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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000860 
 
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, MAY 5, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
TGS Statements on Air Operations Against the PKK 
All weekend papers and TV channels reported that the Turkish General 
Staff (TGS) posted a statement on its website Saturday regarding the 
results of air operations near Mount Kandil in northern Iraq on May 
1st and 2nd.  According to the statement, "All targeted 
PKK/KongraGel installations in the Mount Kandil area were destroyed. 
 Among these installations, there were places where one terrorist, 
who tried to govern the terrorist organization, frequently stayed. 
According to preliminary assessments, as a result of this operation 
more than 150 terrorists were rendered ineffective.  The operation 
led to great panic among the members of the terrorist organization. 
It is believed that among those terrorists who were rendered 
ineffective were high-level officials."  Saturday's TV news and 
Sunday papers interpreted this statement as an indication that PKK 
leader Murat Karayilan was killed during the operations. 
 
Meanwhile, today's mainstream Hurriyet reports that President Gul 
spoke to reporters in Macedonia regarding the military operations 
against the PKK.  He noted, "Turkey's only target is the PKK 
terrorists.  Civilians in the region were not harmed." 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports that during a meeting with 
lawyers from Diyarbakir, Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) 
President Massoud Barzani said, "The PKK should abandon violence." 
Hurriyet and liberal Radikal report the KRG stated they will 
establish 40 security points along the border in order to prevent 
PKK infiltration from northern Iraq into Turkey. 
 
PM Erdogan Discusses AKP Ideology and Syria During Interview with 
Newsweek 
All papers report Newsweek magazine interviewed PM Erdogan, who told 
the magazine, "The AKP is not a party just for pious people, but is 
a party for the average Turk.  Our AKP government proves pious 
people can protect secularism.  Turkey has achieved success in 
balancing Islam, democracy and secularism.  We are absolutely 
against ethnic nationalism, regional nationalism and religious 
chauvinism.  Turkey's democracy could be a source of inspiration to 
the rest of the Islamic world."  When asked about talks between 
Israel and Syria, Erdogan said, "Due to Turkey's good bilateral 
relations with Israel and Syria, both of the countries wanted Turkey 
to enter into peace negotiations." 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Newsweek and Washington Post Articles on Turkey 
 
"Missing a Chance" 
Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan (5/5): "For politicians, 
political life includes the element of living in your own 
self-designed reality.  The more a politician is good at this, the 
more he can fool others as well.  There are some limits to this, of 
course, like Prime Minister Erdogan's recent Newsweek interview. 
Erdogan begins the interview with shiny and easy-listening remarks 
like, "The AKP is the party of average Turkish citizens."  He also 
said, "Our party proves that those who are religious can protect 
secularism." He even describes Turkey as "an inspiration for the 
rest of the Islamic world."  At this point the interviewer can't 
help but ask, "If you are that much of a liberal, then how do you 
explain the claims of anti-secularism that led to the closure case 
against the AKP?"  PM Erdogan could not come up with a good answer 
to this question, so he used his usual rhetoric, "This is an ongoing 
judicial case about which I cannot comment."  However by skirting 
these allegations, he missed an important opportunity.  He could 
have admitted some of the party's mistakes, which led to the closure 
case.  He could have expressed regret.  Such an approach would gain 
enormous credit vis-`-vis the Turkish public opinion." 
 
"Is the U.S. Leaning Toward Democracy in Turkey?" 
Washington-based Ali Aslan wrote in Islamist-oriented Zaman (5/5): 
"A May 2nd Washington Post editorial commented on the Bush 
administration's approach to the danger posed to Turkish democracy. 
 
