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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001634 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Gul Visits Baku to Restore Diplomacy in the Caucasus 
Media outlets report President Abdullah Gul visited Baku Wednesday 
and held a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham 
Aliyev regarding the tensions in the Caucasus.  Gul voiced hope that 
Azerbaijan and Armenia would manage to resolve the problems in 
Nagorno Karabakh, "in the spirit of dialogue and mutual 
understanding."  Gul said the Armenians seem ready to withdraw from 
Nagorno Karabakh.  Gul noted that Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia 
could hold three-party summit talks.  He implied the summit could be 
held on the sidelines of a World Cup soccer qualifying match between 
the teams of Turkey and Armenia in October next year in Istanbul. 
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told NTV and Samanyoglu TV last 
night that he is planning to hold a three- party meeting with his 
counterparts from Azerbaijan and Armenia in New York during the UNGA 
meetings later this month.  In addition, Babacan noted "the 
normalization of ties between Ankara and Yerevan, and also between 
Yerevan and Baku, is not a dream, but a realistic target." 
Mainstream Vatan and Islamist-oriented Zaman says that yesterday 
Babacan had a phone conversation with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister 
Elmar Memmedyarov, and adds that the Memmedyarov gave a positive 
response to the offer. 
 
 
Editorial Commentary on Caucasus Crisis 
 
Muharrem Sarikaya wrote in mainstream Sabah:  "On the way back from 
Baku, President Gul said "The instability in the Caucasus is like a 
giant wall between us.  If there is stability, peace and trust in 
the Caucasus the region will be a key route to Central Asia and 
China.  The Caucasus looks like a small area on the map but it is 
very effective as a focal point for global issues.  I witnessed 
mutual respect and positive feelings between the Azeri and Armenian 
leaders.  Moreover, Armenians are willing to withdraw from the Azeri 
land they invaded.  A new era is starting.  I believe that Russia 
will approach the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue positively, because 
Russia doesn't want to be isolated in the region." 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal Radikal:  "Turkey should keep very 
good relationships with Georgia and Azerbaijan.  There will be hope 
for peace, stability and cooperation in the region if the 
negotiations commence between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia 
regarding the Upper Karabagh issue.  All countries in the region, 
including Turkey, will benefit from such a development.  That is why 
Turkey is also trying to keep a good relationship with Russia." 
 
Ali Sirmen in leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet: "Armenia has made no 
change in its attitude against Turkey; all it did was to promise the 
launch of 'unconditional' talks.  Some Armenian hardliners don't 
even favor a diplomatic relationship with Turkey unless Ankara 
recognizes the 'genocide' claims.  They, however, seem to stand 
close to the 'unconditional talks' formula since it's mainly Armenia 
that suffers from isolation.  We know that the EU and the U.S. are 
pressuring Ankara to open the border.  Opening the border crossing 
before improvement in the conditions that harm ties between Turkey 
and Armenia would not bring good results.  If Turkey opens the 
border without conditions, new demands will inevitably follow." 
 
Mustafa Balbay in leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet: "The opening of 
the border crossing with Armenia will benefit Turkey.  However, what 
would come next?  Azerbaijan, for instance, might react to such a 
development, and ties between Baku and Ankara might be strained.  In 
addition, the U.S. seeks an 'Iran success' in order to cover up its 
failure in Iraq, and needs Turkey's support.  President 
Ahmadinejad's Istanbul visit was met with mixed reactions. 
Ahmadinejad said his call on Istanbul contained messages to the 
Islamic world.  Those messages were also meant for the U.S.  Turkey 
tells the U.S. it will not be able to resolve all disputes via 
 
ANKARA 00001634  002 OF 003 
 
 
military force.  Turkey tells that isolation will not benefit Iran. 
It's, however, clear that such words will not mean much when the 
situation gets a bit tougher." 
 
AKP's Firat Slams Dogan, Opposition Leaders over Deniz Feneri 
Scandal 
All media outlets report the ruling AKP deputy chair Dengir Mir 
Mehmet Firat held a press briefing Wednesday to respond to the 
allegations involving his party in the fraud investigation in 
Germany against the Turkish-owned Islamist-oriented Deniz Feneri 
("Light House") charity organization.  Firat slammed media tycoon 
Aydin Dogan and opposition leaders Deniz Baykal (CHP) and Devlet 
Bahceli (MHP) for "continuing the circulation of lies" over the 
Deniz Feneri incident.  Firat claimed a columnist from Vatan, which 
is part of the Dogan Media Group, tried to put pressure on the 
government regarding a file concerning the Islamist broadcaster 
Kanal 7 TV.  Firat also denied all alleged links between the Deniz 
Feneri organization and the AKP. 
 
