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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001448 
 
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 
TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Russia Advances into Georgian Territories 
All news outlets report that, despite Georgia's cease-fire offer, 
Russian troops continued their advance into Georgian territories. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak writes, "Russian Troops Cross the Line 
and Reject Sakashvili's Ceasefire."  Liberal Radikal carries the 
headline, "Russia's Condition (for withdrawal): Sakashvili Must Go." 
 Islamist-oriented Zaman notes in a front-page headline, "The West 
Pressures for a Ceasefire," but nevertheless, "Russia Begins an 
Invasion," into Georgian territory.  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
cites the Russian RBK news agency as reporting Turkey closed its air 
space to a Ukrainian cargo plane carrying humanitarian aid to 
Georgia.  Mainstream Sabah writes Georgians fleeing the war travel 
from Batumi to Turkey's Black Sea port city of Trabzon, where they 
board planes to Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.  Mainstream Milliyet 
reports the Georgian Embassy in Ankara said on Monday that the 
Georgian Foreign Ministry call on "all friendly countries and 
international organizations" for military assistance. 
 
Erdogan Proposes a 'Caucasus Union' 
All papers report Prime Minister Erdogan told the press Monday that 
Turkey could "join efforts to create a Caucasus Union modeled after 
the security agreement in the Balkans."  "Peace in the Caucasus can 
be achieved if the U.S. and the EU support the idea of a Caucasus 
Union," Erdogan said, adding, "The U.S. and the EU could join the 
initiative," and, "so could Russia."  Murat Yetkin of liberal 
Radikal writes, "The establishment of a Caucasus Union is important 
now more than ever and once things calm down, Turkey must initiate 
efforts toward this initiative."  When journalists asked Erdogan 
about whether the developments in Georgia indicate Russia has 
aspirations regarding the BTC pipeline, Erdogan responded, "I do not 
want to think about such a possibility."  Erdogan also denied 
yesterday's reports that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin 
refused to return his phone calls.  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, 
"Erdogan never tried to contact Putin," but that, "a meeting with 
Putin would be vital for finding a peaceful settlement," and that, 
"peaceful diplomacy is vital for peace."  In addition, mainstream 
Sabah reports "Georgian President Sakashvili called Erdogan to ask 
for humanitarian assistance." 
 
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's comments are reported in 
Islamist-oriented Zaman as a headline, "The First Strong Reaction 
from the U.S.: This Will Not Go Unanswered." The paper also quotes 
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs 
Matt Bryza's statements to reporters, "this situation looks like a 
genocide," and "the time has come for Russia to accept the 
ceasefire." 
 
Meanwhile, BTC Foreign Relations Director Murat Lecompte told 
mainstream Hurriyet the reason for halt in oil flow through the BTC 
pipeline is not the conflict in Georgia but the August 5 explosion 
that caused a fire on the Turkish stretch of the BTC route. 
Lecompte said the pipeline was closed before clashes broke out in 
Georgia. 
 
A commentary in the Islamist-oriented Zaman writes, "Georgia, 
through which the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline passes, is a 
transport route to the Caspian and Central Asian resources for 
Turkey as well as for Western countries.  It seems Russia seeks to 
reclaim its influence over Georgia and control the BTC by playing 
the South Ossetia and Abkhazia cards." 
 
Editorial Opinion: Georgia 
 
"With Caution and Attention" 
Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist-leaning Yeni Safak (8/12):  "By this 
military operation, Saakashvili was hoping to end Georgia's problem 
with separatism.  He most likely did not anticipate an immediate 
counter attack from Russia, or at least he hoped for strong NATO 
 
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support to eliminate a potential counter attack.  None of these 
calculations worked.  Meanwhile, Russian PM Vladimir Putin continues 
to take a harsh stance.  It is not clear if Putin will take this as 
an opportunity to rearrange the world system about which he 
complains, or if will he accept the American peace proposal at some 
point.  The world is on the verge of some important developments and 
we have to watch them very carefully and cautiously." 
 
"Russia and the Caucasus" 
Mustafa Balbay wrote in leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet (8/12):  "The 
war in the Caucasus is, in fact, a conflict between the United 
States and Russia.  In the aftermath of the Soviet Era, the new 
world order has not worked properly so far.  Because this new world 
order was nothing but the imposition of American unilateralism, at 
some point someone had to challenge this.  The U.S. has demonstrated 
its supremacy over Russia and China by controlling the region as 
well as its energy resources, and now Russia has stood up to claim 
its turf via the Georgia conflict.  Given the current picture, there 
is only one way to interpret it: The unilateral world system is no 
more." 
 
