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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000781 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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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, APRIL 25, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Bush, Menendez, Pelosi on Anniversary of 'Events of 1915' 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak 
and others report Robert Menendez, the US Democratic Senator who two 
years ago vetoed the nomination of Richard Hoagland as ambassador to 
Armenia, has said he will do the same if President Bush's new 
ambassadorial nominee Masha Yanukovitch also fails to characterize 
the mass killing of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turkish forces 
in 1915-16 as "genocide."  Menendez said if Yanukovitch does not 
respond to the questions during Senate confirmation hearing in a 
satisfactory way, he would "not hesitate to place a hold" on her 
nomination. 
 
Papers report during a commemoration meeting in Congress, House 
Speaker Nancy Pelosi told several pro-Armenian lawmakers that both 
the US Administration and Congress were late in designating the 
Armenian killings as "genocide."  She called on the Congress to pass 
genocide resolutions.  Pelosi told mainstream Milliyet that the 
'events of 1915' had nothing to do with the existing Turkish state, 
and "it happened during the Ottoman Empire."  Papers also report 
President Bush avoided the word "genocide" in a message released 
April 24 to commemorate the killings. 
 
Sarkisian: Yerevan to Step up Efforts for Armenian Genocide 
Recognition 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Vatan, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others report 
Armenia's new president Serzh Sarkisian vowed Thursday that his 
administration would step up efforts for international recognition 
of the 'genocide' of Armenians during World War I.  The remarks came 
only days after Ankara said it was seeking dialogue with the new 
Armenian administration, says mainstream Hurriyet.  Papers report 
the Turkish flag was trampled on during official ceremonies held 
yesterday in Yerevan to mark the anniversary of the killings.  Under 
the headline "Hateful Commemoration in Yerevan," mainstream Vatan 
says thousands of people trampled the Turkish flag.  The 
demonstrators burned a Turkish flag in an earlier rally in Yerevan. 
 
 
'What Happened in 1915?' Conference in Istanbul 
Mainstream Milliyet reports the Human Rights Association (IHD) held 
Thursday an Armenian conference, "What Happened on April 24, 1915," 
at Istanbul's Bilgi University.  Ara Sarafian, the head of the 
Gomidas Institute in London, said there were around two million 
Armenians living in Anatolia during the Ottoman Empire before 1915. 
"Today it is not possible to find any historical or social mark 
memorializing them," said Sarafian.  "The Armenian question would be 
resolved here, not anywhere else.  It could be resolved through 
jointly working with independent Turkish academics," said Sarafian, 
stressing he wouldn't work with "official historians" who were in 
fact "public servants." 
 
Asad Confirms Turkey Intermediates for Syria-Israel Peace 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and 
others report Syrian President Bashar Assad confirmed yesterday to 
Qatari daily al-Watan that Prime Minister Erdogan called him Tuesday 
to convey a message from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that Israel was 
ready to withdraw from the Golan Heights in exchange for peace with 
Syria.  Assad noted Turkey has been intermediating between Israel 
and Syria since April 2007.  He said direct talks with Israel might 
be kicked off after the presidential elections in the US. 
Mainstream Milliyet reports Prime Minister Erdogan is to travel to 
Syria on April 26-27 to participate in the first meeting of the 
Turkey-Syria economic forum.  Erdogan will meet Assad and Prime 
Minister Mohammed Naji Otri. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Israel-Syria/Turkey 
 
"The Ankara Dove" 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah (4/25): "The ongoing 
 
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speculation about Turkey's mediation between Syria and Israel was 
confirmed by Syrian leader Beshar Assad.   'The Prime Minister of 
Turkey has informed me about Israel's readiness to withdraw from the 
Golan Heights in exchange for a lasting peace' Assad said.  This is 
a result of Turkey's mediation efforts since April of last year, but 
the history of this goes back to 2004 when Assad visited Turkey, the 
first Syrian presidential visit to Ankara in 57 years. He told 
Turkish officials about Syrian intentions to make peace with Israel 
and implied Damascus' readiness to see Turkey as a mediator.  Now, 
Prime Minister Erdogan will soon leave for Damascus with the intent 
to accomplish the mission.  However, it is not realistic to expect 
both sides to sit down immediately and begin direct negotiations. 
Syria wants direct negotiations with Israel under US sponsorship. 
This is not possible with the current US administration with Syria 
in the axis of evil category.  The process will have to wait for a 
new US administration.  Washington can make it happen or can cut off 
the process." 
 
