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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000797 
 
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, APRIL 28, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Deniz Baykal Reelected Party Chairman at CHP Congress 
All news outlets report on Deniz Baykal's reelection as party 
chairman of the main opposition CHP at a party convention held in 
Ankara over the weekend.  Baykal, who ran as the sole candidate, 
received 1021 votes of 1105 party delegates, and the remaining 84 
votes were invalid.  Baykal's challengers Haluk Koc, Umut Oran, and 
Ayhan Yalcinkaya could not run for the party leadership because they 
failed to collect the signatures of 20 percent of the total 1231 
delegates.  Reports say that Baykal reshuffled party council members 
and board members, removing dissenting voices until at least the 
local elections to be held in 2009. 
 
In his three-hour long speech to the congress, Baykal emphasized 
secularism.  "Everyone will have the right to teach children 
religion, but the state will remain secular as well as our legal and 
education system.  This golden synthesis of Islam and secularism 
exists only in Turkey," Baykal said.  He lashed out at the West for 
not supporting Turkey when Turks were struggling for independence 
for building a democracy after World War I.  Baykal also recalled 
the alleged involvement of the US in the 1980 military takeover in 
Turkey, claiming the West had adopted a hypocritical attitude 
concerning Turkey and democracy. 
 
A Sunday column in mainstream Vatan writes that at the congress, 
"Baykal did not propose a solution to the problems Turkey faces.  He 
recommended opponents leave the CHP and set up a new political 
party.  The CHP is small and will remain small.  Anyone who asks 
questions will be expelled, but the CHP will remain Deniz Baykal's. 
No one should be hopeful about the next convention either, because 
Baykal will be re-elected once again by rigging the delegate 
structure as he wants.  That would guarantee the success of the AKP 
or the party that will replace it in the next general elections." 
 
 
Erdogan Visits Damascus for Israel-Syria Peace 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and 
others report on Saturday, Prime Minister Erdogan paid a one-day 
visit to Damascus where he officially conveyed a messae from Israel 
to Syrian President Bashar Asad that Israel is ready to withdraw 
from the Golan Heights in return for a lasting peace with Syria. 
Papers say 
President Asad thanked Erdogan for Turkey's mediation and underlined 
that direct talks between Syria and Israel could be possible with 
the help of the new US administration following the presidential 
elections in November.  Asad stressed Syria was prepared to continue 
cooperation with Turkey in order to achieve security and stability 
in the region.  On his return home Saturday, Erdogan told reporters 
Turkey would do its best to see that the existing "adverse 
situation" in the region goes away.  He voiced hope that talks will 
conclude positively.  Responding to a question, Erdogan confirmed 
that a Turkish envoy would be visiting Israel, but did not 
elaborate. 
 
Papers report Israeli Ambassador to Turkey Gabby Levi said Israel 
and Syria might first hold low-level talks in Turkey, to be followed 
up next year by a leaders' summit after the presidential elections 
in the US.  Mainstream Sabah quotes former Israeli Foreign Ministry 
Undersecretary Alon Liel as saying Erdogan receive the Nobel Peace 
Prize for brokering a peace between Israel and Syria. 
 
Editorial Opinion: Turkey's Effort for Mediating on the Syria-Israel 
Dispute 
 
"The US-Syrian Relation is Problematic" 
Washington-based Omer Taspinar wrote in leftist Taraf (4/28): "Two 
days before Turkish PM Erdogan's trip to Syria, the US Congress 
started discussing a report on Syria's nuclear program, helped by 
North Korea.  This story, for some reason, did not make any big news 
 
ANKARA 00000797  002 OF 003 
 
 
in the Turkish media.  Turkey, while remains enthusiastic to mediate 
between Syria and Israel, it should also watch closely the 
developments in Washington on this issue.   On the Israel-Syria 
negotiations, I don't see a single voice in Washington.  There is a 
serious difference of opinion between the US State Department and VP 
Cheney's office.  While Rice tries to be pragmatic and 
result-oriented with Middle East problems, Dick Cheney acts like a 
genuine hawk.  The report about the North Korean-Syrian cooperation 
on a nuclear program gives an enormous opportunity to the 
administration's hawks because they can put more pressure on Syria, 
North Korea and Iran.  The details about the Syria-Israel talks that 
Turkey seems enthusiastic to mediate are all unknown.  Turkey seems 
optimistic but there are serious question marks in Washington.  It 
remains to be seen whether White House hawks are really looking for 
a solution.  An American official was commenting in a sarcastic way 
when he said 'one has to appreciate that Turkey is working very hard 
for Middle East peace while it already has a lot of its own 
problems.'  There is a hidden message in this sarcasm." 
 