"Being a Game Planner" 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah (8/12): "Following his crazy 
gambles, it remains to be seen whether Saakashvili can keep his 
seat.  Nevertheless, Georgia has lost South Ossetia and Abkhazia for 
good, which redistributes the cards in the Caucasus game.  These 
recent developments also complicate the possibility of reaching a 
solution to the Karabakh issue.  All of these indicate how serious 
instability is in the Caucasus and how this instability puts energy 
corridors at stake.   At this point, the only way to avoid further 
conflict in the future is by uniting the Caucasus countries toward a 
joint goal for the future.  The Caucasus is urgently in need of a 
stability pact like the one in the Balkans.  Turkey first suggested 
this in 1999 and PM Erdogan reiterated the idea 2006 and yesterday 
to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.  If Turkey initiates this 
effort, it is certain to be a wonderful and historic mission." 
 
CHP Charges Leading AKP Figure with Corruption 
All papers report opposition CHP deputy chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu 
held a press conference Monday in which he accused the ruling AKP 
deputy chairman Saban Disli of requesting USD 1 million in bribes in 
order to change the zoning plans of a property in the Silivri 
neighborhood in Istanbul.  Kilicdaroglu revealed a "protocol 
agreement" Disli signed, according to which Disli would be paid USD 
1 million for changing the zoning plan on land owned by Disli and 
his partners before it was sold to the Tesco-Kipa company.  The 
value of the property soared following the zoning change.  Disli 
reportedly said the protocol was an "internal" document to record 
his share of money after the land sale was completed. 
 
PKK Ambush in Erzincan 
All papers:  A military vehicle carrying 11 soldiers was ambushed by 
the PKK in the eastern province of Erzincan's Kemah town. 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that soldiers went to Sariyazi village 
of Kemah after receiving information that PKK members took food and 
supplies from the village the night before.  The military unit was 
attacked while returning from the village.  A land mine was 
detonated with a remote control while the military vehicle was 
passing by.  A lieutenant colonel and eight privates were killed in 
the blast.  One captain and one private were seriously injured. 
Following the incident, security forces started an operation in the 
region to capture the terrorists. 
 
Meanwhile, Sabah and Cumhuriyet report that in southern province of 
Hatay, a policeman saw a person leaving his bag on the rear wall of 
the Special Forces Police building.  When the person was warned to 
stop by the police officer he tried to run away and opened fire on 
the police.  He was killed during the clash.  Cumhuriyet says 12 kg 
and Sabah says 15 kg. of C4 plastic explosives were found in his 
bag.  The explosives were placed in a "Samavar" (a gadget used in 
 
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making tea). 
 
Massacre in Tuzla 
All papers:  Milliyet's headline reads "Massacre in Tuzla" and 
reports that a life boat constructed at Gisan shipyard in Tuzla was 
thrown into the sea with 19 workers aboard to test for weight 
control.  Part of the boat was made of glass, which shattered and 
caused the boat to capsize.  Three workers drowned while 16 others 
injured.  Limter-Is Union leader Cem Dinc criticized the incident 
and said that "the workers were used as sand bags for testing." 
 
Zapsu and Bagis Sues Michael Rubin 
Mainstream Sabah reports that PM Erdogan's political advisor Cuneyt 
Zapsu and AKP Deputy Chairman Egemen Bagis sued Michael Rubin for 
calling them "bribe takers" and "liars" in the U.S.  Bagis and Zapsu 
demand 20,000 YTL in compensation from Rubin. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Dursun Karatas, the leader of the terrorist far left DHKP-C 
organization, died of cancer in Brussels. 
 
- A fire on the Turkish stretch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) 
pipeline,which began on August 5, was extinguished yesterday. 
 
- Collective bargaining talks between the AKP government and labor 
unions will begin August 15. 
 
International News 
 
- Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the U.S. and Iraqi 
negotiators are "very close" to reaching a long-term security pact 
that will decide the fate of American troops in Iraq. 
 
- The Russian currency drops after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin 
said "war has started" in the breakaway Georgian region of South 
Ossetia. 
 
- Israeli security forces have started to use a foul-smelling liquid 
to disperse Palestinian protests in the occupied West Bank. 
 
SILLIMAN