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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001327 
 
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, JULY 24, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Simultaneous Operations in Five Provinces 
All papers give extensive front page coverage to the operations 
conducted by the Konya anti-terrorism police department in Konya, 
Istanbul, Mersin, Kocaeli and Elazig, although coverage is mixed and 
unclear as to whether these operations are directly related to the 
Ergenekon investigation.  Mainstream Sabah headline reads "Green 
Wave in Ergenekon" and reports that 26 people were detained during 
the operations in five cities.  The director of "National Solution" 
magazine Ahmet Akgul and "National TV" Mediterranean representative 
Yusuf Buldu were among the detainees, adds the paper.  Mainstream 
Hurriyet reports that the detainees were charged for attempting to 
overthrow the government by force, being members of and illegal 
organization and inciting revolt.  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
quotes Konya Police Chief Tuzcu saying that "the suspects have a 
common agenda.  We are investigating any possible connection between 
the suspects and Ergenekon." 
 
Turkish History Institution Head Halacoglu Removed from his Post 
Sabah, Milliyet, Vatan, Hurriyet, Zaman, Cumhuriyet and others: 
Today's papers report that the head of Turkish History Institution, 
Yusuf Halacoglu, was removed from his position after 15 years.  The 
decree of his removal was published in the Official Gazette 
yesterday.  Mainstream Vatan reminds readers of Halacoglu's 
controversial remarks on the Armenian issue and says that the 
decision to remove Halacoglu from his post might be an indication of 
the new efforts of the government to improve relations with Yerevan. 
 Hurriyet reports that the government will appoint historian Prof. 
Ali Birinci to Halacoglu's position.  Birinci, reportedly, supports 
dialogue between Turkey and Armenia. 
 
Meanwhile, Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that Turkey and Armenia 
continue to exchange good will messages.  Earlier, Armenian 
President Sargsyan invited President Gul to Armenia for a soccer 
match between Turkey and Armenia on September 6.  Yesterday, 
President Gul toured the ruins of the old Armenian city of Ani on 
the Turkish-Armenian border and gave the message to Armenia that 'it 
could join in regional projects like Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway 
project, by recognizing the territorial integrity of the regional 
countries.'  Hurriyet reports that FM Babacan hosted a reception in 
New York on Tuesday in order to get support for Turkey's 
participation in UN Security Council.  Armenian permanent UN 
representative Martirosyan was among 118 diplomats who attended the 
reception. 
 
Parliament Decides that There was Negligence in Dink Murder 
Yeni Safak, Zaman, Turkiye, Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet, Sabah, Radikal: 
All papers report that the parliamentary sub-committee on human 
rights released its report on the assassination of Hrant Dink.  In 
its 180 page report, the commission said that both the police and 
the gendarme were negligent in the assassination of Dink. 
 
Anti-Terror High Council decision on US Consulate Attack 
Sabah reports that at the monthly Anti-Terror High Council, headed 
by Deputy PM Cemil Cicek, the members discussed the attack on the US 
Consulate in Istanbul.  They concluded that Al-Qaeda, after 
receiving a heavy blow during operations in Gaziantep several months 
ago, retaliated by carrying out the attack on the Consulate.  The 
attackers had ties with Afghanistan and their main target in the 
Consulate attack was Turkey, not the US. 
 
Meanwhile, Milliyet reports on the testimonies of the attackers who 
were detained saying that the attack was carried out by an "Irfan 
Group" who had ties abroad.  Reportedly, the Irfan group had ties to 
the "Irfan Foundation" which operates in a small mosque in 
Altinsehir, Istanbul. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Serbia/Karadzic 
 
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"Stage Play" 
Oktay Eksi wrote in mainstream Hurriyet (7/24): "The capture of 
Karadzic is nothing more than a stage play.  This is not about 
capturing a war criminal, but it is about a hypocrisy which decided 
not to protect a criminal figure any longer.  Considering the 
capture of Karadzic a success is either an insult to the human 
intellect or admitting Serbia does not have any quality to qualify 
itself as a state.  This man was not hiding at all; he was living in 
the open.  The timing of this game is obvious: Karadzic's capture 
coincided with the EU meeting to discuss Serbian accession to the 
Union.  It will not be surprising also to see now the capture of 
Mladic.  Serbia is just one example of hypocrisy; the Europeans also 
are hypocritical in this matter.  200,000 people were subject to 
genocide right before the eyes of Europeans, yet they refrained from 
accusing Serbia of genocide.  Instead the whole thing is 
deliberately presented as a crime of two figures: Karadzic and 
Mladic." 
 
"Karadzic's Capture and Milosevic" 
Sahin Alpay wrote in Islamist-leaning Zaman (7/24):  "There were 
three main figures responsible for the horrifying Serbian 
nationalism; Milosevic, Karadzic and Mladic. Following Karadzic's 
capture, we should expect the capture of Mladic as well.  Once this 
is done, the most significant obstacle in Serbia's efforts to attain 
EU membership will likely be eliminated.  The capture of Karadzic 
has three important aspects.  One of them is the fact that a brutal 
figure will be held accountable for his crimes against humanity. 
Secondly, the capture incident shows the strong allure of European 
Union membership.  The EU factor moved the Serbian government to 
bring Karadzic to justice even though he is considered by some as a 
national hero.  The third important point is the Milosevic factor in 
the capture.  The operation happened with the cooperation of the 
Interior Ministry which is in the Socialist Party portfolio.  Since 
Milosevic founded the Socialist Party, it would not be wrong to 
assume that Milosevic staffers helped in the capture of Karadzic." 
 
 
Iraqi Election Law Vetoed.  News outlets report in a straightforward 
fashion that Iraqi President Jalal Talabani rejected a provincial 
election law a day after it was adopted by the Iraqi parliament. 
Papers emphasize the part that Kurdish opinion played in this 
decision.  Mainstream Sabah writes "Kerkuk Boycott from Kurds," 
saying "the law was boycotted by Kurdish lawmakers." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman writes "Kurds are Reactive, Tabani will Veto 
the New Election Law."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet notes "the 
law, which the U.S. supports, would allow voting in the country's 18 
provinces and the elections are scheduled for latest December 31." 
Liberal Radikal carries the story under "Iraqi Local Elections Law 
Stuck at Kurds" headline. 
 
TV Highlights 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Three people killed and two others injured in a foam party in the 
southern resort of Antalya 
 
- Environment Minister Veysel Eroglu accused Izmir Mayor Aziz 
Kocaoglu for hiding from the public the facts about arsenic content 
in city water 
 
- President Gul will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for 
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project together with the presidents of 
Azerbaijan and Georgia 
 
- Some private hospitals annul their agreements with the Social 
Security Institution as they fail to reach agreement on the price of 
medical services 
 
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- Turkish Bread producers warn that bread prices will increase if 
the government fails to prevent increase in wheat by November 
 
International News 
 
- A climate change activist attempts to superglue himself to British 
PM Gordon Brown 
- The European Commission will propose forcing US diplomats to apply 
for visas to travel to the European Union from January 1, 2009, 
unless Washington grants all EU citizens with visa-free entry 
WILSON