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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001370 
 
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 30, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Erdogan, Baykal on Istanbul Bombings, Talabani Phones Gul 
All papers continue coverage of the aftermath of Sunday's bomb 
attack in Istanbul's Gungoren neighborhood which claimed 17 lives. 
Interior Minister Besir Atalay said the explosive used in the 
bombing was TNT.  Atalay said victims of the bombings will be 
compensated.  Prime Minister Erdogan called for "unity against 
terror" in his party group meeting yesterday.  "They will never be 
able to drag Turkey into instability through terrorism and murder," 
Erdogan told a meeting of his AKP parliament group.  The PM also 
asked the press to not "name the terrorists," and thus refrain from 
spreading terrorist propaganda.  The main opposition CHP leader 
Deniz Baykal, addressing his party group in parliament, disagreed 
with Erdogan, saying the "naming" of terrorists was to condemn their 
actions. 
 
Meanwhile, papers report Iraqi President Jalal Talabani phoned 
President Abdullah Gul to condemn the terror attack in Istanbul. 
Talabani also gave Gul details about Monday's bomb attacks in Kirkuk 
which killed 32 Kurds and wounded hundreds.  The Iraqi President 
condemned the attack on the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) building after 
the attack, and said "all ethnic groups in Kirkuk should learn to 
live together in peace."  Gul thanked Talabani and expressed his 
condolences for the Iraqis killed in the Kirkuk bombing. 
 
Court Expected to Rule on AKP Closure before Weekend 
All papers report the Constitutional Court's deliberations on 
whether to ban the AKP continued Tuesday.  On Monday, the court met 
for 12 hours, and yesterday's sessions lasted 13 hours.  In 
yesterday's deliberations, the court members examined the evidence 
compiled by the prosecutor to see whether it supports charges that 
the AKP had become a "focal point of activities against secularism." 
 Several papers expect the court to complete case deliberations by 
Wednesday or Thursday, and a ruling to be handed down by Friday. 
Mainstream Sabah says the Constitutional Court was expected to make 
a verdict before the High Military Council (YAS) meeting that begins 
August 1.  Papers speculate the court might stop short of closure 
and merely opt to cut state funding to the party. 
 
Intelligence Report: Baykal Affiliated to 'Ergenekon' 
Leftist Taraf reports on its font page that opposition CHP leader 
Deniz Baykal's name was mentioned as a member of the 'Ergenekon' 
gang in a report written by the National Intelligence Organization 
(MIT).  The MIT report on the gang was submitted to the Turkish 
General Staff (TGS) and Prime Ministry in 2003.  The report also 
includes several other prominent politicians and journalists names 
supposedly affiliated to 'Ergenekon.'  The report will be added to 
the 'Ergenekon' indictment, according to Taraf. 
 
Babacan Meets Iranians in Tehran 
All papers report Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, in Tehran for the 
Nonaligned Movement summit, told the press before his departure from 
Ankara that the Turks were working on setting up a visit of Iranian 
President Ahmadinejad to Turkey, but no date has been fixed.  Press 
reports have claimed Ahmadinejad will come to Turkey on August 14. 
In Tehran, Babacan came together with Ahmadinejad, Foreign Minister 
Manuchehr Mottaki and chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. 
Babacan reportedly gave Iranians the message nuclear talks between 
Iran and the West were "important," and that this process should 
continue.  Islamist-oriented Zaman says Iran considers recent 
proposals coming from the West important.  The paper claims "the 
Iranian side is seriously considering the incentives offered by the 
West, and attaches great importance to the new process."  Mainstream 
Milliyet carries the headline, "Nuclear Diplomacy," and says 
"Babacan stressed the importance of continuing the talks on nuclear 
negotiations." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Iran, Iraq/Kirkuk 
 
