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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001458 
 
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, AUGUST 13, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Russia Halts Military Operations in Georgia 
All news outlets report Russian President Medvedev ordered a halt to 
military operations in Georgia on Tuesday after five days of 
fighting.  A peace plan endorsed by Medvedev and French President 
Sarkozy calls for both Russian and Georgian troops to move back to 
their positions prior to August 6, 2008.  Papers report Russian 
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would not engage in talks 
with Saakashvili, stressing the Georgian President should step down. 
 
 
Media coverage today reflects relief Russian President Medvedev 
ordered a halt to military operations in Georgia.  However, several 
aggressive statements from other Russian officials are covered today 
with a measure of skepticism.  Russian Deputy Chief of Staff General 
Nogovitsin called claims the Russians attacked the BTC pipeline, 
"Tbilisi's effort to drag Turkey into the war."  Foreign Minister 
Lavrov's suggestion that Saakashvili should step down has several 
Turkish outlets questioning if the real Russian target was the 
liberation of South Ossetia, or or the deposition of Saakashvili. 
Islamist-oriented Zaman notes the Russians are setting harsh 
criteria for talks in the headline, "Fighting in Georgia Ends and 
Peace Discussions Will Start, but Russia Refuses to Talk with 
Saakashvili."  Mainstream Milliyet takes it one step further and 
suggests, "So the Goal is to Overthrow Saakashvili," as, "An 
Operation without Weapons Begins," to topple Saakashvili, who lies 
in Russia's "crosshairs."  Liberal Radikal declares in a banner 
headline, "At Last, Russia Stops!"  Inside the paper, Radikal notes, 
"Russia Shakes the Hand of Europe and Stops Their Fire."  Mainstream 
Hurriyet is more cynical in their headline, "... And Russia Wins." 
Mainstream Aksam comments on the Russian deputy army chief 
Nogovitsin's statement in the headline, "A War Trap for Turkey: 
Russian Commander Says Claims Russians Bombed the BTC Pipeline were 
Tbilisi's Efforts to Drag Turkey into the War."  Conservative 
Turkiye credits the French President with the diplomatic victory in, 
"Sarkozy Convinces Russia to Make a Ceasefire Deal."  Economic daily 
Referans expresses their concern in, "Russia Halts Operations, But 
has no Intention of Withdrawing."  Mainstream Vatan carries several 
headlines including, "Putin: 'We Do Not Want Georgian Soldiers on 
Georgian Soil!'" and, "The Devil Putin Ends the Invasion." 
 
In "Urgent U.S. Aid Package for Georgia," Islamist-oriented Yeni 
Safak reports Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Bryza said the U.S., 
in cooperation with the international organizations, was preparing 
an economic aid package which aims supporting Georgia's economy and 
preserving stability following the conflict. 
 
Russia Welcomes Turkey's 'Balanced Stance' in the Caucasus Conflict 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports Russia's Ankara Embassy 
charg d'affaires Andrey Buravov said Moscow understands Turkish 
concerns regarding the conflict in the Caucasus.  Buravov welcomed 
the "balanced approach" of Turkey.  On PM Erdogan's proposal to form 
a Caucasus Stability Pact, Buravov said the issue had not come to 
the meeting table yet.  Meanwhile, Cumhuriyet's front page accuses 
Europe of "Waiting for too long," to formulate a Caucasus Union, as 
former Turkish President Demirel reminds that Turkey has lobbied for 
such a union since 1999.  Mainstream Hurriyet reports analysts as 
saying Turkey's efforts to become a transit route for Caspian and 
Central Asian oil and gas exports to Europe, along with Ankara's 
desire for a stable neighborhood on its east, could suffer a setback 
as the conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi underlines the fragile 
security in the Caucasus. 
 
 
Editorial Opinion: Georgia 
 
"Who Is the Winner of the War?" 
Ibrahim Karagul wrote in Islamist-leaning Yeni Safak (8/13):  "The 
current situation does not indicate a complete end to the war in 
 
ANKARA 00001458  002 OF 003 
 
 
Georgia.  Russia has stopped its operations but will remain in South 
Ossetia and will not allow Georgian forces in this area any more. 
With this war, the West's Caucasus policy has failed.  Unlike the 
Balkans, the Caucasus region is more likely to experience ethnic 
divisions.  This conflict was also a test of power between the U.S. 
and Russia as well. However Georgians and Ossetians are paying the 
price for the test.  Saakashvili gambled and lost; he may end up 
leaving his country and moving to the United States.  In fact he 
should do this not only for Russia's good but also for his country's 
sake.  This will be a good thing for Turkey and the region as 
well." 
 
