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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000891 
 
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 
THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Rehn: "Everyone Knows The AKP Is Not A Shari'a Regime" 
Sabah, Milliyet, Zaman:  In an interview last night with CNN Turk, 
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn noted, "Everybody knows the 
AKP is not trying to push Shari 'a Law."  When asked about the AKP 
closure case, Rehn pointed out, "The EU expects the judiciary to 
reach a decision that is in line with EU values and standards." 
When asked whether the EU would respect the Constitutional Court 
decision, Rehn replied, "Respect for law is a basic European value. 
The court ruling will be acceptable when the court fulfills its 
duties in line with EU standards.  At the same time, we know there 
are provisions in the constitution that demand respect for 
international agreements, which means respect for the European 
Convention on Human Rights and the rulings of the European Court of 
Human Rights.  We expect respect for these provisions." 
 
Important Messages from TGS Chief General Buyukanit 
All papers:  In response to journalists' questions during the 
Israeli National Day reception yesterday, Chief of Turkish General 
Staff (TGS) General Yasar Buyukanit responded harshly to EU 
officials' criticisms concerning developments in Turkey.  Buyukanit 
emphasized, "Turkey can solve its problems and does not need the 
advice of anyone else."  He stressed that there should be no 
polarization in Turkish society.  When asked about the Kurdish 
Regional Government of Iraq (KRG), General Buyukanit said "There has 
been a positive change in the approach of the Massoud Barzani," who 
is KRG president.  Regarding claims that PKK leader Murat Karayilan 
was killed during last week's air operations, Buyukanit noted, "No 
names were mentioned.  We hit some frequently used targets on Mount 
Kandil. When we drop bombs we do not check identities."  Buyukanit 
added that Turkey gained "psychological supremacy in the fight 
against the PKK and the results would come soon." 
 
Inflation Tsunami Warning from UNDP Chair Kemal Dervis 
Sabah, Milliyet, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Vatan, Hurriyet and others: 
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) President Kemal Dervis 
told a conference in London, "Major economies' expansionist economic 
policies seek to prevent gridlock in their own markets, but these 
policies will lead to serious inflation and money supply problems in 
developing market economies."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet gave 
extensive, front page coverage to the issue with a headline 
"Inflation Tsunami."  Mainstream Sabah, Milliyet and Vatan report 
that Dervis told the Financial Times, "Over the last year, poor 
people on average have become 25 percent poorer.  During the next 
2-3 years, inflation will be a real problem and countries like 
Turkey and Brazil will be hit by an inflation tsunami." 
 
In a related report, liberal Radikal reports the UNDP urged Turkey 
to take immediate action to formulate a policy do deal with the 
challenges faced by the nation's youth.  According to the UNDP's 
"Youth in Turkey" report, five million of the twelve million youth 
in Turkey are unemployed.  Of those who are unemployed, one million 
are searching for jobs, 300,000 have lost their hope for employment, 
and 600,000 are physically handicapped and cannot work.  Moreover, 
2.2 million young women are "just sitting at home."  The report also 
described sexual discrimination regarding pressure to drop out of 
school; female secondary school students are nine times more likely 
than their male classmates to succumb to family pressure to drop out 
of school. 
 
DTP Members Meet with Talabani; Barzani Comments on Turkey-KRG 
Relations 
Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Star:  Papers report that DTP Deputy 
Group Chairman Ahmet Turk and his delegation met with Iraqi 
President Jalal Talabani in Suleymanie, northern Iraq.  During the 
meetings, President Talabani stressed, "The time to resolve issues 
with weapons has ended."  Papers speculate that the DTP delegation 
asked Talabani to openly oppose future Turkish air strikes in 
northern Iraq, but the delegation told the press they were in 
 
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northern Iraq in order to, "Strengthen bilateral cooperation and 
ties between Turkey and Iraq." 
 
Meanwhile, Kurdistan TV in northern Iraq quoted KRG President 
Massoud Barzani as saying, "the psychological barrier between the 
PKK and Turkey has been lifted.  New steps will be taken." 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Medvedev, Russia's New President 
 
"Will He Become Another Brezhnev?" 
Faruk Akkan wrote in Islamist Zaman (5/8): "While Medvedev's 
inaugural ceremony was splendid, it is unlikely that he will take 
power away from Putin immediately.  Given the fact that Putin 
enjoyed enormous popular support until his last week as president, 
it seems quite difficult for Medvedev.  Putin has managed to 
increase the power of the prime ministerial seat to the nearly the 
same level as the Kremlin.  According to a report by Levada, a 
Russian survey company, two out of three people believe that Putin 
will control Medvedev and thus will continue to rule the country. 
Some observers, on the other hand, point out that Medvedev's future 
is directly linked to the successful continuation of Putin-era 
policies.  Nevertheless, Putin will be actively engaged, especially 
regarding foreign policy.  There is even a possibility that 
constitutional amendments will turn the Kremlin's presidency into a 
symbolic position.  That is one of many possibilities, because the 
history of Russian leadership holds a unique place in history.  For 
example, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev was appointed temporarily by 
Communist Party and was only expected to serve for a short period. 
However, he successfully stayed in the Kremlin for eighteen years." 
 
"Politics Make for Strange Bedfellows" 
Sedat Sertoglu wrote in mainstream Aksam (5/8): "Russia is beginning 
to experience an odd friendship.  Medvedev is the new president 
onstage, but Putin stands by in the wings.  Medvedev comes from a 
legal background by education; thus the analogy can be made that 
Mevedev practices yoga, while Putin practices judo.  Medvedev's 
inaugural ceremony was spectacular and he delivered an impressive 
speech that highlighted the supremacy of law, human rights and 
freedoms.  However, it remains to be seen whether Medvedev can claim 
his own territory at the Kremlin.  That is the main question 
regarding Russian politics.  Will Putin be a shadow president, or 
will Medvedev be able to take the stage by himself?" 
 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- President Gul approved Social Security reforms and changes in 
article 301 of the penal code.  However, he vetoed the public 
accountant law. 
 
- CHP Deputy Haluk Koc was injured in a traffic accident in Ankara. 
 
- Main opposition CHP filed a censure motion against PM Erdogan in 
connection to police brutality during this year's May Day 
celebrations. 
 
 
Don Quixote's flag reads "CHP." From Islamist-oriented Zaman, May 8, 
¶2008. 
 
 
International News 
 
- Clashes erupted in the Lebanese capital yesterday between 
supporters of the western-backed government and those of 
Hezbollah-led opposition. 
 
 
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- The death toll in from the cyclone in Burma reaches 80,000. 
 
- Medvedev was sworn in as Russia's new president. 
 
- Clinton aides revel she lent herself $6.4 million to ailing 
campaign in the last month. 
 
 
From mainstream Sabah, May 8, 2008. 
WILSON