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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000817 
 
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 29, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Istanbul Governor Warns against May 1 Rally in Taksim 
All media outlets report Istanbul Governor Guler told the press 
Monday he would not allow the labor unions to rally in Taksim Square 
in the heart of Istanbul on May 1 because they had received tip offs 
for armed attacks on the demonstrators.  Guler warned police would 
use force to stop the demonstrators from entering Taksim.  Papers 
recall Guler was criticized for police brutality during last year's 
May 1 demonstrations and blame the governor for instructing police 
to beat the workers again this year.  Liberal Radikal says labor 
unions will defy Guler, and insist on using their "constitutional 
and international rights" to stage peaceful demonstrations.  Prime 
Minister Erdogan will hold a meeting with labor union 
representatives today, papers report. 
 
Babacan: Turkish Meetings with Northern Iraq to Intensify 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others 
report Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that Turkish meetings with 
the Kurdish Regional Administration (KRG) representatives in 
northern Iraq would intensify.  "You might expect more contacts at 
different levels with the administration in northern Iraq," said 
Babacan, stressing such dialogue would be important both for the 
fight against the PKK and the economic relations with Iraq.  Papers 
expect Turkey's special Iraq envoy Ambassador Murat Ozcellik to 
travel to northern Iraq soon to meet KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan 
Barzani.  Liberal Radikal claims Ozcellik would also meet with KRG 
President Massoud Barzani. 
 
Ankara Wants to Host Middle East Peace Summit 
All papers report in a press conference on Monday, Foreign Minister 
Ali Babacan said Turkey would play an intermediate for a while in 
the talks between Israel and Syria.  At this stage there are no 
plans to bring together officials of the two countries, Babacan 
said, adding Turkey would continue to act as an intermediate to 
encourage the sides to restart direct negotiations. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak claims Ankara wants to host a Middle 
East summit.  Babacan added diplomatic efforts had been continuing 
for a year, and noted that both sides had asked Turkey for help. 
Meanwhile, Radikal and Yeni Safak cite the Israeli daily Haaretz' 
report that Prime Minister Erdogan would send his foreign policy 
advisor, Ahmet Davutoglu, to Jerusalem to brief Prime Minister 
Olmert about the PM's talks with President Asad.  Haaretz cites a 
source in Jerusalem who claims that Turkey is seeking a compromise 
that would allow peace talks between Israel and Syria to begin. 
 
Columnist Akif Emre wonders about Turkey's enthusiasm in Islamist 
Yeni Safak: "Both the government and media are drawing an 
enthusiastic picture of a Syria-Israel peace without even 
considering whether the conditions are right to accomplish this 
goal.  Syria should be the most enthusiastic one about this peace 
initiative given Israeli military supremacy over Syria and Iran.  On 
the other hand, Syria has strategic relations with Iran and supports 
Hizbullah.  Without the armed resistance of Hizbullah, Israel would 
probably never think about a peace deal with Syria.  We shall see 
who and what will be 'sold' by the Asad administration in exchange 
for peace with Israel.  As for Israel, a peace deal with Syria will 
ensure border security and push Iran out of the regional 
equilibrium.  However, there is also a question mark if Israel, from 
an internal political dynamics perspective, has enough political 
will to conclude a peace deal with Syria.  And does the US 
administration have the will to pressure for peace in the Middle 
East?  There is a price for Turkey in all of this as well.  Water 
resources will be one of the most critical aspects in a possible 
Syria-Israel peace deal.  Even if Israel withdraws from the Golan 
Heights, it will not give up its authority over water resources. 
And Turkey will have to be asked to supply water either to Israel or 
to Syria.  In other words, Turkey, while being a mediator, will end 
up paying the water bill." 
 
 
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Editorial Opinion on Afghanistan: 
"Afghanistan: A New Iraq?" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet (4/29): "The recent 
assassination attempt against Afghan President Karzai indicates that 
the country is becoming another Iraq when it comes to security and 
stability.  This was the fourth armed attack against Karzai in his 
seven year term, and it may not be the last.  The fact is that those 
who are against the Afghani regime are capable enough to attack the 
president at the very heart of country's capital city.  The Taliban 
gained a psychological victory with this attack.  After gaining full 
control over the eastern provinces of Afghanistan, they have started 
to attack in the cities.  The situation in Kabul is a serious blow 
against the US and its allies.  The reason for the US invasion was 
to save Afghanistan from the archaic Taliban regime.  Seven years 
later, the mission seems unaccomplished, and the Taliban seems to be 
resurrecting everywhere, even in the capital city.  Since the 
majority of coalition forces do not have combat roles, the Taliban 
can operate rather freely.  Unless the international community moves 
towards a more significant presence in Afghanistan, things will 
continue to work in favor of Taliban." 
 
Norway Does not Support PKK 
Liberal Radikal and tabloid Aksam report that Norwegian Foreign 
Minister Stoere is coming to Ankara tomorrow to improve tense 
relations between Norway and Turkey.  Responding to questions from 
Turkish press prior to his visit, FM Stoere said "Turkey is our NATO 
ally and has a significant geo-politic importance.  Turkey is like a 
bridge uniting a diversity of religions, cultures and customs.  We 
have joint views under the NATO umbrella.  We have a good dialog 
based on mutual respect and we want to continue this dialog." 
Responding to a question on the PKK, Stoere said "We don't call the 
PKK a terrorist organization because we accept the UN's terrorist 
list, not with the EU's.  Before defining an organization, we prefer 
to follow its activities and then decide.  We never supported the 
PKK.  We are Turkey's ally and close to Turkey, not the PKK". 
 
Provocation in Sakarya 
All papers report that tensions escalated in northwestern province 
Sakarya on Sunday when about one thousand nationalists attempted to 
raid a gathering organized by the DTP.  Mainstream Sabah reports 
that around 800 people attending DTP's "peace and brotherhood night" 
remained locked in a wedding hall for seven hours.  One person at 
the age of 65 died of heart attack in the hall. 
 
Military Court Releases DTP Chairman Nurettin Demirtas 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Milliyet, Yeni Safak, Vatan, and others:  A 
military court released 52 people including DTP Chairman Nurettin 
Demirtas in the court case on charges of producing fake health 
documents to evade military service, pending trial. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Labor unions insist on celebrating May Day in Taksim Square 
despite warnings by Istanbul Governor that Taksim would not be open 
to rallies. 
 
- A court in Istanbul said Monday Trabzon police officials erased 
the records of the phone conversations made by Erhan Tuncel, a key 
suspect in the murder of Armenian Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. 
 
- The Chief of the military General Staff (TGS) Yasar Buyukanit said 
the soldiers killed by terrorists increased the military's 
determination to combat terror. 
 
International News 
 
- The Financial Times writes Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, has 
 
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failed to implement further reforms and is locked in arm-wrestling 
with the judiciary. 
 
- More than 700 antiquities stolen during the invasion of Iraq in 
2003 were returned to the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad.  The 
museum remains closed to the public due to the violence and lack of 
security. 
 
- Israel says it has launched a new communications satellite from 
Baikonur, Kazakhstan. 
 
WILSON