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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000568 
 
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, MARCH 26, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Party Leaders Continue Tense Debates over Constitutional Changes 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni 
Safak and others report Prime Minister Erdogan, in 
Bosnia-Herzegovina, said his party will not back down from proposing 
constitutional reforms that will prevent its party closure case. 
Erdogan said the AKP has worked on preventing party closures for a 
long time.  He emphasized that the AKP's constitutional proposals 
were not raised in reaction to the closure suit filed by the chief 
prosecutor against the AKP.  Papers say Erdogan rejected calls for 
public consensus by saying the media was responsible for the 
escalation of tensions.  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet Editor Ilhan 
Selcuk urged Erdogan to defuse tensions by issuing a call for 
compromise, but Erdogan said "the media's provocations cannot remain 
unanswered."  Erdogan stressed he has constantly called for 
compromise.  Liberal Radikal writes, "All Politicians Talk, but They 
Fail to Start A Dialogue," and "Erdogan is angry with everybody, 
including MHP leader Devlet Bahceli." 
 
Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal denounced the constitutional 
reforms drafted by the AKP as an attempt to invalidate the 
constitution.  "They will deprive secular principles of their 
meaning," warned Baykal.  Baykal noted the recent Ergenekon-related 
detentions of "elites" were a "coup implementation" targeting the 
military and the judiciary. 
 
Under the headline "MHP Warns against an AKP-backed Referendum," 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports MHP leader Devlet Bahceli 
accused the AKP of "gambling with the future of Turkey and Turkish 
democracy."  Bahceli warned the AKP against holding a referendum on 
constitutional reforms, saying the referendum should not be turned 
into a tool for political gambling.  Papers report Erdogan replied 
to Bahceli by commenting, "Bahceli was saying different things two 
weeks ago." 
 
The pro-Kurdish DTP Chief Ahmet Turk said instead of working to save 
its own skin, the AKP should carry out legal reforms to promote the 
democratization of Turkey.   Turk said, "The AKP government did 
nothing when a closure case was launched against the DTP.  The AKP 
wants to save only itself; let's all work to save democracy." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey's Domestic Political Tensions 
 
"Tension" 
Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan (3/26): "Political 
polarization within Turkey has reached a critical level.  However, 
we cannot afford to ignore the rule of law just because two 
political parties, including the ruling party, are facing closure 
cases.  Unfortunately, there are some figures, including Prime 
Minister Erdogan, who fail to understand the vital importance of 
preserving a secular regime within the boundaries of the rule of 
law.  Sadly, PM Erdogan has blamed the media for causing domestic 
tension.  In fact, by making such accusations, he does not realize 
that he is insulting the public's intelligence.  When we examine 
this situation, we see the closure case was pursued because the AKP 
committed serious violations against the unchangeable secular 
principles of Turkish Republic. Instead of showing respect for the 
judicial process, the AKP is now trying to bypass the judicial 
process by amending the constitution.  PM Erdogan defines 
'consensus' as using the AKP's parliamentary majority in order to 
justify doing anything and everything.  Erdogan's definition is not 
about consensus and reconciliation.  The AKP's rush to bypass the 
closure case is indeed a confession of its guilt regarding 
anti-secular activities." 
 
 
"About The Three Court Cases..." 
Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet (3/26): "The ongoing three 
court cases are the main reason for ongoing tense debates.  The AKP 
 
ANKARA 00000568  002 OF 003 
 
 
closure case, the Ergenekon investigation processes, and the DTP 
closure case are three cases concerning fundamental values of the 
Turkish Republic: secularism, democratic structure and the 
nation-state structure.  The case against the AKP is about accusing 
the party of becoming the axis of anti-secular activities.  The 
Constitutional Court's prevailing interpretations of secularism do 
not match the AKP's interpretation of secularism.  Even though the 
verdict will inevitably bring political consequences, it is 
important to treat the ongoing closure case as a judicial process. 
Regarding the 'Ergenekon Investigation,' we haven't seen any 
indictments yet.  The initial information about this investigation 
indicates the existence of an illegal network whose intent is to 
demolish democracy.  Certainly, the judicial process should go until 
the bitter end, but this case should not be manipulated for 
politicians' political gains.  As for the DTP case, the indictment 
details how the pro-Kurdish political party violates Turkey's 
national integrity and supports separatist activities.  None of 
these allegations or accusations is less important than another. 
Thus, reconciliation should be based on the fundamental 
characteristics of Turkish Republic.  Reconciliation, in other 
words, must be based on the values of a democratic, secular and 
united Turkish Republic." 
 