"Trumping the Balkans with the Caucasus" 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet (8/13):  "The military side 
of the five-day war has ended with the start of a diplomatic 
process.  This incident goes beyond 'Russian reprisal for Kosovo' 
because it is in fact a part of long term Russian strategy to gain 
influence in the Caucasus in exchange of the Balkans.  The Balkans 
are now under Western influence since Russia has lost significant 
ground there.  Russia was determined to prevent the same loss of 
influence in the Caucasus.  The Russian lesson to Georgia was also a 
message to the Western world.  As diplomacy begins to proceed we 
will witness the reshaping of regional and global balances." 
 
"Disproportional Force" 
Mehmet Y. Yilmaz wrote in mainstream Hurriyet(8/13): "It made me 
smile when I heard Washington's accuse Russia of using 
disproportionate force.  I couldn't help but think about several 
events in the past, such as what happened in Panama, Granada and 
Iraq.  Aside from the U.S. invasions of Panama and Iraq, the 
disproportionate force the U.S. used in nearly sunk the islet.  This 
indicates one thing - 'self interest' is the key element in 
international relations." 
 
 
UNHCR: 100,000 Homeless after Georgia-Russia Conflict 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports the UN High Commissioner for 
Refugees (UNHCR) said at least 100,000 people left their homes when 
the conflict broke out between Georgia and Russia on August 6.  The 
Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) will reportedly launch an initiative 
to evacuate Turks from Georgia through Azerbaijan.  An estimated 
2,000 Turks live in Georgia.  France and the U.S. have also begun 
evacuating their nationals in Tbilisi.  The U.S. State Department 
said 170 Americans were sent to Armenia in two convoys, reports 
Cumhuriyet. 
 
Papers and television channels report the Turkish Red Crescent 
Society (Kizilay) said Tuesday that Turkey was the first country to 
send humanitarian relief to Georgia.  "The civilian death toll has 
reached 3,000.  Our teams that made it to Tbilisi report people were 
running to the forests for their lives, leaving children and the 
elderly in the cities," said Kizilay Chairman Tekin Kucukali. 
 
Ahmadinejad's August 14-15 Visit to Istanbul 
Sabah, Aksam, Ortadogu and Yeni Safak report on Thursday, Iranian 
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to meet President Abdullah 
Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan in Istanbul.  Islamist-oriented Yeni 
Safak says the two sides are expected to sign an energy agreement 
and discuss the PKK/PJAK and the Russia-Georgia conflict in the 
Caucasus.  The Turkish side is expected to warn the Iranians 
concerning Tehran's uranium enrichment activities.  Turkey will say 
nuclear weapons would harm the Middle East a great deal, and will 
urge Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency 
(IAEA,) according to Yeni Safak.  Mainstream Sabah carries a recent 
editorial from the Washington Times which claims, "If Turkey and 
Iran sign an energy agreement, the U.S. will withdraw its 
intelligence support to Turkey's struggle against the PKK in 
northern Iraq."  Mainstream Aksam says, "The Bush Administration did 
not send a direct warning against the visit," but, "Washington was 
not pleased with the visit." 
 
ANKARA 00001458  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
Tuzla Shipyard Accidental Deaths 
Sabah, Hurriyet, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Star and others:  The deaths 
of three shipyard workers last weekend remains high on the domestic 
agenda.  Mainstream Sabah reports, "The experts warned, but they did 
not take it seriously," and Kerem Kiper, director of French Lloyd 
company, who examined the ship after the life boat accident and said 
"I cannot describe this as an accident.  The shipyard authority was 
negligent in this case.  Our experts warned them not to do this test 
with people.  In Europe, these tests are not conducted with human 
beings."  Meanwhile, trade associations said "using people as test 
dummies is nothing else but murder."  Mainstream Milliyet's headline 
reads "Send the Workers to Death, And Pay Only 20,000 YTL" and 
reports that there was great negligence in the life boat accident, 
but those responsible would pay only a fine of 20,000 YTL in 
compensation to each of the victims' families for causing such an 
accident. 
 
TV News: 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Nine soldiers killed by a PKK landmine in the Erzincan province 
earlier this week were laid to rest in their hometowns. 
 
- Seven pro-Kurdish DTP members in Izmir were taken into custody for 
praising the PKK and its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan. 
 
- The Higher Education Council (YOK) will announce its rector 
nominees for 23 new universities on Wednesday. 
 
International News 
 
- Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar announces Iran 
has built a new unmanned intelligent submarine. 
 
- The United Nations says 18 Colombian indigenous communities living 
in the Amazon jungle are threatened with extinction by the ongoing 
government-rebel conflict. 
 
SILLIMAN