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Viewing cable 08ANKARA925, ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08ANKARA925 2008-05-13 14:24 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO3060
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0925/01 1341424
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131424Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6268
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8882
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4216
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 2925
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 6602
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 6432
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3010
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFISS/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU
RHMFISS/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000925 
 
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, MAY 13, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Nationalist KanalTurk TV Bought Out By Pro-Government Media Group 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others 
report Turkish stationary manufacturer, Koza Group, bought a 99.99 
percent stake in KanalTurk Television.  KanalTurk, a small private 
television channel, was Turkey's fiercest anti-AKP broadcaster.  The 
nationalist-leaning channel was the media sponsor of the 
secular-Kemalist Republic Rallies held in 2007 to protest Abdullah 
Gul's presidential candidacy.  Koza Group Chair Akin Ipek owns the 
pro-AKP, conservative-nationalist Bugun daily.  Leftist-nationalist 
Cumhuriyet claims Ipek is controversial sect leader Fettullah 
Gulen's "Number 2."  The value of the transaction has not been 
disclosed, but Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak estimates the price at 
around $60 million.  The paper expects KanalTurk owner Tuncay Ozkan 
will establish a new television channel. 
 
Papers: PKK Leader Bayik Hides in Iran 
Mainstream Sabah reports Turkey's Ambassador to Tehran, Selim 
Karaosmanoglu, asked the Iranian Foreign Ministry if Iran has any 
knowledge concerning the whereabouts of the fugitive PKK leader 
Cemil Bayik.  According to Turkish intelligence reports, Bayik fled 
to Iran after he escaped the latest Turkish air strikes against PKK 
positions on Mt. Kandil.  Iranian officials said they had no 
information Bayik was in Iran, and emphasized Iran saw the PKK as 
"terrorist group."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "The 
U.S. told Ankara Bayik is hiding in the city of Sakiz in Iran," 
because, "The U.S. was aware that Bayik went to Iran."  In addition, 
the paper argues, "Bayik has good ties with Tehran.  Washington 
expects Turkey to ask for the extradition of Bayik, but Tehran will 
reject the demand.  Washington, in this way, aims to disrupt the 
strategic cooperation between Iran and Turkey.  In 2002, Tehran 
turned down Turkey's extradition request for Bayik, who was hiding 
in Iran at that time," says Cumhuriyet. 
 
Turkey's Iraq Envoy Will Visit Baghdad Today 
Mainstream Sabah reports Turkey's Special Envoy to Iraq Ambassador 
Murat Ozcelik will travel to Baghdad on Tuesday.  Ozcelik, who met 
with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) PM Nechirvan Barzani in 
Baghdad last week, is not expected to visit northern Iraq. 
Discussions will include the strategic dialogue mechanism between 
the two countries and the controversial referendum on the oil-rich 
city of Kirkuk.  Ozcelik will also hold talks with the Iraqi 
Turkmen, reports Sabah. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Countering PKK Terrorism 
 
"In Order to Continue the Positive Process..." 
Hasan Cemal commented in mainstream Milliyet (5/13):  "Life for the 
PKK in northern Iraq gets more and more difficult with each passing 
day.  The meeting between Turkey's Special Envoy to Iraq Murat 
Ozcellik and the Kurdish Regional Government's Prime Minister 
Nechirvan Barzani resulted in harsh warnings for the PKK from KRG 
President Massoud Barzani.  However, the root of the problem is not 
in northern Iraq but in Turkey.  If a comprehensive solution is not 
initiated, the PKK will continue its existence.  It is not 
sufficient to address the PKK issue through efforts to reduce 
violence and poverty.  The aspect of Kurdish identity is extremely 
important.  If Kurdish identity is not taken into account, today's 
positive developments in northern Iraq will fail tomorrow." 
 
"The Other Aspect of Countering Terrorism" 
Bilal Cetin wrote in mainstream Vatan (5/13):  "During recent 
months, Turkey has taken important steps in the military aspect of 
countering terrorism.  Statements from the Turkish General Staff and 
the government claim the PKK's logistical support and its financial 
sources were eliminated due to Turkey's diplomatic initiatives. 
Most notable, Iran, Syria, and northern Iraq no longer tolerate the 
PKK.  Of course, the terrorist organization is not fully eliminated, 
but it definitely suffered psychological damage.  Nevertheless, at 
 
ANKARA 00000925  002 OF 002 
 
 
this point the important thing is for the government to implement 
other initiatives parallel to military and security measures.  As an 
example, is it possible to convince PKK members to benefit from the 
repentance law in Turkey and lay down their weapons?  Recently Prime 
Minister Erdogan urged PKK members to stop fighting and surrender. 
The prime minister's advisors believe this call will be heard by the 
PKK because, until the recent military operations, the PKK has never 
faced such heavy military blow." 
 
DTP Given Additional Time by Court to Submit Defense in Closure 
Case 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Zaman and others report 
the DTP, Turkey's main Kurdish party, was granted a one-month 
extension to submit its defense to the Constitutional Court in the 
lawsuit for closing down the party.  Meanwhile, papers report DTP 
deputy Emine Ayna was elected acting DTP chairman while a DTP 
delegation headed by the parliamentary group chief Ahmet Turk was 
holding talks in northern Iraq last week.  Turk said he was 
surprised by the move, but stressed the party administration would 
decide on leadership at the DTP congress in June. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Four members of the northern Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party 
(KDP) were arrested in Uludere in the border province of Sirnak for 
"spying" for the KDP's 'Parastin' intelligence agency.  The suspects 
were taking photos of military facilities in the region. 
 
- Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, the 
Duke of Edinburgh, will pay a state visit to Turkey on Tuesday.  The 
royal couple is scheduled to visit Ankara, Bursa, and Istanbul 
before departing Turkey late Friday.  It has been thirty-seven years 
since The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh last visited Turkey. 
 
- Director of the World Heritage Center Francesco Bandarin, who 
leads a four-member UNESCO team on an inspection tour of Istanbul, 
communicated positive impressions during the visit. 
 
International News 
 
- At least 10,000 people were killed in the powerful earthquake that 
struck south-west China's Sichuan province on Monday. 
 
- The Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia will meet in June to 
discuss ways to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. 
 
- An American woman was killed on Monday evening when Palestinians 
fired a Kassam rocket into Israel. 
 
WILSON