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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000583 
 
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 
FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
President Gul Meets With Opposition Leaders to Defuse Tensions 
All papers report President Abdullah Gul met Thursday with 
opposition leaders Deniz Baykal (CHP), Devlet Bahceli (MHP), and 
Muhsin Yazicioglu (BBP) at the presidential palace.  Papers report 
the rising domestic political tensions and the AKP closure lawsuit 
were not discussed at the meetings.  Instead, the talks focused on 
foreign policy and security.  After the meetings, Gul issued a call 
to defuse political tensions at home.  Mainstream Vatan writes on 
its front page, "Gul warned that the U.S. was preparing to withdraw 
its troops out of Iraq," and that "Turkey's domestic political 
tensions should not be allowed to undermine the fight against 
terrorism."  Gul emphasized, "We should not deviate from stability 
and democracy," he noted.  Mainstream Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila 
writes, "Gul sent a message to politicians by warning them to avoid 
chaos." 
 
CHP Leader DenizBaykal told reporters that, during his meeting with 
President Gul, they discussed security and foreign policy matters. 
"We discussed the Turkish military operations against the PKK in 
northern Iraq, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's visit, U.S. Vice 
President Dick Cheney's visit, and the Nevruz incidents," said 
Baykal. 
 
Taraf Correspondent Taken Into Custody for Violating Ergenekon 
Reporting Ban 
Leftist Taraf writes on page one Soner Arikanoglu, the Taraf 
correspondent who reported March 24 Ergenekon planned to attack the 
Court of Appeals (Yargitay), was taken into custody within the scope 
of the investigation into the organization.  Taraf also reports on 
page one that during raids on Workers' Party (IP,) police found 
detailed security plans for the military General Staff (TGS) Chief 
Yasar Buyukanit during his visits to the Aegean cities of Izmir and 
Balikesir in 2005.  The paper claims General Buyukanit, too, was a 
target of the Ergenekon underground terrorist network. 
 
More than 30 people have been charged in the investigation into the 
Ergenekon network. Allegations against the group include engineering 
a coup against the ruling AKP government in 2009.  Among those 
detained were Dogu Perincek, head of the Labor Party, former rector 
of Istanbul University Kemal Alemdaroglu, and editor of the 
left-leaning and nationalist Cumhuriyet daily Ilhan Selcuk. 
Alemdaroglu and Selcuk were released a few days after they were 
detained.  Neither was charged with a crime.  Ergenekon was 
suspected of being behind two bombings on the Cumhuriyet offices in 
Istanbul last year.  Turkish press has reported the gang was also 
behind the assassination of Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. 
 
 
Constitutional Court President Calls for Moderation on AKP Closure 
Case 
Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Radikal, Zaman and others:   Mainstream 
Milliyet reports that regarding the AKP closure case, Constitutional 
Court President Hasim Kilic said "everyone should review their 
responsibilities.  The rise in tensions will not serve for the 
advantage of anyone. We should fulfill the responsibility of living 
together.  I do not have any concerns as long as the institutions 
work.  Problems will be solved within the framework of laws." 
Mainstreams Sabah and Vatan report Osman Can, Constitutional Court 
Reporter, submitted his recommendation regarding the AKP closure 
case to the Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Thursday.  Vatan says 
the Constitutional Court will either accept or reject the indictment 
on Monday.  Liberal Radikal reports that the preliminary assessment 
of the report will be made on Monday.  Sabah columnist Emre Akoz 
says in his column that "the AKP should use all political and 
judicial ways to prevent the closure of the party and that everyone 
who cares about the unity and stability of the country should 
support them."  Milliyet columnist Hasan Cemal says "the AKP closure 
case is the last hoop in the chain of developments against democracy 
 
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since the 2002 elections.  Who ever took part in the 'judicial coup' 
is also responsible for the regime crisis." 
 
Meanwhile, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports that Turkish 
Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) chairperson 
Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag continues efforts to ease the tension in the 
country.  Within this framework, she paid a visit to Parliament 
Speaker Koksal Toptan for "the call for common sense in Turkey." 
Later she visited Revolutionary Labor Unions Confederation (DISK) 
chairman Suleyman Celebi with the same purposes. 
 
General Buyukanit in Cyprus 
Milliyet,Sabah, Hurriyet, Yeni Safak, Vatan, Bugun and others:   On 
the second day of his visit to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus 
(TRNC), Chief of Turkish General Staff (TGS) General Buyukanit 
visited a Mehmetcik village in the Karpas region of the TRNC and 
said that the isolation of Turkish Cypriots is an atrocity. 
Meanwhile, Sabah reports a street in northern Cyprus was named after 
Buyukanit. 
 
Editorial Commentary on AKP Closure Case 
 
In Islamist-leaning Yeni Safak, Yasin Dogan wrote (3/28): "An 
elitist group in this country wants to rule on its own and provoke a 
crisis based on the values only they defend.  In the midst of these 
efforts, the will of the people is ignored and democracy is set 
aside.  Certain movements are thrown out via anti-democratic means. 
All of this makes it impossible for a contemporary political debate 
to occur on democratic platforms." 
 
Ismet Berkan wrote in liberal Radikal (3/28): "The AKP stands at a 
crossroads.  The party can either try to prevent its closure case by 
amending the Constitution, which may lead to a referendum.  However, 
a referendum will cause domestic tensions to peak.  If the AKP 
continues to focus on preparing its defense it in its closure case, 
domestic tensions will not be as high.  It is not likely that the 
AKP will do this.  But a long term strategy that demonstrates 
sincerity and commitment to secular values will only boost the AKP's 
credit.  Even if the court process leads to closure, the AKP will be 
the winner in the long-term." 
 
In mainstream Hurriyet, Ertugrul Ozkok wrote (3/28): "Everybody 
makes calls for compromise and reconciliation.  There are some basic 
principles on which we can and we should reconcile.  First of all, 
we should all agree on the fundamental and unchangeable values of 
Turkish Republic.  In particular, we should not try to redefine 
secularism.  Second, we should agree on the fact that winning a 
narrow majority of votes does not necessarily mean one can impose 
his own mandate; democracy also represents the views of the 
minority.  Thirdly, we should dispose of favoritism based on 
religious inclinations exhibited by public appointments." 
 
In Turkish Daily News, Mehmet Ali Birand advised (3/28): "If the 
government had taken enough care to promote relations with the EU 
and had achieved the reforms as required, Turkey would not have 
plunged into chaos because of the turban.  In addition, the Turkish 
public would not have developed such a suspicious attitude towards 
the AKP.  Let's not forget that full EU membership is the best 
possible guarantee of the secular system.  EU values are the most 
important guarantee for religious freedom, as well as personal 
freedoms. We are about to lose the anchor that is Europe. Let's hope 
the prime minister realizes what this means." 
 
TV News: 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Pro-Kurdish DTP leader Nurettin Demirtas appeared before the court 
in connection with comments he made during a Roj TV program. 
 
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- Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir has been acquitted in a case for 
preparing Kurdish-language posters. 
 
- Members of the Turkish Parliament welcome the calls issued by NGOs 
for defusing tensions in the public. 
 
International News 
 
- Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said Greek Cypriot leader 
Demetris Christofias gave the impression that he wants settlement on 
the divided island. 
 
- President Bush will visit Moscow to discuss the controversial 
missile defense shield with Russian President Putin. 
 
- Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said some allies were 
expected to announce decisions for sending additional troops to 
Afghanistan at the NATO meeting in Romania next week. 
 
 
 
WILSON