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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001239 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Main Ergenekon Suspects Transferred to High Security Prison 
All papers report Ergenekon suspects Sener Eruygur, Hursit Tolon and 
Ankara Chamber of Commerce President Sinan Aygun were transferred 
from Istanbul's Metris prison to the F-Type Maximum Security Prison 
in the neighboring province of Kocaeli.  In addition, Istanbul 
prosecutor Zekeriya Oz has formally objected to the release of 
Mustafa Balbay, Ankara Bureau Chief of the leftist-nationalist daily 
Cumhuriyet.  Oz also objected the release of eight other suspects 
last week. 
 
Papers say the indictment prepared for the Ergenekon investigation 
consists of 40 chapters in 2,500 pages and will include charges 
against 85 individuals.  An additional indictment will be prepared 
for those taken into custody during the latest roundup, including 
Tolon, Eruygur, Aygun, as well as other seven suspects under arrest. 
 Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says the Ergenekon gang planned to 
carry out bloody acts of provocation, such as a bomb attack in 
Taksim Square in the heart of Istanbul.  In "Empire of Fear," 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says intellectuals and journalists 
were taken into custody and healthy people were ruined in jail while 
the media close to the AKP government backed all this injustice. 
The paper quotes opposition MHP leader Devlet Bahceli as saying, 
"The way Ergenekon operation has been conducted gives us the 
impression that this investigation is an intimidation campaign." 
 
Death of 'Ergenekon' Suspect in Prison Investigated 
All papers report the Justice Ministry has initiated an 
investigation into the death of 'Ergenekon' suspect Kuddusi Okkir 
who died after spending one year in jail.  Okkir, charged with being 
a financier of Ergenekon gang, was released from prison last week 
due to his ailing health and transferred to hospital, where he later 
died.  Justice Ministry appointed two inspectors to study the case 
of Okkir, an Ergenekon prisoner who had lung cancer and who died a 
few days after being released.  His widow told the press she would 
apply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). 
 
Editorial Commentary on Ergenekon 
 
"All Hands should be Washed Clean First" 
Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan (7/9):  "In his speech 
yesterday, PM Erdogan referred to the 'Clean Hands' operation in 
Italy.  The PM questioned, 'Why do those who followed Italy's Clean 
Hands operation with admiration and who asked when such an operation 
will take place in our country feeling disturbed when we take such 
steps?'  Of course, the main opposition CHP leader Baykal did not 
miss this opportunity to score a goal against the PM by saying "in 
order to launch an operation like Italy's Clean Hands Operation, 
ones' own hands should be really clean."  The Clean Hands operation 
was an example of judicial bravery that interfered with the mafia 
scandals and corruption.  Maybe, with his words, PM Erdogan was 
indicating that justice was reaching the powerful people, but one 
fact should not be ignored - Italy was able to launch the Clean 
Hands operation because of the independence of its judiciary.  There 
was no obstacle of "parliamentary immunity" in front of the Italian 
judiciary.  The AKP is struggling to control the judiciary while it 
doesn't allow the lifting of the immunities for the sake of the 
clean politicians' self confidence." 
 
"This is exactly what a Police State is" 
Tufan Turenc commented in mainstream Hurriyet (7/9):  "The AKP, 
under the pretense of being democratic, has managed to turn Turkey 
into a police state.  Some people are starting to realize this fact 
while some have yet to reach this understanding.  Following the 
Ergenekon investigation, the public is intimidated and concerned 
that their telephones might be tapped as well.  Developments show us 
that Turkey is now a real police state and everyone carries that 
fear deep inside them.  Kuddusi Okkir's drama forced us to be pushed 
into this fear syndrome.  He was accused and arrested of being the 
 
ANKARA 00001239  002 OF 003 
 
 
financer of the Ergenekon organization and was not released until a 
few days before his death.  Since he was suffering from deadly 
cancer, he was released to die at his own home.  He was jailed for 
being the financer of the terrorist organization but his family 
didn't even have enough money to bury him!  His funeral was held by 
the municipality on some of the journalists' request.  While he 
would intervene in many humanitarian issues, for some reason, PM 
Erdogan never interfered in Okkir's predicament, which is a scandal. 
 I suppose this is the bitter result of the societal division in 
AKP's Turkey.  Unfortunately, today, in our country humanitarian 
attitudes are shaped by not very humanitarian measures.  This is the 
sad and serious situation we are in." 
 
