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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000464 
 
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 
MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
President Talabani Visits Turkey 
All papers report Iraqi President Jalal Talabani visited Ankara on 
Friday.  Turkish President Abdullah Gul and President Talabani held 
a joint press conference after their discussions.  During the press 
conference, Gul said, "Turkey has a vision of an Iraq which has 
completed its national reconciliation and maintains good relations 
with its neighbors." 
 
"When the great potential between our two countries is materialized, 
an exemplary relationship will emerge for the region," Gul said. 
Gul called on the PKK to lay down their arms.  Talabani said, "The 
Kurdish Regional Administration (KRA) is pressuring the PKK in 
northern Iraq to either lay down their arms or leave Iraq." 
Talabani emphasized that "Iraq's constitution does not allow for 
armed groups' presence on Iraqi soil."  Talabani said a political 
solution to the problem is an issue that concerns Turkey, adding 
that Iraq would not interfere in this matter, "We want to establish 
strong relations in all areas, including political, commercial, 
economic, oil, security, and cultural relations." The Iraqi 
President also noted President Gul accepted an invitation to visit 
Iraq. 
 
Islamist-oriented Zaman writes Ankara was pleased with Talabani's 
promises, but noted reservations regarding the implementation of his 
pledges.  Talabani urged Turkish businessmen to make investments in 
'Kurdistan,' weekend papers report.  Papers stressed this was the 
first time a guest of the presidential palace used the word 
'Kurdistan.'  However, Zaman calls the visit "a new page in 
Turkish-Iraqi ties."  Mainstream Sabah says Gul delivered three main 
messages to Talabani, "PKK terror must end, compromise on Kirkuk is 
critical, and Turkey is ready to be Iraq's gate to Europe once the 
PKK is eliminated."  Mainstream Hurriyet reports over the weekend 
that Talabani recommended to Gul and the AKP government that the 
Turkish public prepare itself for the recognition of the Kurdish 
reality.  "The Kirkuk issue needs to be resolved among the Turkmen, 
the Kurds, and the Arabs.  The Americans have not been able to 
finish off the Taliban or al-Qaeda.  Along those same lines, Turkey 
needs new approaches in order to finish off the PKK," Talabani said 
according to Hurriyet.  Leftist nationalist Cumhuriyet expects a 
"four-sided mechanism" to be set up among Ankara, Washington, 
Baghdad, and Erbil to counter terrorism.  KRA Prime Minister 
Nechirvan Barzani is expected to be invited to Turkey after 
Talabani's visit.  Talabani's advisor Azad Cundiyani is quoted by 
papers as saying "the Turkish delegation to Iraq will meet Nechirvan 
Barzani in Baghdad after the Arab Parliamentarians' Summit talks in 
Erbil from March 11-13." 
 
Editorial Commentary on the Talabani Visit to Ankara 
 
"A New Wheel Turns Toward a Comprehensive Plan" 
Hasan Cemal wrote in mainstream Milliyet (3/9):  "While my 
colleagues and I were talking to President Talabani during his visit 
to Ankara, one issue was disclosed openly:  Following Turkey's land 
operation, a new wheel is starting to turn.  It is my understanding 
that the wheel will start to turn between Ankara, Baghdad, and 
Washington.  Then, Erbil, meaning the Iraqi Regional Kurdistan 
Administration, will join.  Talabani told Ankara that in order to 
improve relations with the Regional Kurdish Administration's leader 
Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish Administration's Prime Minister 
Nechirvan Barzani should be invited to Ankara.  Talabani promised a 
healthy foundation for such a visit and the Turkish side did not 
reject this offer.  When asked whether the PKK could declare a 
cease-fire, Talabani said "there are signals that there is major 
pressure from Baghdad, Washington and Erbil on the PKK for a 
cease-fire."  Talabani added that "Barzani keeps saying the PKK will 
either lay down its arms or leave Iraqi territory for good." 
However, Talabani said it is not possible for them or the Americans 
to eradicate the PKK in northern Iraq through military means.  One 
 
ANKARA 00000464  002 OF 003 
 
 
other impression I got from the meeting with Talabani and his 
delegation is that Prime Minister Erdogan is planning a visit to the 
Southeast with some new messages.  In other words, following the 
military operation, the AKP government is starting a new civil 
operation regarding the PKK and Kurdish issues.  In short, this new 
wheel could open positive gates regarding the PKK and Kurdish 
issues." 
 
