VZCZCXRO7626
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #1088/01 1641349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121349Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6547
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8953
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4338
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 3007
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 6663
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 6493
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3072
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 03 ANKARA 001088 
 
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, JUNE 12, 2008 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Ankara Mayor Caught in a Lie as Ankara City Water is Proven 
Contaminated 
Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Milliyet, Taraf report that Middle East Technical 
University (ODTU) Rector Dr. Ural Akbulut made a statement yesterday 
which refuted claims from the Ankara Municipality and the Mayor's 
Office that an ODTU lab tested water from the Kizilirmak River and 
found it to be within the levels that establish water as safe for 
consumption.  Akbulut said that the Ankara Municipality never asked 
ODTU for an analysis of the city water, which now comes from the 
Kizilirmak River.  In addition, Sabah notes ODTU performed three 
separate tests in three separate locations last Friday in the Ankara 
reservoir, the city's water source, and found the arsenic levels in 
the city water to be two times greater than the maximum limit 
recommended for water safety. 
 
Editorial Opinion: The Safety of Ankara's Water 
Columnist Melih Asik questions the Ankara Mayor's intentions in 
mainstream Milliyet: "Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek pumped water from 
the Kizilirmak River into the city water system for fifteen days 
before informing the public.  He justified his behavior by saying 
'Nobody got diarrhea.'  It seems the Ankara Mayor is very determined 
to have Ankara people drink arsenic." 
 
Parliament Speaker Toptan's Efforts to Enhance Legislative Power 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Aksam:  In order to ease the 
tensions in the Parliament and to enhance its legislative power, 
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan decided to convene a meeting with 
all party leaders.  Prior to the party leader summit, Toptan will 
meet with the chairmen of each party group and the deputy Parliament 
speakers today.  The summit is expected to be held next week, but is 
dependent on the prime minister's schedule, reports Hurriyet. 
 
AKP Prepares Defense; DTP Presents Defense to the Constitutional 
Court Today 
All papers report lawyers for the ruling AKP started drafting the 
party's defense against closure. The defense is scheduled to be 
presented to the Constitutional Court on June 23rd.  Reportedly, the 
defense will argue that the prosecutor's allegations are political 
and not based on concrete evidence. 
 
The mainly pro-Kurdish DTP will present its defense against closure 
to the Constitutional Court today.  Mainstream Sabah and Milliyet 
report that the party "will ask the judiciary to solve the Kurdish 
problem."  The DTP defense committee prepared a 100-page defense 
based on political and legal arguments.  The political argument 
outlines the historical development of the Kurdish problem and 
proposes solutions.  In addition, the defense will contend that the 
PKK is not a terrorist organization and jailed PKK leader Abdullah 
Ocalan was not behind the establishment of the DTP. 
 
Parliament Approves Kurdish Language Broadcast on TRT Television 
Mainstream Sabah reports that the Parliament approved a bill 
yesterday authorizing state-owned TRT television to broadcast in 
different local languages, including Kurdish.  The bill was approved 
by Parliament, despite the fierce objections from nationalist party 
MHP.  The bill was sent to the President for final approval. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Afghan Donor Conference; POTUS Trip 
 
"Afghanistan will always be on the Agenda" 
Fikret Ertan wrote in Islamist leaning Zaman (6/12): "Afghanistan 
will be the main item on the agendas of two upcoming important 
international meetings.  The Donors' Conference in Paris will 
address a 5-year development plan for Afghanistan; President Karzai 
will try to justify the need for additional international aid in 
order to implement the plan.  The budget estimates roughly $50 
billion is needed in international aid, even though Afghan officials 
realistically expect to receive $15 billion to $20 billion.  Most 
 
ANKARA 00001088  002 OF 003 
 
 
likely, about 75 percent of this will come from the United States. 
Since 2001, 40 percent of international aid to Afghanistan has not 
reached the country's infrastructure; instead, these funds were used 
to pay contractors or consultants, who mostly came from the donor 
countries and often profited from their contract deals.  The Paris 
Conference will discuss this issue and address specific cases of 
corruption in aid distribution.  Thus, the main theme of the meeting 
will focus on the transfer of aid directly to the Afghan government 
and ensuring the aid is used properly.  Along with the Paris 
Conference, the NATO Defense Ministers will also discuss Afghanistan 
and its security-related problems.  Therefore, it seems Afghanistan 
will be on the international agenda for the long road ahead." 
 
