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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001156 
 
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, JUNE 23, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Taraf Reports TGS Plan to Manipulate Turkish Media and Society 
Weekend Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak 
and others give extensive coverage to recent reports by the leftist 
Taraf daily which claimed the Turkish General Staff (TGS) was 
implementing a plan to manipulate the media against the adversaries 
of the military in Turkey.  The "Information Support Activity Action 
Plan" published in Taraf on Friday was drawn up in September 2007 by 
the TGS and is said to have intended to direct society along the 
lines of the military's views.  According to Taraf's story, TGS's 
plan included efforts to change the views of journalists, 
celebrities and opinion leaders.  In the plan, the military tries to 
portray the members of the pro-Kurdish political party DTP as 
"terrorists." In addition, the military top brass argued that 
Islamist fundamentalist actions were being planned and implemented 
by the ruling AKP, Taraf argued.  The plan sought to bring the 
judiciary in line with the military, to manipulate the media to 
support the military; to support opinion leaders who block 
defamation campaigns against the military; and to agitate Turkey's 
Kurds by various intrusive tactics, including searches, targeting 
civilians at the Iraqi border with Turkey. 
 
In a statement posted on its website, the TGS rejected the 
allegations and said it had no plan to manipulate the Turkish public 
opinion.  "According to TGS records, there is no such plan or 
official document approved by the command headquarters," the 
statement said.  TGS Chief General Yasar Buyukanit told reporters 
the military had no such plan, and dismissed Taraf's claims as 
"cheap propaganda" against the military.  Islamist-oriented Yeni 
Safak says the statement was "not convincing."  Mainstream Milliyet 
says the statement creates the impression that the document was 
prepared by low-ranking military officials, but was not approved by 
high-level commanders. 
 
Papers: U.S. Praises the AKP 
Sunday's Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, 
Zaman and others report Secretary Rice told a gathering at the 
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR,) "We are not going to get 
involved in the current crisis or the current controversy in Turkey, 
but we need to continue to speak up for reform, democracy and 
secular democracy in Turkey."  In addition, she said, "I think 
secular democracy in Turkey is important, but it is also important 
that religious people are a part of the country."   She noted, "The 
AKP has reached out to the poor, rural and religious people in 
Turkey."  Rice also said, "The prospect of European Union accession 
has been extremely important to reform in Turkey.  Without that 
prospect, it is going to be hard to continue." 
 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak  says, "Rice spoke up for democracy in 
Turkey." In "Rice Praises AKP's Agenda for Democratization," 
mainstream Hurriyet highlights Rice emphasized the U.S. has 
"excellent relations with the AKP, President Abdullah Gul and 
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan."  Saturday's edition of mainstream 
Sabah reports, "The U.S. sent a warning to Turkey" regarding the 
closure case against the AKP.  Sabah notes Deputy State Department 
Spokesman Tom Casey told reporters, "We firmly support Turkish 
democracy and we certainly expect that the Turkish courts will 
consider the will of the people when they make their decision." 
 
PACE to Discuss AKP Closure Case 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports the Parliamentary Assembly of 
the Council of Europe (PACE) will convene an "urgent" session on 
June 26th.  Debate will include the closure case against the ruling 
AKP and the Constitutional Court's annulment of the AKP-MHP 
sponsored headscarf-related constitutional amendments.  PACE may 
determine Turkey should be placed on a "post-monitoring" watch list. 
 The AKP lawmakers, however, will ask PACE to not place Turkey on 
the list, saying it would negatively affect Turkey's EU membership 
chances, says Yeni Safak. 
 
ANKARA 00001156  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
Attack Helicopter Production Begins 
Sabah, Milliyet, Yeni Safak, Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Star:  Papers report 
that Turkey's TUSAS Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Italy's Augusta 
Westland will start co-production of 90 attack helicopters.  A 
ceremony will be held in TUSAS' Akinci facilities tomorrow to mark 
the beginning of the production of the helicopters. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports that Augusta Westland won 
Turkey's attack helicopter tender in March 2007.  TAI is the local 
prime contractor of the project and Turkish Aselsan and Italy's 
Augusta will be the sub-contractors.  90 attack and tactical 
reconnaissance helicopters will be produced using national software 
and hardware systems, Yeni Safak adds. 
 