A Surprise Visit 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in conservative-nationalist Turkiye (3/10): 
"Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's short visit to Ankara attracted 
attention.  Turkey and Iraq agreed on bilateral friendship and Iraqi 
territorial integrity.  Discussions also included increasing annual 
bilateral trade from $4 billion to $20 billion.  Talabani, together 
with Barzani, established the autonomous Kurdistan region in 
northern Iraq.  Talabani was picked by the US to replace Saddam 
Hussein as the Iraqi President.  Prior to this, Iraqis could not 
even imagine a Kurd would ever be president of Iraq.  However, US 
failures in Iraq now make many Iraqis long for the old days of 
Saddam. Talabani spoke just like the Americans in Turkey and urged 
Turkey to meet with Barzani in order to eradicate the PKK.  Turkey 
definitely wants Iraq to maintain its integrity, and this is the 
correct policy.  Unfortunately, our good wishes are not enough. 
Iraqi integrity remains in suspense as Iraq struggles to remain 
stable." 
 
Erdogan Will Present a New Kurdish Package in Diyarbakir April 6 
Mainstream Sabah reports Mehmet Metiner, a former advisor to the 
prime minister on Kurdish issues, says Erdogan is expected to 
announce measures that will make the PKK militants in the mountains 
return home.  The announcement is expected during the prime 
minister's trip to Diyarbakir on April 6th.  Metiner adds these 
development measures will deal a heavy blow to the DTP in the 
upcoming municipality elections.  He noted it was essential that the 
government resolves the employment problems in the region as well. 
Metiner said Erdogan will tell the people in the region that Turkey 
has entered into the process of seeking a solution. 
Assassination Plot Foiled 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Zaman and others report 
police have captured three suspects from the extreme leftist DHKP-C 
group (Dev-Yol) who were plotting to assassinate Prime Minister 
Erdogan and carry out attacks on American economic interests in 
Turkey.  The suspects were planning to use remote-controlled toy 
cars to attack the prime minister's convoy.  Police seized 35 kg of 
ammonium nitrate, a Kalashnikov rifle, and remote-controlled toys 
that had been transformed into bombs. 
 
Controversy Continues over Compulsory Religious Classes in Turkey 
Mainstream Milliyet and Sabah report Alevi organizations in Turkey 
called for an investigation against Education Minister Huseyin 
Celik.  Celik rejected the Council of State (Danistay) decision 
which deemed compulsory religious education a violation of the 
Constitution.  Celik is refusing to implement the decision. The 
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in October 2007 that 
compulsory religious education in Turkey was a violation of freedom 
of education. 
 
Turkey Lobbies for Recognition of Kosovo 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports Turkey will put pressure on the 
members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to 
recognize Kosovo.  Foreign Minister Babacan is attending the OIC 
summit in Dakar, Senegal, which begins today.  Egypt, Indonesia, 
Azerbaijan, and Sudan are working against the recognition of Kosovo, 
reports Zaman. 
 
Sweden Will Send Iraqi Refugees Back Home 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports Tobias Billstrom, Sweden's 
migration minister, said about 1,700 Iraqi refugees will be returned 
to Iraq.  Yusuf Aziz, the Kurdish Regional Administration (KRA) 
minister for human rights, said the refugees would not be allowed 
 
ANKARA 00000464  003 OF 003 
 
 
into the Kurdish region.  Billstrom said the refugees would be 
deported from Sweden, even if the KRA doesn't accept them. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Today, the second annual "Global Terrorism and International 
Cooperation" conference will be held in Ankara.  NATO general staff 
chiefs, high-level US military officials, academics, statesmen, and 
experts from various countries will participate in the meetings. 
General Yasar Buyukanit, the Chief of the military General Staff, 
will deliver the opening speech. 
 
- Turkish Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan will meet with 
pro-Kurdish DTP MPs today to discuss a democratic solution to the 
Kurdish question.  The DTP also wants meetings with the prime 
minister and the president, but Gul and Erdogan have not responded 
to their request. 
 
- Murat Ozcelik has been officially appointed as the Turkish special 
envoy to Iraq.  Ozcelik's predecessor, Oguz Celikkol, was appointed 
Turkey's Ambassador to Greece. 
 
- The southeastern city of Gaziantep will host the 3rd Iraq 
International Fair from May 22-25. 
 
International News 
 
- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert approved plans to build hundreds of new 
Israeli homes near Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank. 
 
- Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeid Jalili says his country is 
ready to negotiate with Europe over its nuclear program if there are 
practical results. 
 
- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif agrees to join the 
late Benazir Bhutto's party in a coalition government. 
 
WILSON