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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001000 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Erdogan Unveils Ambitious 'Southeast Action Plan' in Diyarbakir 
All news outlets report on Prime Minister Erdogan was in Diyarbakir 
Tuesday to unveil an "action plan" to boost social and economic 
development in southeast Turkey.  "What we are announcing today is a 
well-defined, scheduled and a funded action plan to remove regional 
differences in economic and social development, unemployment and 
migration," Erdogan told a closed hall meeting in the mainly Kurdish 
southeastern city.  Erdogan called the initiative "a turning point 
for Turkey."  In "Erdogan Takes Important Step In The Southeast," 
mainstream Milliyet says the plan envisages important steps in 
diverse fields such as economics, social life, education and health. 
 The paper says the cost of the package totaled 26.5 billion New 
Turkish Lira.  Mainstream Hurriyet reports in "Erdogan Pledges USD 
12.5 Billion Investment," regional provinces Diyarbakir, Sanliurfa 
and Gaziantep would be transformed into "attractive centers for 
investors."  The plan is expected to create new jobs for 3.8 billion 
people, report Hurriyet and nationalist-oriented Cumhuriyet. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says Erdogan described the package as a 
"historic liberation project." 
 
Addressing supporters in a closed hall in the city, Erdogan said the 
plan would boost development not only in the East and Southeast, but 
in all parts of Turkey.  "More democracy, more freedom, more 
investments and increased production are the solution to all 
problems," said Erdogan.  The PM added the government has 
"identified the sources for the funding, and has prepared a 
timetable for the implementation of the project."   He noted in the 
last five years, the AKP government made $8 billion worth of 
investments in southeast Turkey, adding the investments have helped 
change the outlook of cities in the region.  "All people living in 
Turkey are the free and equal citizens of the same nation," the PM 
emphasized.  Erdogan also said Turkey's state-run television is set 
to broadcast around-the-clock in "local languages."  "Our action 
plan and the new broadcast policy will constitute a social 
restoration to strengthen our social fabric and unity," said 
Erdogan.  In "Turkey Responds to Roj TV With TRT-Kurd," tabloid 
Aksam says the new TV channel would become an alternative to the 
pro-PKK Roj TV broadcasts in the region.  The new channel will air 
programs in Kurdish, Arabic and Persian 24 hours a day.  The 
broadcasts will also reach northern Iraq and Iran, says Aksam. 
 
Mainstream Vatan notes this was the 18th package unveiled for 
southeast Turkey over the last 25 years. 
 
 
Editorial Commentary on AKP's 'Southeast Action Plan' 
 
"The Southeast Project" 
Ergun Babahan wrote in mainstream Sabah (5/28):  "Turkey has taken a 
step toward bringing cultural rights and economic development to the 
southeast region.  This is the area where, prior to this development 
project, Turkey has tried only military initiatives.  The investment 
project for the southeast will put a serious burden on the overall 
national economy, but we have to acknowledge that this is the only 
way.  Every step we take to make our youth return home from the 
mountains deserves encouragement.  Cultural initiatives for this 
region should be diverse and a Kurdish television broadcast should 
be established.  This is the right time for taking action in this 
region because Turkey has dealt a serious blow to the PKK terrorist 
organization.  These steps are not concessions; these are rights to 
which our citizens are entitled.  Economic development and cultural 
rights can prevent terrorism, and let's hope that the projects are 
all pursued and implemented." 
 
"All Cards on the Table" 
Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan (5/28):  "It comes as no 
surprise that major political decisions are implemented prior to 
important elections.  The southeast project, as announced by Prime 
 
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Minister Erdogan, did not sound realistic.  He was basically 
promising a miracle in four years time; this comes right before the 
local elections.  The plan proposes irrigation projects on a total 
of 1.8 million hectares, the doubling of per capita income and the 
employment of 3.8 million people.  Interestingly enough, it took the 
AKP government six years to realize this region has potential. 
Better late than never!  The southeast project, unfortunately, has 
turned into a political dream card used by governments when they 
find it hard to stay in power.  I am afraid, this one, like the 
previous ones of former administrations, will be another one for 
this file." 
 
CHP's Sav Claims He Was Wiretapped 
Mainstream Vatan reports the main opposition CHP Secretary General 
Onder Sav's May 23 meeting with the former Governor of Bolu 
province, Ali Serindag, was reported in detail in the Islamist Vakit 
on May 26.  Sav expressed surprise that his meeting with Serindag on 
the Islamic sects, communities, and the AKP were nearly "transcribed 
verbadim" in the Vakit report.  "There was no one else in the room. 
Since the governor did not tell the press about our meeting, we were 
definitely wiretapped," Sav said.  Baykal has referred to the 
"Watergate" scandal while addressing his party group yesterday, 
saying "President Nixon was tried for wire-tapping his opponents." 
 
 
Gerceker: President Gul Will Help Resolve Judiciary-Government 
Tension 
All papers report Court of Appeals (Yargitay) President Hasan 
Gerceker told the press yesterday his meeting with President 
Abdullah Gul on Monday aimed at "easing tensions."  "It was a 
fruitful meeting.  I explained the problems of the judiciary.  The 
President said he would help resolve the problems," Gerceker told 
reporters while commenting on his meeting with Gul. 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says President Gul will also meet the 
Council of State (Danistay) president within the framework of his 
efforts to defuse tensions between the judiciary and the government. 
 
 
 
DTP Group Chairman Ahmet Turk Resigns, Expected to Lead Party 
Hurriyet, Zaman, Vatan, Aksam, Cumhuriyet, Sabah:  Papers report 
that Ahmet Turk resigned as the group chairman of the Democratic 
Society Party (DTP).  DTP Mardin deputy Emine Ayna replaced Turk. 
Hurriyet says that Turk is expected to run for DTP's leadership at 
the party convention in July. 
 
Investigation Launched Against Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Milliyet, Radikal, Bugun:  State investigations 
were launched against mainly Kurdish party DTP's Diyarbakir mayor 
Osman Baydemir and party's Diyarbakir provincial party chairman 
Nejdet Atalay.   The prosecutor is asking for five years' in prison 
for referring to PKK terrorists as "guerillas" in their address to a 
crowd at a February 23 protest against the cross border operations 
into northern Iraq. 
 
Meanwhile, liberal Radikal, leftist Taraf, and conservative Bugun 
report that singer Bulent Ersoy faces a three-year prison sentence 
for publicly saying "If I had a son I would not send my son to the 
military to fulfill his military service." 
 
TV News: 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Fifty people were detained in Diyarbakir while preparing to throw 
eggs and tomatoes at Prime Minister Erdogan. 
 
- Huseyin Kalkan, the DTP mayor of the southeastern city of Batman, 
has been sentenced to ten months in prison for spreading PKK 
 
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propaganda. 
 
- Turkey's prestigious business group TUSIAD said reforms in Turkey 
were backtracking, and warned against "populist" implementations in 
the economy. 
 
International News 
 
- The Iraqi Government said in a statement on Tuesday Water 
Resources Minister Abdullatif Jamal Rashid visited Turkey and Syria 
to ask for more water to ease the drought Iraq faces this year. 
Rashid said he has asked from PM Erdogan for more water from the 
Tigris and Euphrates for Iraq. 
 
- Iraq's National Security Council has asked PM Nuri al-Maliki to 
ensure that a pact under discussion to extend the U.S. troop 
presence beyond 2008 will not harm Iraqi national interest. 
 
- UK charity Save the Children says children in post-conflict areas 
are being abused by the UN peacekeeping forces drafted into such 
zones to help look after them. 
 
WILSON