 
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"War or Peace?" 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah (7/30):  "While the talks 
between Syria and Israel through Turkey's mediation continued with 
its fourth round, Foreign Minister Babacan left for Iran.  Though 
the purpose of his visit seems to be attendance at the Non-Aligned 
Conference, the Iranian nuclear program is his real purpose.  There 
is caution in both Western circles and Russia about Turkey's role in 
the Iranian nuclear crisis.  There are warnings that Ankara may 
regret its actions in the end since Iran knows how to gain time 
without actually doing anything.  In fact, Turkey's role is not a 
direct mediation, but more of a message carrier between sides.  Yet 
there will be a serious consequence for Turkey if Iran does not 
respond positively to the negotiations by August 2nd.  When that 
happens, Ankara will be forced to take a clear side in this dispute. 
 The initial phase of Israel-Syria talks was not very encouraging, 
but ultimately efforts toward peace prevailed.  Let's hope that FM 
Babacan comes back from Tehran with a similar positive tone." 
 
"The Kirkuk Bombing" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet (7/30): "The suicide bombing 
in Kirkuk brings some question marks along with it: Is this only a 
suicide attack against the protestors or is there a greater goal of 
creating chaos and anarchy in Kirkuk?  Based on previous terrorist 
incidents in Kirkuk - which is a relatively calm area of Iraq - 
Iraqi and American suspect al-Qaeda as the perpetrator.  Regardless 
of who has done it and what the real purpose might be, this bombing 
caused a serious blow to the delicate balance among Kirkuk's ethnic 
groups, particularly between Turkmens and Kurds.  The controversial 
election law provided an opportunity for equal local parliamentary 
representation of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens, but Kurds rejected it, 
because they don't want to lose the privileges of being a majority. 
After President Talabani's veto, the election law must be debated 
again.  Given these conditions, there may be no election by the end 
of this year.  The attacks against Turkmen right after the suicide 
bombing is actually the most worrying aspect of the Kirkuk incident. 
 It looks as if some Kurds are planning to demolish the ethnic 
tranquility and balance in Kirkuk through violence.  If this is the 
genuine intention, not only does it pose a threat to ethnic harmony 
in Kirkuk, it also threatens the future of Iraq." 
 
Foreign Experts on Drug-Trafficking in Afghanistan 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak refers to a Financial Times' report on 
Afghan dealers importing Turkish chemists to process heroin.  The 
paper says "according to a UN Drug and Crime Office warning, drug 
dealers are importing chemists from Turkey, Pakistan and Iran and 
smuggling in illegal chemicals to produce high quality heroin. 
Liberal Radikal writes in "Turkish Chemist Under Afghan Heroin's 
Service" that "Afghanistan, which still carries a narco-state 
identity after the U.S. invasion, conducts drug-trafficking in a 
sophisticated way by employing foreign chemists." 
 
UN Envoy Downer Meets Cypriot Leaders 
Liberal Radikal writes "Downer is Hopeful for a Solution," and 
reports there are good signs for the future of Cyprus because "after 
his first meetings with the two leaders of the island, Turkish 
Cypriot President Talat and Greek Cypriot counterpart Christofias, 
the UN Secretary-General's new Special Envoy for Cyprus, Alexander 
Downer stated that he's encouraged about the future of Cyprus." 
 
TV News: 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- On Tuesday, Turkish fighter jets struck a group of 30-40 PKK 
terrorists around Mount Kandil in northern Iraq. 
 
- Turkey's High Military Board is to convene in Ankara from August 
1-4. 
 
 
ANKARA 00001370  003 OF 003 
 
 
- Turkish papers report on Sunday, Prime Minister Erdogan and 
President Abdullah Gul held a 'secret' five hour meeting in the 
house of Gul's brother-in-law in Ankara. 
 
International News 
 
- Thousands of far-right nationalists rallied in Belgrade to protest 
the arrest of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic. 
 
- Thousands of Kurds rallied in the city of Erbil in northern Iraq 
in protest against a provincial elections law. 
 
- Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel and the US both 
agreed that no option should be taken off the table in dealing with 
the Iranian threat. 
 
WILSON