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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000562 
 
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 24, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Cheney Comes to Turkey 
All papers report that U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney will arrive 
in Ankara today.  Mainstream Sabah reports that Cheney will meet 
with President Gul, Prime Minister Erdogan and Chief of General 
Staff General Buyukanit in Ankara; then he will continue on to 
Istanbul for a private visit.  Mainstream Hurriyet writes in "Today 
Cheney is in Ankara," that he will have three demands, "Turkish 
combat troops in Afghanistan's Helmand region," and "a similar 
approach Turkey took with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani be applied 
to relations with northern Iraqi Administration President Massoud 
Barzani," and "support for U.N. sanctions against Iran due to their 
nuclear activities."  In addition, Hurriyet notes, Cheney will 
"emphasize his discomfort with Turkey's natural gas agreement with 
Iran."  Mainstream Milliyet reminds that during his previous visit 
to Turkey six years ago, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit did not allow 
Cheney to meet with the Chief of General Staff, who at that time was 
General Kivrikoglu. 
 
Islamist-oriented Zaman writes, "Cheney comes to Ankara again six 
years after his last visit," and that "Cheney is the fourth and most 
important high level U.S. visitor to Ankara since the middle of 
February."  Zaman writes, "Cheney is expected to discuss the fight 
against the PKK, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, NATO and missile defense," 
in addition, Cheney will "express the Bush Administration's 
discomfort with Turkey's plans for an energy agreement with Iran." 
Zaman columnist Mehmet Yilmaz writes in "Will Our Soldiers Fight the 
Taliban in a War That Resembles Korea," that "one year after Cheney 
visited Turkey in 2002, the U.S. invaded Iraq, which the Turkish 
public was against.  During this visit, Cheney will ask for more 
combat troops against the Taliban, but also there is the Iran topic. 
 To what extent will Turkey's opposition to this new global manifest 
be effective?"  In "Cheney is On the Road to Ankara," 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak calls Cheney "full of surprises," and 
recalled that "the last time he was here he told the president, the 
prime minister, and the TGS Chief, 'there will be no invasion into 
Iraq' and then the U.S. invaded Iraq the next year."  Leftist Taraf 
writes in "Cheney Says 'Bitter Concessions Are Necessary for 
Peace,'" that Cheney told Palestinian leader Abbas that "both sides 
must give concessions," and the paper notes, "tomorrow he will 
discuss bargaining in Ankara about the PKK, troops for Afghanistan, 
and missile defense."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet writes, 
"Cheney Is Coming for Soldiers," and notes "the government can 
deliver their decision to him," after TGS Chief General Buyukanit 
has already stated, "Soldiers will not be sent to Afghanistan to 
fight," but Foreign Minister Babacan, "last week made statements 
that left the door open to the issue."  Liberal Radikal writes in 
"Cheney Insisted on Meeting with Buyukanit," that "he is likely to 
ask for more troops in Afghanistan before the upcoming NATO summit 
in Bucharest," and that "Ankara turned down Iranian President 
Ahmedinejad's request for a visit due to 'heavy traffic' and told 
Ahmedinejad he could come to Turkey in April." 
 
 
Editorial Opinion on VPOTUS Visit 
 
"Cheney's Visit" 
Ferai Tinc wrote in mainstream Hurriyet (3/24): "While Turkey is 
embroiled in its own domestic issues, Vice President Cheney is 
visiting Ankara as part of an extended Middle East tour.  The 
missile shield project will be one of the main issues on Cheney's 
agenda.  Secretary Gates clearly stated there are three pillars in 
the missile shield project: the Czech Republic, Poland and Turkey. 
There have been some secret meetings regarding the missile shield, 
and the results are likely to be disclosed during the upcoming NATO 
summit.  Cheney will also discuss the fight against the PKK and 
relations with the northern Iraqi regional Kurdish administration. 
In addition, energy issues, the Middle East peace process, 
Afghanistan, and the U.S.'s efforts to isolate Iran and Syria will 
 
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also be discussed.   In other words, Cheney has a very busy agenda. 
However, given the intensity of internal debates, speculations and 
conspiracies, Turkey is not in the right mood to cope with such a 
busy international agenda." 
 
"Cheney's Visit Will Reveal Our Differences" 
Semih Idiz wrote in mainstream Milliyet (3/21): "We can't tell how 
Turkey's internal developments will evolve, but we know Vice 
President Cheney's visit is one of the most important developments 
this week.  However, it is unlikely that this visit will yield a 
surprising outcome.  Cheney's agenda is very clear.  He is here to 
discuss Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and missile defense.  Turkey differs 
with Washington's opinion on each of these topics.  Washington's 
priority is to increase the number of NATO combat troops in 
Afghanistan against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.  Turkey, like many 
NATO members, does not want to become involved in clashes with the 
Taliban.  Instead, Turkey and other NATO members support regional 
development projects and peacekeeping missions.  Moreover, only 
Israel has expressed support for U.S. policy toward Iran; Ankara 
does not share the same opinion with Washington regarding Iran.  In 
conclusion, an examination of each side's opinions on fundamental 
issues demonstrates the Cheney visit has the potential to reveal 
bilateral differences versus bilateral consensus." 
 