Iraq Gives Green Light to Turkish Companies for Oil Exploration 
Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet:  Iraq's Petroleum Ministry issued 
permission to six more foreign companies, including a state-run 
Turkish company (TPAO), to participate in the future tenders to 
operate Iraq's oil and natural gas reserves.  The other five 
permitted countries are Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, Angola and 
Algeria. 
 
DTP Wants to Open a Bureau in the US 
Bugun, Yeni Safak:  Conservative Bugun and Islamist-oriented Yeni 
Safak report that mainly Kurdish party DTP Istanbul deputy Sabahat 
Tuncel said that they want to open a representation in Washington DC 
to improve diplomatic relations with the US. 
 
Editorial Commentary on the Middle East 
 
"Toward Peace in the Middle East" 
Kamuran Ozbir wrote in nationalist Ortadogu (6/23): "Even a tiny 
country like Qatar has succeeded in mediating peace by bringing 
Lebanese groups together.  Recent developments indicate important 
steps toward peace in the Middle East are increasingly initiated by 
regional actors.  These developments come as the United States fails 
in its pursuit to drive the peace process in the Middle East.  While 
Qatar established a consensus between Lebanese groups, Turkey is 
mediating between Syria and Israel.  Syria is willing to cooperate 
and apparently Damascus does not want to wait for the new American 
administration before taking steps to end its isolation.  The Saudi 
King's invitation to the Iranian president for the Islamic Dialogue 
Conference in Mecca is not an ordinary incident.  Both the Saudi and 
Iranian regimes are trying to find ways to eliminate Shiite-Sunni 
tension in both Lebanon and Iraq.   However, all of these efforts 
for peace will eventually require the involvement of the United 
States.  Washington, at least for the sake of Israel's safety, will 
have to be involved in the process.  This involvement does not have 
to mean a peace agreement signing ceremony at the White House.  But, 
it will be very effective if the U.S. becomes a signatory to peace 
agreements in the Middle East." 
 
"Tension in the Iran-Israel-U.S. Front" 
Omer Taspinar wrote in mainstream Sabah (6/23): "Right now, there is 
good news and bad news in the Middle East.  The good news comes from 
the Arab-Israeli front while the bad news comes from the 
Iran-Israeli front.  The ceasefire agreement between Israel and 
Hamas comforted the region, while Lebanon stabilized due to efforts 
from the Arab League and Qatar.  Yet the recent developments 
regarding the Iran-Israeli front are not so good.  Washington 
confirms Israel has initiated military exercises in preparation to 
launch a strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.  It seems Israel 
has turned its complete attention to Iran.  At this point, 
Washington's stance is critical.  If and when Israeli jets strike 
Iran, they must fly over Iraqi air space, which is controlled by the 
U.S.  In any case, Iran will hold the U.S. responsible for any 
strike, even if it is Israel who acts.  If Israel uses Iraqi 
airspace to attack Iran, Iran will respond by targeting American 
forces in Iraq.  Currently, Shiite militias in Iraq are under 
Tehran's control and are capable of turning the country into a 
 
ANKARA 00001156  003 OF 003 
 
 
bloodbath.  This is of great concern to Washington.  In addition, a 
strike against Iran will further raise the price of oil.  Further 
increases in oil prices will exacerbate the economic crisis, which 
would hand the White House over to the Democrats on a silver tray, 
so to speak. Thus, Washington is reluctant to give a green light to 
Israel's strikes against Iran." 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Three suspects were arrested Sunday in Diyarbakir for alleged ties 
to al-Qaeda.  The suspects admitted they were trained in camps in 
Afghanistan and Pakistan. 
 
- Security forces killed three PKK terrorists, including the 
organization's Erzurum-Bingol regional chief Ali Celik, in the 
eastern province of Bingol during raids earlier this month. 
 
- Celebrations to mark the 2000th anniversary of the birth of St 
Paul are held in Tarsus. 
 
International News 
 
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is in Syria to 
investigate allegations that Damascus was building a clandestine 
nuclear reactor for military purposes. 
 
- Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani dismisses press reports 
that Israel is preparing to attack Iran's nuclear installations. 
 
- French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Israel for his first 
presidential visit to the country. 
 
WILSON