 
Erdogan-Sarkisian Exchange Goodwill Messages 
Papers report over the weekend and Monday the prime ministers of 
Turkey and Armenia voiced a desire to normalize ties between the two 
neighboring countries.  Prime Minister Erdogan said in a 
congratulatory message to his new Armenian counterpart Tigran 
Sarkisian that in this new era, Turkey-Armenia ties can contribute 
to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.  Erdogan 
underlined that the earlier Turkish proposals made to the Armenian 
side were "still on the table."  Sarkisian response said that direct 
bilateral talks would help resolve problems and confirmed "the 
readiness of the Armenian government for a constructive dialogue and 
establishment of normal ties between the two countries, without 
conditions."  "Both of us bear a historic mission to created an 
atmosphere of mutual trust, without which dialogue and a solution to 
the existing problems will be impossible," 
 
Two Soldiers Killed in Clash with PKK 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet,Cumhuriyet, Vatan and others:  Two 
soldiers were killed in a clash with PKK terrorists in Bingol 
province.  Meanwhile Sunday's Hurriyet reports that the Turkish 
General Staff announced that two separate air strikes were launched 
in Northern Iraq against PKK terrorists trying to infiltrate into 
Turkey, and that the operation was backed by land forces. 
 
US: "We Don't want to be a side in AKP Closure Case" 
Mainstream Milliyet on Sunday reported that speaking at the US House 
of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee's European Sub 
Committee, US Under Secretary of State Dan Fried said on AKP closure 
case and secularism discussions in Turkey that "the current 
disagreement should be resolved within the framework of democracy 
and the constitutional secular system.  We do not want to be a side 
in this issue."  Today's Milliyet carries the reactions of the AKP 
deputies to the remarks of Fried.  While some AKP deputies saying 
that political parties are assurances of secularism, some others 
said that "what the US or EU says is not important." 
 
Editorial Opinion: AKP Closure Case/US-Turkey 
 
"US Fine Tuning on the Closure Case" 
Semih Idiz wrote in mainstream Milliyet (4/28): "The European Union 
initially evaluated the AKP closure case solely in a democracy 
context, but soon after added an emphasis on secularism.  It looks 
like the US is following suit.  A recent statement by Dan Fried on 
the closure case is the latest example of this following Secretary 
Rice's earlier speech at ATC expressing hope to see a decision 
within secular and democratic values.  Only a few days before Rice's 
statement, Department Spokesman McCormack talked about the necessity 
to interpret Turkey's laws and constitution free from political 
influence, which was seen as support for the ruling AKP.  Washington 
has felt the need to fine tune its approach and clues of this can be 
 
ANKARA 00000797  003 OF 003 
 
 
found in statements of both Rice and Fried.  Washington is following 
the closure case very closely because the result will have an impact 
on American regional policies.  Prominent opinion makers in the US 
have started to warn Washington about the seriousness threat of 
religious fundamentalism here, and this has had an impact on 
Washington's fine tuning its rhetoric.  Washington realizes that if 
it intrudes, it may negatively affect the debate in Turkey on the 
issue.  Therefore, the US will maintain a neutral approach.  It will 
not go beyond expressing hope for a solution under the framework of 
democracy and constitutional secularism." 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The trial of suspects charged with killing Armenian Turkish 
journalist Hrant Dink will continue in Istanbul on Monday. 
 
- On Tuesday, the parliament is to discuss the amendments to the 
controversial Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. 
 
- The second 'Azerbaijan-Turkey Media Conference' will take place in 
Baku on Tuesday. 
 
International News 
 
- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Ali Hosseini said a US 
attack on Iran is "unlikely" because the American military is bogged 
down in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
 
- Hamas leader in exile Khaled Mashaal told al-Jazeera television 
the Palestinian militant group would accept an Egyptian proposal for 
a cease-fire with Israel. 
 
- The United States Priority Watch List named China and Russia as 
among the worst violators of intellectual property rights.  Turkey 
was removed the list. 
 
WILSON