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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001475 
 
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 
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Erdogan Meets Saakashvili and Proposes a 'Caucasus Union' 
All news outlets report Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and 
Prime Minister Erdogan held a joint press conference after they met 
in Tbilisi Thursday.  During the press conference, Saakashvili 
claimed Russia attacked the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline 
despite the fact that it was not a military target.  Saakashvili 
also stated Russia aims to weaken Georgia's economic power.  Erdogan 
said Turkey supported the preservation of Georgia's sovereignty and 
territorial integrity.  Liberal Radikal emphasizes that, while 
Erdogan was voicing support for the territorial integrity of 
Georgia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a press 
conference it was time to "forget about Georgia's territorial 
integrity," and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev assured South 
Ossetia and Abkhazia of Russia's support in their bid for 
independence.  Erdogan said the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) was 
the first humanitarian relief organization to reach out to Georgia, 
adding another convoy carrying 160 tons of food aid would reach the 
region on Thursday.  Erdogan also pledged support for rebuilding the 
infrastructure of the city of Gori. 
 
After returning home yesterday, Erdogan held a news conference in 
the Aegean coastal town of Bodrum where he was vacationing with his 
family before the crisis broke out in the Caucasus.  Erdogan said he 
shared his proposal for the formation of a "Caucasus Platform" with 
the Georgian President and added that Moscow, too, was warm to the 
proposal.  He noted Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Russian Foreign 
Minister Sergey Lavrov would meet next week and launch the "Caucasus 
Platform" process.  He added that Turkey also wants Azerbaijan and 
Armenia to participate in this platform.  "Turkey favors Georgia's 
independence, sovereignty and its territorial integrity as defined 
by international law and the resolutions of the UN Security 
Council," Erdogan told reporters. 
 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries the headline, "Peace Brought to 
the Caucasus," as, "there is hope for peace in the Caucasus after 
Moscow and Tbilisi give support to Erdogan for a Caucasus Union." 
Mainstream Sabah carries the headline, "From Now On, Turkey Is a 
Major Player," as Turkish leadership has pursued, "active diplomacy 
in the region" when "Erdogan goes to the area under fire." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "Erdogan gives support to Georgia's 
territorial integrity, while Moscow calls the notion a "dead topic" 
and Russian military actions continue."  Leftist-nationalist 
Cumhuriyet accuses Russia of playing the "separatist card." 
 
Editorial Opinion on Turkey's Efforts in the Caucasus 
 
Ferai Tinc wrote in mainstream Hurriyet (8/15): "Some circles argue 
that Russia gained more influence following its war with Georgia. 
The Russian army displayed a show of force in Georgia that was 
important after Russia showed such weakness in Chechnya.  Yet at the 
same time Russia has lost significant ground as a global partner to 
the United States and Europe.  Thanks to Georgia, the US has now a 
powerful trump card against Russia.  Ahmadinejad is racing against 
time as he awaits the result of American elections.  Meanwhile those 
voices that support a strike against Iran in the US and in Israel 
are getting stronger.  Russia used to play a major role that 
balanced international opinion against Iran, but after the war in 
Georgia, Russia has lost a great deal of influence." 
 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah (8/15):  "While PM Erdogan in 
Tbilisi was expressing support for Georgia's territorial integrity, 
Russian FM Lavrov in Moscow stated that 'the territorial integrity 
of Georgia is out of question after the recent developments.'  For 
the time being, Russia is planning not to recognize South Ossetia 
and Abkhazia officially.  In time, there will be a de facto 
recognition.  Russian media interpret this development as these two 
countries will be just like the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. 
 I believe that this development in the Caucasus will have an impact 
 
ANKARA 00001475  002 OF 003 
 
 
on the Cyprus issue:  The peace negotiations in Cyprus start next 
month and the Greek Cypriot side will be conciliatory since the war 
in South Ossetia started a new era of fighting for the un-recognized 
states in the world." 
 
Sami Kohen questioned in mainstream Milliyet (8/15):  "PM Erdogan 
suggested a 'Caucasus Stability and Cooperation platform' in Russia 
and Georgia in order to find a solution to the recent problems in 
Caucasus.  He also noted that this is just a thought and should be 
worked on before turning it into a project." 
 
Okay Gonensin wrote in mainstream Vatan (8/15):  "Turkey is in a 
region where vast historical conflicts have taken place.  It is not 
easy to manage to stay out of the fire without taking sides. The 
West was disturbed by the Ahmadinejad visit, while serious problems 
continue in Georgia.  The PM loves to act as a mediator, but acting 
as a mediator in such a chaotic climate has some consequences.  If 
the AKP government starts acting outside of the traditional Turkish 
policy line, it may cause serious results to Turkey." 
 
Mumtazer Turkone in Islamist-leaning Zaman (8/15): "Russia defends 
the principle of self-determination in the Caucasus; however, Russia 
also has to remember the fact that this principle itself led to the 
end of the Russian empire.  The competition between Turkey and 
Russia is growing again.  It's obvious that in the new era, this 
competition will not be as bloody as it was in the past.  Turkish 
foreign policy, however, will be shaped according to the Russian 
factor.  We must look at the Caucasus carefully." 
 
