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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001175 
 
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 26, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Top U.S. Official Comments on the AKP Closure Case 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Zaman, Vatan,Radikal, Star, Bugun: 
Today's papers report that U.S. Deputy Assistant of State for 
European and Eurasian Affairs Matt Bryza commented on the AKP 
closure case during a speech at a conference organized by the 
Washington Institute.  Coverage includes Bryza's statements that, 
"The closure of the party would be an unfortunate development.  This 
is Turkey's business to resolve.  It would not be appropriate for 
the U.S. to issue an ultimatum or threaten Turkey."  Liberal Radikal 
and Islamist-oriented Zaman call Bryza's statements "an open warning 
from the U.S."  Bryza also commented on Turkey's EU process when he 
said, "If the EU halts negotiations with Turkey because of the 
closure case, U.S. national interests would suffer.  If full EU 
membership is not on the horizon, it will be difficult for Turkish 
leaders to pass reforms."   Mainstream Hurriyet notes Bryza said, 
"The Turkish democratic system is strong enough to solve the 
problem."  Nationalist Ortadogu headline reads "The U.S. takes the 
AKP under its Protection," and criticizes Bryza's comments by saying 
"PM Erdogan fulfills every request from President Bush.  And the 
U.S., in return, supports the AKP.  With his comments, Bryza went 
overboard by sending a message to our judiciary regarding the AKP 
closure case." 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Turkish Political Trends and Analyses 
 
"Trapped Between Trauma and an Action Plan" 
Cuneyt Ulsever wrote in mainstream Hurriyet (6/26): "Turkey's 
problem stems from the fact that people are forced to choose between 
limited political approaches.  One option is to support the military 
for the sake of protecting the Turkish Republic.  The other option 
is to embrace conservatism in the name of the fight against 
unfairness.  The former choice will do its best to make gloomy plans 
for the country's future while the latter will do everything it can 
to avenge the history of the Turkish Republic.  This is a game, yet 
we call it democracy.  None of these debates have anything to do 
with democracy and freedoms.  These tensions are all about political 
turf.  The AKP's Firat said some parts of society were traumatized 
by Ataturk's reforms.  There is some truth to this.  However, 
Firat's tone makes me wonder why he and his supporters fight only 
for their own concerns.  Freedom is for everybody with absolutely no 
exception.  Our history is based on two fundamental ideologies - 
secularism and Islamism.  Neither ideology stands on democratic 
grounds; what we see today is the fight between the two ideologies 
for their share of the political pie.  The fight will only end when 
the two sides agree to share.  Until then, Islamists will continue 
to discuss their trauma while the Turkish military will make secret 
plans to influence public opinion." 
 
"Trauma" 
Taha Akyol wrote in mainstream Milliyet (6/26): "The very essence 
and nature of revolutions are traumatic; a revolution is radical in 
and of itself.  The ruling AKP's number two in charge expressed his 
opinion that society was traumatized by Ataturk's reforms. 
Expressing an opinion on the subject is not a bad thing.  The 
tragedy lies in the outcome of his statement.  This politician, from 
the ruling party, has now created more trauma and more polarization 
in society.  Such historical debates should be held among 
intellectuals instead of governing politicians.  The fault lies on 
both sides of society.  One side fears Islamic fundamentalism, but 
the AKP is unable to eliminate concerns regarding an underlying 
Islamist agenda.  Now is the time for the ruling AKP to return to 
its prior focus on the economy, democracy and EU integration." 
 
 
General Basbug Criticizes the Media 
All papers report that Land Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug 
commented on his meeting with Prime Minister Erdogan. Basbug stated 
that it was the PM who requested the meeting, which focused on the 
 
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subject of terrorism, and the Chief of the General Staff was aware 
of the meeting.  Basbug criticized the media and urged them to make 
thorough investigations before preparing their news reports. 
 
