VZCZCXRO6413
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0670/01 0991412
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081412Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5847
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8810
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4100
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 2841
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 6526
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 6367
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2942
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFISS/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU
RHMFISS/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000670 
 
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 
TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
The Aftermath of Student Clashes at Akdeniz University 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Vatan, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Yeni 
Safak and others continue reporting on the aftermath of the clashes 
between students at Akdeniz (Mediterranean) University over the 
weekend, which intensified when two people opened fire.  The gunmen 
were identified as Omer Ulusoy (34) and Tahir Kara (19).  Both were 
supporters of the opposition right-wing MHP party.  Kara was 
captured but Ulusoy escaped and is still at large.  Ulusoy has a 
police record that includes drug smuggling, blackmail, molestation, 
and assault. 
 
Mainstream Vatan says nationalists raided the university campus when 
two students from Yalova (near Istanbul) were beaten up by students 
from southeastern Turkey on March 7.  Vatan says, "Nationalist 
students raided the campus in revenge."  Mainstream Sabah reports 
right-wing MHP leader Devlet Bahceli fired all the employees at 
Antalya's MHP branch when it was learned that Ulusoy frequently 
visited the party headquarters.  Akdeniz University Rector Professor 
Mustafa Akaydin expressed concern that the escalation of violence in 
universities might trigger a new military takeover similar to that 
in 1980.  All papers point to the "dangerous signals" coming from 
universities, recalling the terrible events that led to the 1980 
military coup began with clashes like these at universities. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Unrest in Universities 
 
"Those Notorious Figures Are Back" 
Okay Gonensin wrote in mainstream Vatan (4/8): "This same kind of 
game has been played twice before.  First, in 1971 Turkey was seized 
by student clashes, which ended in a military coup on March 12.  The 
second plot was staged once again and ended in a horrible massacre. 
Unfortunately, Turkey could not understand the trap that was the 
September 12, 1980 military coup.  These games were staged by the 
same notorious players; and we had the same political parties in 
both cases.  It is hard to tell whether Turkey will fall into a 
similar trap for the third time.  If common sense is replaced by 
emotions, and if hate overshadows other feelings, Turkey may be 
dragged into a vicious cycle.  Beware, for this game has just 
started.  Erdogan, Baykal and Bahceli, have a very important 
responsibility to not allow the Turkish people to fall into the same 
trap again." 
 
"Alarming Signals From Universities" 
Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet (4/8): "Turkey has gone 
through enough experience to take a lesson from of ideological 
polarizations.  People once killed each other based on being on the 
left or right, or being revolutionary or nationalist.  Recent 
clashes in universities are somehow different than previous 
polarizations.  What we see this time is a polarized society based 
on 'Turkish and Kurdish" and "secular and anti-secular."  The impact 
of this polarization emerged in universities because young people 
are open to provocations due to hyper emotions and excitements. 
Turkish political institutions must take these alarming signals 
coming from universities very seriously.  They must not repeat the 
mistakes that were made on the eve of September 12, 1980 coup." 
 
"The Seeds of Provocations" 
Tamer Korkmaz wrote in Islamist-leaning Yeni Safak (4/8): "While the 
AKP faces a court case for closure, Turkey is witnessing efforts to 
create chaos.  The dark players of the 'destabilizing Turkey' game 
are back on the stage as we see a replica of events like those prior 
to the September 12, 1980 coup.  University clashes and bomb 
attempts by children bombers speak of nothing but provocation.  Even 
before the July 2007 general elections, several attempts to create a 
chaotic situation in the country failed.  None of them worked.  And 
the current efforts are also doomed to fail." 
 
The AKP Board's New Roadmap 
 
ANKARA 00000670  002 OF 003 
 
 
All papers report on Monday, the AKP party board met with Prime 
Minister Erdogan to draw a "roadmap" to follow during its party 
closure hearings.  Papers comment the AKP will first present a 
"democratization package" to parliament, which reportedly includes 
changes to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code.  Mainstream Aksam 
says, "The government has turned its face toward the EU." 
Mainstream Sabah writes, "The AKP will prioritize EU-related reforms 
and will seek compromise with the opposition regarding their 
endeavors to change the constitution."  Namely, Sabah notes, the AKP 
"will try to reach an agreement with opposition parties regarding 
constitutional changes to make the closure of political parties more 
difficult." 
 
Meanwhile, in "The Need for Compromise Is Remembered When the AKP 
Faces a Closure Suit," leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet calls the 
AKP's closure suit, "a reminder that the AKP needs to seek 
compromise."  Murat Yetkin of liberal Radikal writes, "Erdogan 
understands that fierce debates harm his government, his party, and 
his country," and "he must take steps in line with his messages of 
compromise and cooperation."  Bilal Cetin of mainstream Vatan 
writes, "The AKP has dropped the idea of a public referendum on 
constitutional changes because of fears a referendum would lead to 
more tensions and intensified polarization." 
 
Suggested Changes to Article 301 Politicize the Presidency 
All papers report the AKP proposed a bill on Monday to amend Article 
301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which makes it a crime to "insult 
Turkishness." The bill requires prosecutors to receive approval from 
the president before they can charge someone for violating that 
section of the law.  It also reduces the sentence from three to two 
years, and suspends the prison terms of those convicted of violating 
Article 301.  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet writes, "The AKP 
government has shifted the responsibility for dealing with Article 
301 to President Abdullah Gul."  Mainstream Milliyet writes, 
"Finally, the government has taken the expected step for boosting 
Turkey's EU bid."  Liberal Radikal is disappointed with the proposal 
because it "politicizes the presidency" and "the essence of Article 
301 remains the same." 
 
TGS Compiles List of Pro-U.S. and Pro-EU Journalists, Academics, and 
Professionals 
Liberal Radikal reports the military General Staff (TGS) compiled a 
list of "NGOs with ties to the U.S. and the EU," that included, 
"journalists, authors, businesspeople, and academics in order to 
compile their attitudes towards the EU and the U.S." 
 
Photograph Used by AKP Women's Branch Mistakes Armenian Woman for a 
Turk 
Nationalist Ortadogu and liberal Radikal report that over the 
weekend, the ruling AKP women's branch gave a power-point 
presentation during a party meeting on the hardships Turkish women 
faced before the modern Turkish Republic was founded.  The subject 
of photograph used in the presentation was mistakenly described as a 
Turkish woman.   The picture was taken by Lieutenant Armin Wegner of 
the Ottoman Army, whose photographs have been widely used to support 
claims of an Armenian genocide at the hands of Ottomans during World 
War I, says Radikal.  The woman in the photo is actually an Armenian 
woman carrying her baby while crossing a Syrian desert on foot 
during the forced exile of Armenians in 1915-16. 
 
 
 
 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Pro-Kurdish DTP leader Nurettin Demirtas is interrogated in 
 
ANKARA 00000670  003 OF 003 
 
 
connection to three separate lawsuits for making terror propaganda. 
 
 
- Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said they were probing news 
reports about students wearing headscarves at a private high school 
in Istanbul. 
 
- EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU Enlargement 
Commissioner Olli Rehn will visit Turkey on April 10. 
 
International News 
 
- European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Turkey has 
to convince the EU that it is still interested in EU accession. 
 
- Aides to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said the Mahdi Army 
would be disbanded if senior religious leaders ordered it. 
 
WILSON