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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000940 
 
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 15, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
FM Babacan Signals Expanding Ties with Iraq 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak and others 
report Foreign Minister Ali Babacan announced at a press conference 
yesterday that contacts between Turkey and the Kurdish Regional 
Government (KRG) in northern Iraq will intensify.  Babacan said 
Turkey's special envoy to Iraq Murat Ozcelik would visit Iraq "at 
least once a month."  Liberal Radikal reports Babacan noted, "KRG 
Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani could also visit Turkey."  The 
press conference was held after Babacan's meeting with British 
Foreign Secretary David Miliband.  Concerning the meetings with 
Miliband, FM Babacan noted they discussed the establishment of an 
industrial zone by Turkey, the UK, Kuwait, and Iraq on Iraq's border 
with Kuwait.  He also noted Turkey, with the help of Britain, was 
planning to open a consulate in Basra. 
 
Meanwhile, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "Turkey has sent 
a delegation to Britain headed by Energy Ministry Deputy 
Undersecretary Selahattin Cimen to work out an agreement with 
British Petroleum (BP) in order to join efforts for oil exploration 
in northern Iraq." 
 
Ahmet Turk: PKK Armed Struggle Harms Kurdish Interests in Turkey 
All papers report Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP group Chief Ahmet 
Turk told the website of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) the 
armed struggle waged by the PKK "harms the interests of the Kurdish 
people, and strengthens the hand of the military."  Turk said the 
PKK was ready to discuss a project offered by Turkey for a 
resolution to the Kurdish problem.  "If the Turkish state insists on 
military solutions alone, we cannot do anything," Turk emphasized. 
He also pledged to work to end the fighting if Kurdish identity and 
language is recognized in Turkey.  Turk also criticized the ruling 
AKP government, and said, "Kurds regret supporting the AKP in 
parliamentary elections last year." 
 
Barzani Preparing 'Measures Package' on PKK 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says in a news commentary the Kurdish 
Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani was preparing a 
"package of measures" regarding ties with Turkey.  The measures will 
be implemented if Turkey takes forward steps for expanding ties with 
the KRG.  According to the package, the PKK's heavy weapons will be 
collected, and PKK militants who have not participated in terror 
attacks will be offered Iraqi citizenship or a chance to return to 
Turkey.  The organization's Syrian and Iranian members will either 
be arrested or deported.  The KRG insists on working out a political 
settlement regarding the PKK leadership, according to Cumhuriyet. 
 
Meanwile, Cumhuriyet also reports KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan 
Barzani will travel to Washington over the weekend for talks at the 
White House, the State Department, the U.S. Congress, and the 
Commerce Department. 
 
Israeli PM Olmert Praises PM Erdogan's Mediating Efforts 
 Mainstream Hurriyet and Milliyet report Israeli Prime Minister Ehud 
Olmert said, "My good friend Erdogan is helping me to initiate 
stable dialogue with Syria.  I hope the process will succeed but, in 
any case, I extend my appreciation to the Turkish PM for his 
efforts."  Olmert added, "Turkey is the closest democracy to us in 
the region.   We consider Turkey an EU country.  We respect and 
support Turkey's will to become an EU member." 
 
British Foreign Secretary Miliband Supports Turkey's EU Membership 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak and others:  At a 
joint press conference with Foreign Minister Babacan, British FS 
Miliband said in response to a question about the closure case 
against AKP, "governments are elected by the people, not by the 
judges.  The AKP was elected with great popular support. 
Constitutional principles should be respected; however, governments 
elected by the public should be supported."  Regarding Turkey's EU 
 
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membership, Miliband said "Turkey has made progress in its EU 
accession process and that should continue." 
 
Turkey and Greece Hold Joint Military Search-and-Rescue Exercise 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports on Wednesday, the Turkish and Greek 
militaries held a joint search and rescue exercise in Athens.  The 
exercise, a first in the history of Turkey and Greece, was based on 
the scenario of a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hitting Greece.  Turkish 
and Greek soldiers worked together to rescue people trapped under 
debris in the Ilion neighborhood, which is 20 km west of Athens. 
Following the exercise, the Turkish team commanded by General 
Abdullah Barutcu exchanged gifts with their Greek colleagues. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Natural Disasters in China and Myanmar 
 
"Warnings From The Disasters in China and Myanmar" 
Sahin Alpay commented in Islamist-oriented Zaman (5/15):  "The 
cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China are major events that 
are erupting into greater disasters.  This is a wake-up call 
regarding the impact of global warming on humanity.  In addition to 
enormous natural disasters, global agricultural production is 
suffering from drought, which is resulting in a global food crisis. 
It is already too late for an across-the-globe-fight against global 
warming.  The U.S. and China are primarily responsible for global 
warming, and they continue to refuse to sign the Kyoto Protocol. 
Turkey, despite its promises, also has not signed the Kyoto 
Protocol.  In addition, the Myanmar disaster illustrates the 
collapse of the concept of state-oriented security.  This is a 
shockingly sad example of the military government ignoring their 
people's desperate need for international aid, and focusing on their 
own regime's safety.   The China earthquake should remind everyone 
of the imminent danger of earthquakes in Turkey.  The events in 
China and Myanmar should serve as wake-up call for Turkey." 
 
"China Earthquake" 
Derya Sazak wrote in mainstream Milliyet (5/15):  "Since the 1980s, 
China has pursued liberal economic policies.  The philosophy was 
shaped as 'earning like a capitalist and distributing like a 
socialist,' which changed the fate of millions.  However China 
ignored environmental risks during its rise as a global economic 
power.  Now, this global power has been rocked by an enormous 
earthquake.  Scenes from the debris are reminiscent of Turkey's 1999 
earthquake; this week's earthquake in China is the biggest 
earthquake anywhere in the world during the last 30 years.  Rapid 
urbanization, overpopulated cities and the lack of proper 
infrastructure affected China negatively even before the latest 
earthquake disaster.  China has already suffered from consequences 
of global warming.  The recent earthquake should be a wake-up call 
to Turkey as well.  In order to be ready for future earthquakes, 
building and housing structures must be enhanced." 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip visited 
the city of Bursa on Wednesday.  The Royal Couple will visit 
Istanbul today and depart Turkey on Friday. 
 
- CHP has submitted to parliament a censure motion against Prime 
Minister Erdogan for abusing his authority when he interfered in the 
sale of Sabah daily and ATV television on behalf of the pro-AKP 
Calik Group. 
 
- The ruling AKP officials will hold a meeting in Kizilcahamam 
resort near Ankara from May 30-June 1 to discuss the lawsuit for 
banning their party. 
 
International News 
 
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- Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias says he was not 
convinced Turkey is willing to resolve the Cyprus issue. 
 
- President Bush arrived in Israel to take part in celebrations 
marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Jewish state. 
 
- New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman writes the next American 
president will inherit many foreign policy challenges, but surely 
one of the biggest will be the cold war with Iran. 
 
WILSON