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Washington's approach to this issue stopped short of choosing a side 
in the closure case, while the EU specifically sided with the AKP. 
It seems the Washington Post editorial could change some of the 
Turkey-related dynamics in the U.S. capital.  The Bush 
administration tried to take a neutral position regarding the 
struggle between democratic reformist civilian powers and the 
pro-status-quo military and judiciary.   The primary question at 
this point is can Washington stay neutral when democracy is at stake 
in Turkey?  Clearly, the U.S. neo-cons are under the influence of 
pro-secular groups in Turkey.  I wish the more democratic groups in 
Turkey could have a similar influence over neo-cons.  When it comes 
to Turkey-related issues, Secretary Rice listens to advice from Dan 
Fried and Matt Bryza.  Even though their role in shaping the current 
U.S. policy is unknown, it is for sure that anti-AKP lobbies in 
Turkey are doing their best to influence the Washington 
administration.  The more the American administration distances 
itself from anti-democratic and paranoid lobbies, the more it will 
gain ground in Turkey's democratic public opinion.  Let's hope that 
the Washington Post editorial becomes wake-up call." 
 
Turkish Schools Teach Moderate Islam in Pakistan. 
All media outlets cover the article published in The New York Times 
yesterday which reports that Turkish schools in Pakistan, run by 
supporters of Fethullah Gulen, teach a "gentler form of Islam." 
Islamist papers carry the report in a straightforward manner, while 
secularist papers carry the report with an air of sarcasm.  For 
example, mainstream Hurriyet writes, "New York Times Reporter 
Couldn't Find Enough Words to Praise Gulen."  Meanwhile, 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak writes, "The Gulen Movement Is A Global 
Movement."  Okay Gonensin of mainstream Vatan notes, "The New York 
Times claims there are between 3 and 5 million Gulen followers in 
Turkey.  There's a big difference between 3 million and 5 million, 
but if that is actually true, they could create the largest 
political party in Turkey."  Mainstream Sabah writes, "Moderate 
Islam Is Taught in Pakistan in a Total of Seven Schools."  Liberal 
Radikal writes "The New York Times praises moderate Islam," that is 
"taught by Fethullah Gulen schools." 
 
Turkey-EU Troika Meeting Overshadowed by Closure Case, May Day 
Tensions 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that Turkey and the EU Troika will 
meet tomorrow, but that the meeting "will be overshadowed by the 
closure case against the AKP."  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak notes, 
"EU officials will stress that the ban against the AKP is 
incompatible with European values."  Meanwhile, columnist Semih Idiz 
of mainstream Milliyet expresses concern that "the EU did not 
criticize the AKP's handling of May Day" which Idiz notes is also 
not compatible with European values.  Nevertheless, Zaman notes that 
"police brutality will be discussed," and "EU officials will say the 
police's intervention on May Day will harm Turkey," as "the image of 
police brutality will harm Turkey's image."  Saturday's Yeni Safak 
notes EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn identified "rifts in 
Turkey between extreme secularists and secularists, and between 
elites and the middle class."  Semih Idiz, in Milliyet, calls this 
characterization, "too simplistic to reflect the complicated social 
dynamics of Turkey." 
 
Secretary Rice in the Middle-East 
Milliyet reports U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited 
the Middle-East for the 15th time within two years and this time she 
met with Palestine leader Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister 
Ehud Barak.  Milliyet notes Rice criticized Israel for building 
housing units in the West Bank, stressed that the U.S. will support 
Syria-Israel peace negotiations as long as the negotiations do not 
cast a shadow over the Israel-Palestine peace negotiations, and 
emphasized that Syria must change its Lebanon policy. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
 
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Domestic News 
 
Professional Military Service begins in Turkey.  By the end of this 
year, reserve officers will no longer serve as commandoes.  By the 
end of 2009, privates will no longer serve as commandoes.  After 
2010, commando brigades will consist only of officers, 
non-commissioned officers and senior sergeants. 
 
Four PKK terrorists were captured in Hakkari. 
 
Unidentified people fired at the headquarters of Yeni Safak daily in 
Istanbul last night around midnight.  No injuries were reported, but 
there was material damage to the fifth floor of the building. 
 
A Vatan newspaper journalist and a photo journalist were beaten by 
the members of the Ismailaga religious community Mahmut Hoca in 
Beykoz district of Istanbul 
 
 
International News 
 
A cyclone killed more than 350 people in Myanmar 
 
Afghanistan security officials arrested two government employees on 
charges of links to Al-Qaeda and involvement in a plot to kill 
President Karzai 
 
Israeli PM Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas are planning to 
meet in Jerusalem this week. 
 
WILSON