"Bidding Farewell" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet (6/12):  "This week's tour 
of Europe is seen as President Bush's farewell tour since it is 
likely to be the last time he will visit Europe as President.  While 
he tempered his rhetoric just before he embarked on his latest 
journey, Bush is still an unwelcome leader in the European public. 
Europeans, in fact, are happy Bush is going to leave office soon; 
they also hope for a better relationship with the next President. 
Had Bush expressed his current opinions when he took office, he 
would enjoy a much better image vis-`-vis the European public. 
However, when he took office he pursued a line of pride and 
insolence.  The occupation of Iraq and its aftermath has proven to 
be the worst example of his unilateralism.  Even though his days in 
the White House are numbered, there are still some pending 
international decisions which President Bush will have to address. 
Iran is certainly the main one. During his European tour, President 
Bush primarily focused on Iran and he even signed a memorandum of 
understanding with the EU to intensify efforts to force Iran to 
abandon its nuclear armament program.  According to this agreement, 
in the event diplomatic efforts fail, a series of sanctions will be 
imposed upon Iran.  However, it is unclear how long diplomatic 
efforts will be pursued and how new sanctions will be applied.  It 
is obvious that Europeans are more cautious about using force than 
President Bush.  This is not only about Iran; this issue carries 
major repercussions for the entire Middle East." 
 
French Senate Committee Votes against Turkey Referendum. 
Media outlets praise the French Senate Foreign Relations Committee 
for vetoing a proposal calling for a public referendum regarding the 
EU membership of any country whose population is 5% over the entire 
population of the EU.  Turkey was the clear target of this proposal, 
as Turkey is the only candidate country that meets such conditions. 
While French President Sarkozy was reputed to support the bill, it 
remains to be seen if the Parliament will accept or reject the 
Committee's recommendation to veto the bill.  In "The Senate Vetoes 
the Turkey Referendum," mainstream Sabah reports the Committee 
vetoed the proposal to "let the French public vote on whether to 
consider Turkey for full membership to the EU," and "next week the 
Parliament will vote on whether or not to accept the Committee's 
recommendation."  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries the headline, 
"Imposing Conditions to Turkey Will Damage Bilateral Relations," and 
reports, "the proposal to impose conditions on Turkey has suffered a 
setback due to the Senate Committee's view that such a referendum 
would negatively affect bilateral relations."  In "Senate Gives 
Support to Turkey," liberal Radikal notes, "The Foreign Affairs 
Committee noted the referendum would seriously damage relations." 
In "The Senate Deals a Blow to the Turkey Proposal," Islamist Zaman 
reports, "Prior to the Committee meeting, French President Nicholas 
Sarkozy was in favor of the referendum, but interestingly enough, 
the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Josslin De 
Rohan, told the press the Committee's decision was unanimous and 
Sarkozy agreed with the decision." Mainstream Hurriyet notes the 
Senate Committee emphasized, "this referendum targets France's 
friend and ally, Turkey," and "this could lead to serious damage in 
our diplomatic relations."  Leftist Taraf reports, "There are some 
in France who love Turkey." 
 
 
ANKARA 00001088  003 OF 003 
 
 
Bush 'Confesses His Sins.' 
Media outlets carry President Bush's comments during a press 
conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday in which 
he said "I am not warmonger."  Coverage is measurably cynical. 
Mainstream Sabah's headline reads, "Bush Confesses His Sins in 
Europe," and the article reports Bush claimed, "I am misunderstood." 
 Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports in "Bush Is Regretful, 
Supposedly," that, "Bush claims the world misunderstands him."  In 
"Bush Still Insists Iran Is a Threat As He Voiced Regret for Iraq," 
liberal Radikal reports, "even if there are promises to conduct 
diplomacy with Iran, all options are on the table." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "The Line between the U.S. and Iran 
Rests on a Nuclear Gamble," and notes Bush finds "the isolation of 
the Iranian people to be a good solution."  Leftist Taraf's headline 
reads, "Everyone misunderstands The 'Man of Peace,'" as "Bush's Mind 
Is Still On Iran."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet carries the front 
page headline, "He Made A Mess Of Iraq, And Now He Confesses His 
Sins," saying, "I'm Not a Warmonger," but the paper carries a 
cartoon of Bush dressed in fatigues. 
 
A Cartoon under the headline, "I'm Not a Warmonger," from 
Cumhuriyet's front page today. 
 
Illegal Somali Immigrants Abandoned at Lake Buyukcekmece 
Mainstream Vatan, leftist Taraf, and Islamist Zaman report that 
human traffickers abandoned 17 illegal immigrants, including 10 
women, on the shores of Lake Buyukcekmece in Istanbul after charging 
$10,000 per person for passage to a Greek Island.  The Somali people 
fled their country a month ago by ship, went to Iraq, and then 
crossed to Turkey, adds Vatan. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
A shipyard in Tuzla is shut down for five days for violating job 
safety regulations. 
 
The mainly pro-Kurdish DTP will hold its party convention on July 
¶20. 
 
The suit against DTP Deputy Aysel Tugluk regarding a speech in 
Dogubeyazit was suspended because of her Parliamentary immunity. 
 
174 refugees at the Kirklareli Gaziosmanpasa Refugee camp took a 
police officer hostage and seized his weapon.  Additional security 
forces were sent to the camp in order to restore stability. 
 
 
International News 
 
President Gul and Croation President Mesic agree to boost efforts 
for establishing a lasting peace in Southeastern Europe. 
 
The Israeli Parliament Knesset passed the first reading of a bill 
stating that people who have visited an enemy country cannot be 
elected to Parliament. 
 
WILSON