Buyukanit: Terrorism is the Biggest Threat to Global Peace 
All papers report the Turkish General Staff (TGS) Chief General 
Yasar Buyukanit said on Tuesday terrorism was the biggest threat for 
global peace and security in the age of globalization.  Addressing 
the "Silk Road 2008 Generals/Admirals Seminar" held in the 
Mediterranean city of Antalya, Buyukanit said efforts in diplomacy, 
intelligence, economy, finance, information and law were also 
important as much as military methods in combating terrorism, since 
terrorist organizations act like international crime organizations 
with their acts such as drug and human trafficking, money 
laundering, bootlegging and kidnapping for ransom.  "For instance, 
the terrorist organization PKK/Kongra-Gel is responsible for the 80 
percent of the heroin smuggled into Europe, extortion in several 
European countries, and even running guns to the terrorist Tamil 
Tigers in Sri Lanka," he said. 
 
Turkey to Join Mediterranean Summit 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Taraf, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others 
report Turkey has accepted France's invitation to the Mediterranean 
Union Summit, but only after French President Sarkozy called PM 
Erdogan from his cell phone in Japan.  Mainstream Milliyet reports 
in, "An Invitation to Erdogan, that "French President Nicholas 
Sarkozy personally phoned Prime Minister Erdogan to invite him to 
the July 13th Summit in Paris."  Thus, "the fiasco scenario is 
avoided," because EU Leaders promised that this union won't 
interfere with Turkey's EU accession, Turkey's acceptance is thought 
to be a good start for the summit.  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports 
in "Sarkozy Called and Erdogan said 'I May Be Able to Come,'" that, 
"Turkey accepted the invitation following its demands that Turkey's 
membership to the Mediterranean Union will not affect Turkey's full 
accession process."  Mainstream Sabah reports Sarkozy promised 
Erdogan France would be "neutral" during its EU presidency.  Leftist 
Taraf reports Sarkozy's phone call "improved the picture a little 
more," between Turkey and France. 
 
International Drug Conference in Istanbul 
Islamist-oriented dailies Zaman and Yeni Safak report more than 300 
drug enforcement officials from 93 countries participated in the 
26th Annual International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) held in 
Istanbul.  Turkish Police presided over the 26th Annual 
International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) in cooperation with 
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  Interior Minister 
Besir Atalay told the opening of the conference Turkey was no longer 
a path in drug trade, adding some 20,000 traffickers were captured 
over the past years.  Atalay also noted the PKK was linked to drug 
trade, and the U.S. has confirmed this.  Turkish Police General 
Director Oguz Kagan Koksal, DEA Acting Administrator Michele 
Leonhart and US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson were among the 
key-note speakers of the conference. 
 
TV News: 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas called for water conservation to cope 
with water shortage in the summer. 
 
ANKARA 00001239  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
- On Tuesday, the Turkish Parliament adopted a motion to extend the 
mandate of the Turkish peacekeeping troops within the UN Interim 
Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). 
 
- Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said there will be no power cuts this 
year. 
 
International News 
 
- European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that Turkey's 
10-percent election threshold does not amount to a violation of 
human rights. 
 
- The European Court of Human Rights ruled Turkey violated the 
rights of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate by seizing its orphanage 
on Istanbul's Buyukada Island. 
 
- Secretary Rice signed a deal to base part of Washington's missile 
defense system in the Czech Republic. 
 
WILSON