If I Return, I will Return as Fethullah Gulen 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, and others:  The Court 
of Appeals upheld Fethullah Gulen's acquittal by a lower court, so 
the media is speculating on Gulen's return to Turkey.  In an 
interview with www.herkul.org internet site, Gulen said he would 
like to keep a low profile in the event his return could create 
problems.  Mainstream Hurriyet reports that Gulen reacted to the 
rumors that his return would be like Khomeini's return to Iran and 
said "If I return, I will return as I am."  Gulen's close associate 
Huseyin Gulerce stressed that Gulen wants to have a quiet return and 
he doesn't want any of his supporters to demonstrate.  Hurriyet adds 
that Gulen pushed the button for his return to Turkey and 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet, in contrast, says that Gulen "will 
exert every effort to extend his stay in the U.S."  In addition, the 
paper reports, Gulen has applied for a U.S. permanent residence 
card.  Hurriyet published the full list of those who wrote letters 
in support of Gulen's green card application, including former CIA 
chief Graham Fuller and former Ambassador to Turkey Morton 
Abramowitz. 
 
3 PKK Killed in Tendurek Mountain of Agri 
Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Cumhuriyet and others:  During clashes 
with the PKK, Turkish security forces killed three terrorists on 
Tendurek Mountain in Agri.  During the clashes, one soldier and a 
first lieutenant were injured.  Security forces confiscated a 
U.S.-made M-16 rifle from one of the dead. 
 
Turkey Friendship Group to be Established in the European 
Parliament 
Zaman, Cumhuriyet, Star:  Turkish-German socialist deputy Vural Oger 
and six other members of the European Parliament have established a 
"Turkey Friendship Group" within the parliament in order to support 
Turkey's bid to join the EU.  The group will work on visa issues, 
transporters' quota problems, and efforts to eliminate mutual 
prejudges between Turkey and the EU. 
 
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Blocked 
Media outlets are uniformly criticizing the Armenian lobby for 
delaying Maria Yovanovitch's confirmation as ambassador to Armenia. 
Islamist-oriented Zaman writes in, "A New Obstacle for the Candidate 
for U.S. Ambassador to Yerevan," that "Barbara Boxer, who belongs to 
the Armenian lobby, has halted the approval process for Marie 
Yovanovitch for one month."  In "The Armenian Lobby Puts the Brakes 
on Bush's Nominee for Ambassador," leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
writes, "Barbara Boxer has blocked the nomination because she is 
close to the Armenian lobby, who opposes Yovanovitch's nomination 
due to her statements against the use of the term 'genocide' in 
reference to the events of 1915."  In addition, the paper reports, 
"Yovanovitch met with New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, who is 
known to be close to the Armenian lobby, last week and told him she 
characterized the events of 1915 as 'ethnic cleansing.'"  Liberal 
Radikal writes, "The Armenian lobby trips up another ambassador," as 
former nominee Richard Hoagland's nomination, "was vetoed by New 
Jersey Senator Robert Menendez because Hoagland rejected the term 
'genocide,'" in describing the events of 1915.  Mainstream Milliyet 
calls Barbara Boxer's action, "an obstacle from a senator who is 
close to the Armenian lobby," as, "even only one senator can block 
the entire confirmation process."  Mainstream Hurriyet writes, "The 
Armenian lobby blocks an ambassadorial appointment," because, 
"during a speech in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee she did 
not used the word 'genocide,' but instead used the word 'ethnic 
cleansing,' to describe the events of 1915."  Leftist Taraf writes, 
"An Ambassador against 'Genocide' Is Delayed." 
 
TV Highlights 
CNN Turk 
 
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Domestic News 
 
- President Gul approves a bill authorizing Kurdish-language 
broadcasting on state-owned TRT television. 
 
- The Interior Ministry released a circular to prevent violent 
soccer celebrations. 
 
- The Ankara municipality plans to buy 500 new commuter buses. 
 
- Farming Minister Mehdi Eker said that tensions with Russia 
regarding tomato exports are now resolved. 
 
International News 
 
- Tropical storm Fengshen left 329 people dead and 1000 others 
missing in the Philippines. 
 
- Saudi Arabia detained 520 Al-Qaeda suspects for involvement in 
terrorism. 
 
- According to the "World Public Opinion" poll, 51 percent of 
Turkish people support the use of torture on terrorists if it could 
save innocent lives. 
 
- Iran plans to withdraw assets from the EU in response to the 
tightening of sanctions imposed over its nuclear program. 
WILSON