"Turkey, the Official Mediator" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet (4/25): "Following Assad's 
statement, the ongoing efforts by Turkey to mediate a peace between 
Israel and Syria is no longer a secret.   As Assad revealed, this 
secret diplomacy centers on peace in exchange for a return of the 
 
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Golan Heights to Syria.  His statement is a bit premature, but it 
presents hope for the Middle East and it's important  to keep the 
momentum going.  Turkey's key role in this process comes as no 
surprise.  By having good relations with both Syria and Israel and 
being a reliable country, Turkey is one of the very few countries 
that can accomplish such a mission.   But, we are just beginning a 
tough and long process.  If Israel is ready to  return the Golan 
Heights in exchange for peace, other details, including security 
issues, Israeli settlements and water resources, will be the thorny 
part.    According to former President Carter, who recently visited 
the region and met with Assad, there is agreement on the issues of 
borders, water resources and international inspection.  If that is 
true, then we should be optimistic for the future of this process." 
 
MGK Meeting Calls for 'Consultations with All Iraqi Groups' 
All papers report a declaration issued at the end of yesterday's 
Turkey's National Security Council (MGK) meeting said the MGK 
"agreed that it would be in Turkey's interests to continue 
consultations with all Iraqi groups and movements."  Papers 
interpret this as "positive signals" from Ankara for a possible 
dialogue process with Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish regional 
administration head in northern Iraq.  Mainstream Sabah says Barzani 
has recently indicated he wants to improve ties with Turkey, and 
that he was ready for talks.  The MGK meeting signaled a new period 
in ties with Iraq, according to Sabah. 
The declaration also stressed the Armenian diaspora's efforts to 
garner support for its "ungrounded accusations" would produce no 
results.  The MGK also discussed the PKK, Cyprus, and Armenia. 
 
Leading AKP Figure Criticizes Party Policies 
Hurriyet, Vatan, Radikal and Cumhuriyet report AKP lawmaker, Vahit 
Erdem, critiqued his party policies in a local newspaper in his 
election district of Kirikkale.  Erdem said the AKP's constitutional 
amendments concerning headscarf freedom were "wrong."  "The 
headscarf is neither a religious nor a political priority, it has to 
be resolved through compromise," Erdem said.  He emphasized the AKP 
hasn't managed to become a "center-right party."  Erdem also 
theorized the AKP's election vote total would have been  below 40 
percent if last April's controversial presidential election process 
had not happened. 
 
Baykal Expected to Keep Chairmanship at CHP Congress 
All papers report the main opposition Republican People's Party 
(CHP) general congress will kick off over the weekend in Ankara. 
During the two-day gathering, CHP leader Deniz Baykal could face as 
many as four challengers -- namely Haluk Koc, Umut Oran, Tolga 
Yarman, and Ayhan Yalcinkaya -- for the party helm.  Businessman 
 
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Umut Oran, the youngest challenger, said he would beat Baykal at the 
congress if he was backed by 253 delegates for nomination.  Oran 
said he aims for not only the party leadership, but also the prime 
ministry.  Baykal's supporters, however, are confident he can win 
another term.  Papers voice doubt that Baykal's rivals could even 
find the necessary support of 253 votes from the party delegates in 
order to run for the top post in the party. 
 
TV Highlights 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Turkish General Staff (TGS) has confirmed press reports that 
Turkish warplanes attacked the PKK targets in northern Iraq on April 
¶23. 
 
- Constitutional Court vice-president Osman Paksut said EU 
statements concerning the lawsuit for banning the AKP would have no 
impact on judges. 
 
- Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir has been acquitted in a lawsuit 
for inciting hatred with his remarks that "Diyarbakir is the Kurds' 
stronghold." 
 
International News 
 
- Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said Turkey might cooperate with Royal 
Dutch Shell in oil exploration in Iraq. 
 
- Armenians in Iran have not been allowed to rally to commemorate 
the events of 1915. 
 
- Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Thursday parties that walked 
out of Iraq's government last year have agreed to rejoin the 
cabinet. 
 
WILSON