sides 
All papers report the military General Staff (TGS) said yesterday 77 
PKK terrorists and five Turkish soldiers were killed Wednesday in 
operations in northern Iraq.  The latest figures bring the total 
death toll among the rebels to 230 and among soldiers to 24. 
Mainstream Sabah reports Turkish troops intensified attacks once the 
heavy snowfall ended.  The paper also notes 2,000 commandoes backed 
by tanks were advancing towards the PKK camp in Zap.  Papers report 
information was received alleging Kadri Celik, the mastermind of the 
PKK raid in Daglica last year, was killed in clashes yesterday. 
 
Mainstream Sabah says Ankara gives the world the messages that 
'Turkish operations will not continue for a long time, Turkey will 
avoid clashes with the Peshmerge forces, and civilians will not be 
hurt.'  Bar Associations in 12 cities, including the mainly Kurdish 
ones Agri, Batman, Bingol, Bitlis, Mus and Diyarbakir, have released 
a joint statement calling for an end to Turkish operations in 
northern Iraq. 
 
Turkish Delegation Holds 'Crisis Talks' in Baghdad 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report 
on Wednesday, a 
Turkish delegation arrived in Baghdad to meet with Iraqi officials 
concerning Turkey's incursions into northern Iraq to fight against 
the PKK.  "Our objective and mission are clear, and there is no 
 
ANKARA 00000392  002 OF 003 
 
 
withdrawal timetable until all terrorist bases are eliminated," 
Ahmet Davutoglu, top foreign policy advisor to PM Erdogan, told the 
press after talks with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.  "We 
are not violating Iraq's sovereign rights but securing them by 
removing the PKK from the region," said Davutoglu.  Meanwhile, the 
delegation delivered a letter of invitation from President Abdullah 
Gul to President Talabani to visit Turkey.  Talabani reportedly 
accepted the invitation, and said he would pay a visit "in an 
appropriate time." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Incursions in Iraq 
 
"It is Time to Win the Kurds" 
Mehmet Ali Birand is a senior Turkish media figure and an expert on 
foreign affairs, including the EU and the US.  Along with his 
articles, he is the senior news anchorman for the highly-rated 
popular television station Kanal D. 
He wrote in tabloid Posta (2/28): 
"Given the fact Turkish army forces are now more effective in 
pursuing the PKK and they seem to have complete control, the Turkish 
state will gain regional power by implementing a number of social, 
economic and political reforms.  This democratic process will 
marginalize the PKK and weaken the ties which draw people to the PKK 
in the first place.  The PKK will lose local support in proportion 
to the number of Kurdish hearts that we manage to win.  In addition, 
the more we win Barzani over, the more the PKK will slide toward 
isolation.  I have a message for Ankara: now is the time to act." 
 
"The Solution to the Kurdish Problem Requires Rationale" 
Semih Idiz is an expert on international relations and a senior 
columnist for mainstream Milliyet.  He is a liberal, and addresses 
issues through a global perspective. 
He wrote in mainstream Milliyet (2/28): 
"Ankara will make a huge mistake if it only pursues military action 
as a solution to the Kurdish problem. The ongoing international 
support for Turkey cannot be a reason for comfort, because the 
support concerns terrorism, not Kurds.  Secretary Gates mentioned 
the need to limit the land operations and called for economic and 
political steps to resolve the Kurdish issue.  The essence of his 
remarks is shared across the board, from Iran to Washington, from 
the EU to the UN.  There should be ways to explore a peaceful 
solution to the PKK problem.  There are examples, like the UK and 
the Basque issue in Spain, for us to examine.  Most important of 
all, such an effort requires a rational approach versus an emotional 
approach.  What we need is flexible wisdom and political will to 
address the problem.  Otherwise, Ankara will be dragged into a 
vicious cycle of military operations.    If sentimentalism prevails 
over rationality, Turkey will be dragged deeper and deeper into a 
vicious cycle." 
 
Tensions High in Turkish Universities over Headscarf Freedom 
All papers report opposition parties CHP and DSP have applied to the 
Constitutional Court in order to challenge the constitutional 
amendments related to the turban in universities. 
 
Mainstream Vatan blames Higher Education Board (YOK) President Yusuf 
Ziya Ozcan for sparking tensions at universities by sending out a 
memo on Sunday instructing rectors to admit students wearing 
headscarves into university campuses.  On Wednesday, students 
protested against headscarf freedom in Istanbul's Bogazici 
University, Ankara's Middle East Technical University, and 
universities in Eskisehir and Aydin. 
 
The inter-university board of rectors will meet Thursday to discuss 
the headscarf order circulated by Ozcan.  Board chairman Mustafa 
Akaydin warned that there was "intense religious pressure" on 
university rectors in eastern Turkey.  Akaydin said at least half of 
the rectors of these universities had to allow students with 
headscarfs into classes due to such pressures. 
 
 
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Bush Appoints US Envoy to OIC 
Mainstream Milliyet reports President Bush has appointed Sada 
Cumber, 'a businessman from Texas,' as the US Special Envoy to the 
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).  White House 
Spokesperson Dana Perino said the OIC was an important organization 
that plays a constructive role.  She added that President Bush wants 
to establish a wider dialogue with Muslims around the world. 
 
Gallup Poll: Majority of World Muslims Moderate 
Liberal Radikal carries a survey commissioned by the US-based 
research firm Gallup, which 'proves false the West's equation of 
Islam and violence.'  According to the survey, 93 percent of 1.3 
billion Muslims around the world are 'moderate,' and only 7 percent 
are 'radical.'  A large majority of Muslims denounce all terrorist 
attacks including the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade 
Center.  The survey was conducted over six years in 40 countries in 
one-on-one interviews with 50,000 Muslims. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Izmir Bar Association has initiated an investigation against 
Fuat Turgut, lawyer of the suspected murderers of Hrant Dink, for 
making racist statements against Armenians in the courtroom during 
court proceedings in Istanbul last week. 
 
- The third 'Iraqi International Fair,' which is the only fair Iraqi 
Trade Ministry supports abroad, will take place in the southeastern 
city of Gaziantep from May 22-25.  More than 900 companies from 30 
countries participated in last year's fair in Gaziantep. 
 
- Russian Foreign Ministry gave Professor Ilber Ortayli, writer/poet 
Ataol Behramoglu, and NTV's Moscow correspondent Hasan Aksay the 
'Pushkin Award' for their contribution to Russia-Turkey ties. 
 
International News 
 
- On Wednesday, PKK supporters criticized the US and EU for backing 
the Turkish offensive in northern Iraq.  The criticisms came during 
a press conference at the EU Parliament, where the PKK supporters 
called on Turkey to suspend the incursions. 
 
- Francis Fukuyama of Johns Hopkins University says the headscarf 
issue has become a test for the AKP. 
 
- Turkish Environment Minister Veysel Eroglu told the closing 
session of the World Water Forum in Jordan the world will face a 
water shortage in the future, and problems related to water 
necessitate cooperation among countries. 
 
WILSON