 
Turkish NGOs to Call for Common Sense 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and 
others report on Wednesday, influential NGOs throughout Turkey will 
issue a call for common sense amid escalating tensions surrounding 
the closure suit against the ruling AKP, the "Ergenekon" probe, and 
AKP attempts to change the constitution to avert closure.  Under the 
headline "The Platform for Common Sense Grows," Islamist-oriented 
Zaman reports the presidents of seven leading NGOs (including the 
Turkish union of chambers TOBB, labor unions Turk-Is, Kamu-Sen and 
Hak-Is, employers' union TISK, entrepreneurs' confederation TESK, 
and union of agricultural chambers TZOB) will issue the joint call. 
The call will be reiterated by the branches of the seven 
organizations in 81 Turkish provinces.  TOBB chairman Rifat 
Hisarciklioglu said the seven organizations represent 50-55 million 
people in Turkey. 
 
Three More People Detained in Ergenekon Case 
Sabah, Milliyet, Star, Vatan, Zaman, Radikal, Cumhuriyet and others: 
 Papers report that police detained Labor Party Secretary General 
Nusret Senem, Aydinlik magazine writer Hikmet Cicek and Ulusal Kanal 
TV Izmir Representative Hayati Ozcan yesterday in connection with 
the Ergenekon investigation.  Meanwhile, Former Istanbul University 
Rector Prof. Kemal Alemdaroglu, who was detained in connection with 
Ergenekon investigation and released this weekend, was hospitalized 
yesterday due to high blood pleasure. 
 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor in 
charge of the Ergenekon investigation warned the Court of Appeals 
Presidency about a possible attack.  Police recently discovered maps 
and sketches at the Labor Party Headquarters which showed weak 
security at the Court of Appeals. 
 
Turkey Responds to Cheney's Warnings Regarding Iran 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Vatan, Zaman and 
others:  Mainstream Sabah reported that VP Cheney told PM Erdogan 
that Iran was a threat to regional stability and Iran's uranium 
enrichment program is a threat to Turkey.  PM Erdogan, reportedly, 
responded to Cheney by saying "If we don't talk to Iran, who is 
going to give the right message to Iran?"  Meanwhile, mainstream 
Vatan reports a U.S. official responded to Erdogan's statement that 
Cheney did not ask for troops to Afghanistan by saying, "The U.S. 
did ask Turkey to send more troops to Afghanistan, but the Turkish 
government declined support for operations in Afghanistan." 
Mainstream Hurriyet writes, "President Gul told Cheney that northern 
Iraqi leader Massoud Barzani should expel the PKK from his region of 
influence," and after that, "Turkey will increase its support for 
 
ANKARA 00000568  003 OF 003 
 
 
Iraq." In conclusion, Hurriyet writes, "Turkish and U.S. officials 
see Cheney's visit as a continuation of the strategic dialogue 
between Turkish and American leaders." 
 
Mainstreams Milliyet, Vatan, Sabah and Hurriyet report that during a 
round table in Israel Cheney called Barzani 'President,' referred to 
northern Iraq as 'Kurdistan,' and called his visit to northern Iraq, 
"the first summit for Kurdistan."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
writes in "I Came to Turkey Because Bush Wanted Me To," that Cheney 
told the Israeli reporters, "This was my first summit meeting in 
Kurdistan."  Mainstream Milliyet also notes Cheney used the word 
"Kurdistan" in Israel, but not in Turkey. 
 
TV Highlights 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Vice-President Dick Cheney and his family visited Topkapi Palace 
in Istanbul. 
 
- On Tuesday, four policemen and one student were injured when 
fighting flared up between rival student groups at Ankara 
University. 
 
- 14 suspects were arrested in connection with Nevruz celebrations 
in the eastern city of Van. 
 
International News 
 
- Israel will let Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas deploy 
hundreds of his security forces in the West Bank city of Jenin after 
they complete a U.S.-funded training in Jordan. 
 
- General David Petraeus said he has evidence that Iran was behind 
the bombardment of the Green Zone in Baghdad on Easter Sunday. 
 
- A report by the British-based Jane's Information Group says Iraq 
has emerged as a more stable country than Afghanistan, thanks to 
lower violence, the presence of a large U.S.-led international force 
and high oil prices. 
 
WILSON