 
Nevruz Festivities Turn Violent 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Yeni Safak, Bugun, Star, Radikal and 
others:  Mainstream Sabah reports Sunday's Nevruz celebrations in 
Van, Yuksekova, and Siirt became violent when police tried to 
disperse crowds with tear gas.  Police tried to disperse the crowds 
because they were demonstrating without permission from the 
municipalities.  Crowds responded to the tear gas by throwing 
stones, which led to violent clashes between police and 
demonstrators.  Two people died during these clashes with the 
security forces (one in Van and one in Yuksekova), 25 people were 
injured and 18 were taken under custody.  Sabah says rallies in 
Ankara, Istanbul and Adana passed peacefully.  Liberal Radikal 
reports that around 80,000 people attended the DTP's Nevruz 
celebrations in Istanbul.  In Istanbul, DTP parliamentary members 
declared harsh messages against the government and the security 
forces.  Slogans were chanted in honor of jailed PKK leader Abdullah 
Ocalan.  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports forty-nine people were 
taken into custody in connection with Nevruz violence, including 
five Italian citizens. 
 
 
Ergenekon Investigation 
All papers report Cumhuriyet Chief Editor Ilhan Selcuk, former 
Istanbul University Rector Kemal Alemdaroglu, and Labor Party 
Chairman Dogu Perincek were detained on Friday in connection with 
the Ergenekon investigation.  Selcuk and Alemdaroglu were released 
on Sunday.  However, Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports police 
found plans for an attack against Court of Appeals in Labor Party 
Chairman Dogu Perincek's computer, so he remains in custody. 
Anadolu Agency reports Monday Perincek was transferred to the court 
on charges of being a high-level leader of the Ergenekon terrorist 
organization who was holding confidential documents about the state. 
 Weekend papers carried reactions to the detentions.  Cumhuriyet 
announced that the midnight detention could be compared only to 
practices during political coups.  Mainstream Vatan reports the 
prosecutor accused Ilhan Selcuk of acting as the intellectual leader 
of Ergenekon network.  Mainstream Milliyet gives front-page coverage 
to the message issued by Ilhan Selcuk after 15 hours of police 
interrogation, "there is a dangerous process of polarization in 
Turkey and the PM has to undertake steps to defuse tensions." 
 
 
PM Erdogan Criticizes Baykal and the Media 
During a party address in Aegean province Manisa, Prime Minister 
Erdogan blamed opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal for creating a 
 
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tension-filled atmosphere in the country.  In a call for national 
unity, the prime minister said his party has nothing to do with the 
deep state, but some others do. 
 
PM Erdogan called on the media to act responsibly for defusing the 
tension and read a verse from Koran to criticize media for not 
acting objectively.  Leftist nationalist Cumhuriyet and mainstream 
Milliyet characterized this approach as warning for the media. 
 
 
Operation against PJAK by Iran 
Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, and Zaman: Papers cite a PUK website 
report and an AP report which carry Kurdish authorities' claims that 
Iranian military shelled PJAK terrorist camps on Sunday in Marado, 
Razda, and Dolakoka, which are in the Qandil region of northern 
Iraq. 
 
Belgium and Germany Arrests PKK Members 
Zaman, Cumhuriyet and others:  Belgian Security officials announced 
yesterday that they arrested Mehmet Sahin, a member of the PKK who 
is sought by Turkish security forces and under an Interpol red 
bulletin alert. 
 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that a German Court stated PKK 
terrorists harmed German institutions.  Thus, the German Court 
sentenced PKK members Vehbi Azak, Halat Kesbir, Ali Seven, Bozan 
Ates, Ali Kiran, Hasan Adir and Sait Hasso to prison for two years 
and two months. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
The CHP will carry the Ergenekon issue to parliament's agenda. 
 
DSP leader Zeki Sezer calls the AKP's attempts to amend the 
constitution in order to avert their party's closure as "a coup 
attempt." 
 
PM Spokesman Akif Beki issued a written statement rejecting reports 
that PM Erdogan met with the prosecutor who is in charge of the 
Ergenekon investigation. 
 
PM Erdogan will visit Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania and Bulgaria on 
March 24-28. 
 
Turkey uses unmanned aircraft in operations against PKK in Sirnak. 
 
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warns supporters to stick to 
national unity despite the suit seeking the closure of the AKP. 
 
16 DTP activists were arrested in Malatya in an operation against 
the PKK. 
 
Two workers died in landslide at a construction site in Ordu. 
 
 
International News 
 
Cheney told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that the 
U.S. will continue to work toward the long overdue goal of creating 
a Palestinian state. 
 
India successfully tested a short range version of its most powerful 
nuclear capable missile. 
 
Yousaf Raza Gilani, a former parliament speaker and aide to murdered 
opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, is nominated as the parliamentary 
majority's choice to be Pakistan's next prime minister. 
 
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An increasing number of Iraqi detainees are refusing to leave 
detention centers despite being eligible for release.  They want to 
complete studies they began behind bars, a US general says. 
 
WILSON