Mustafa Balbay in leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet (8/15): "President 
Bush talked about sending an American fleet to the Black Sea.  A 
U.S. fleet, of course, will enter the Black Sea through the Straits, 
and not the Urals.  The U.S. wants to dominate the Black Sea, and to 
that end, pushes Ankara to not apply the Montreaux Treaty provisions 
to the United States.  The status of the Straits will be a hot topic 
in the days ahead.  Turkey's interests lie in establishing a balance 
in the region, not in taking sides.  It is not possible to read the 
21st century correctly with the Cold War era compasses." 
 
Iranian President Ahmadinejad Comes to Turkey 
All papers:  In the first day of his working visit to Turkey, 
Iranian President Ahmadinejad met with President Gul and the two 
leaders held a joint press conference following the meeting. 
President Gul said "we support Iran's right to use nuclear energy 
for civilian purposes but, Iran should cooperate with the western 
world and resolve the issue through diplomatic ways."  Islamist 
-oriented Zaman reports that three memoranda of understanding were 
signed for cooperation between the national libraries, cooperation 
in transport and environmental issues.  Mainstream Hurriyet notes 
that the energy agreement, which the US was against, was not signed. 
 But the two countries made a very extensive agreement in security 
issues.  Ahmadinejad will meet with PM Erdogan today and leave the 
country tonight. 
 
Editorial Opinion on Ahmadinejad's Turkey Visit 
 
Turker Alkan wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal (8/15): "We all 
witnessed the tragedy even a small-scale war in Georgia can cause. 
If Iran is attacked by the US and/or Israel, the aftermath will be 
like a colossal earthquake.  The solution to the problem requires a 
change in Ahmadinejad's two major policy lines.  He has to give up 
his threats to wipe out Israel and his ambition to produce an atomic 
bomb.  Given the speeches he makes, he seems to live in a different 
reality.  He has to wake up and be realistic before he painfully 
learns the difference between rhetoric and reality." 
 
Ibrahim Karagul wrote in Islamist-leaning Yeni Safak (8/15): "There 
are some overlooked facts about the aftermath of the war in Georgia. 
 Moscow does not recognize Georgia's territorial integrity any more. 
 East-West energy routes are no longer safe without [the involvement 
 
ANKARA 00001475  003 OF 003 
 
 
of] Russia and Iran.  Turkey's leaders realize the importance of 
these consequences and PM Erdogan rushed to Russia to propose a 
Caucasus union.  Meanwhile the visit of Ahmadinejad angered Turkey's 
allies.  Israel gave a protest note to Ankara a week ago.  In fact 
Turkey wants to make the Black Sea a region for peace and economic 
stability.  What could be wrong about an Iran-Turkey rapprochement 
in this respect?  Apparently Turkey is not wanted as a regional 
power." 
 
New Detentions in Ergenekon Case 
Cumhuriyet, Turkiye, Vatan, Milliyet, Hurriyet and others:  Retired 
Colonel Arif Dogan and two others were detained in Ankara and 
Istanbul under the Ergenekon probe.  Hurriyet says police seized a 
truckload of documents believed to have been from the archives of 
the Gendarmerie intelligence Unit (JITEM), 1000 bullets, 280 
grenades, and 2 Kalashnikov rifles from Dogan's estate agent office 
in Istanbul. 
 
Meanwhile, papers report that an arrest warrant was issued for 
retired General Levent Ersoz and former AKP deputy Turan Comez. 
 
Paper: Armenia's 'Visa Gesture' for Turks 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet and the Islamist-oriented Zaman 
report the Armenian government decided Thursday to establish a 
visa-free regime for Turkish soccer fans' entry into Armenia from 
September 1-6 for the September 6 World Soccer Cup qualifier game 
between the teams of the two countries.  Last month, Armenian 
President Serzh Sargsyan invited his Turkish counterpart Abdullah 
Gul to Yerevan to watch the game together.  Ankara has so far not 
responded to the invitation. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- On Thursday, at least 40 members of the pro-Kurdish DTP were taken 
into custody in Adana under suspicions they were planning attacks 
before August 15, the anniversary of the date when the PKK staged 
its first armed attack in 1984. 
 
- Workers in Istanbul's Tuzla shipyards return to work after the 
death of three colleagues in a deadly lifeboat test earlier this 
week. 
 
- The body of the extreme left DHKP-C leader Dursun Karatas was 
brought to Istanbul for burial.  Aslan Tayfun Ozkok, a potential 
DHKP-C leader to replace Karatas, was captured in south Cyprus while 
trying to board a plane to the Netherlands to join Karatas' funeral. 
 
 
International News 
 
- Jerome Corsi attacks Senator Barack Obama in a book saying that 
Obama has tried to cover up "extensive connections to Islam." 
 
- The white majority in the U.S. will be outnumbered by Americans of 
other races by 2042, eight years sooner than previously projected by 
the Census Bureau. 
 
- British Airways PLC, American Airlines and Spain's Iberia SA say 
they have signed a joint business agreement on flights between North 
America and Europe. 
 
SILLIMAN