CHP Deputy Group Chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu said those responsible for 
the Deniz Feneri fraud were actually in Turkey, and therefore Turkey 
should investigate the allegations.  "Prime Minister Erdogan sees 
himself as a dictator, and above the laws in Turkey," said 
Kilicdaroglu. 
 
Meanwhile, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports the Court of 
Appeals (Yargitay) chief prosecutor was examining press reports over 
charges that donations raised by the Islamist-oriented Deniz Feneri 
charity in Germany had been transferred to Turkey's ruling AKP as 
well as several Islamist-leaning media outlets.  According to 
Cumhuriyet, if the prosecutor decides the suspicions are serious 
regarding the involvement of the AKP in the Deniz Feneri scandal, an 
investigation might be launched and if necessary, information might 
be asked from German authorities.  Article 69 of the Turkish 
Constitution says "political parties which accept financial 
assistance from foreign corporate bodies shall be dissolved 
permanently."  Far right Ortadogu reports, "The AKP could be 
closed," if the charges in the case implicate the AKP.  Opposition 
DSP Secretary General Masum Turkar told the press yesterday if the 
AKP had taken money from Deniz Feneri, the case would "end up at the 
Constitutional Court" for closure. 
 
Cartoons in September 11 Cumhuriyet and Zaman: 
 
 
PM Erdogan's nose grows into a "Lighthouse" (Deniz Feneri,) says: "I 
am the best philanthropist!"  (Cumhuriyet) 
 
 
 
Cartoon commenting on the Turkish press in today's edition of 
Islamist-oriented Zaman. 
 
Editorial Commentary on AKP-Media Fight over Deniz Feneri Scandal 
 
Semih Idiz commented in mainstream Milliyet:  "The EU is concerned 
about PM Erdogan's harsh reactions to the media and the ongoing 
corruption cases related to the ruling party.  PM Erdogan reiterates 
at every opportunity that he abides by the EU standards.  He should 
keep this perspective lively and try to improve it.   Freedom of the 
press is among the basic criteria of the EU.  Both Erdogan's 
violation of press freedom and his refusal to investigate corruption 
charges in his own party create serious concerns in the EU." 
 
Alcohol Consumers Anger PM Erdogan 
Mainstreams Milliyet and Vatan drew attention to the messages issued 
by PM Erdogan after a Ramadan dinner yesterday arranged by the AKP's 
Kadikoy branch in Istanbul.  Erdogan said "some people are 
complaining about neighborhood pressure against drinking alcohol. 
On the contrary, only those who do not drink alcohol in this country 
 
ANKARA 00001634  003 OF 003 
 
 
are under pressure.  I can tolerate people who consume alcohol but I 
cannot be forced to share a toast with them."  Erdogan was referring 
to the protests by the residents of Istanbul's Moda neighborhood who 
began drinking alcohol every night in front of a restaurant operated 
by the municipality, which stopped serving alcohol last week. 
 
Meanwhile, German green Party co-chair Claudia Roth criticized PM 
Erdogan's recent reaction to the news about "Deniz Feneri" case and 
said "This is not the first time PM Erdogan is going beyond the 
limits.  Earlier, he had tried to intimidate the cartoonists for 
drawing his cartoons.  A PM is not God.  He is not immune of 
criticism." 
 
9/11 - 'The U.S. Is Afraid of Turkish Terrorists' 
Media outlets pick up on a report from the internet news website 
World News Daily, in which the FBI Counterterrorism Director told 
the press a group of young Turks who were trained by Al-Qaeda in 
Pakistan are planning attacks in the U.S. on the seventh anniversary 
the September 11, 2001 attacks.  Mainstream Hurriyet writes in, "A 
Turkish Bomb Alarm in the U.S.," that "The U.S. Department of 
Homeland Security will investigate Turkish citizens with stamps in 
their passports indicating they entered Pakistan."  Mainstream Sabah 
reports in, "Turkish Al-Qaeda Will Attack the U.S.," that "There are 
Turkish suspects among the 20,000 suspects U.S. intelligence 
agencies has flagged." 
 
Editorial Commentary on 9-11 
 
Akif Emre writes in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak: "In the post 9/11 
world, the U.S. is surprised to see the world order being polarized 
into the U.S. and Russia/China.  The U.S. expected economic 
competition from China, but Russia's assertion back on the world 
stage was a surprise to the U.S.  In 'The War on Terror'- the key 
thing is it involves Islam.  Not all Muslims are terrorists, but all 
terrorists are Muslim.  Western societies are increasingly paranoid 
of the Muslim world, which creates a bizarre situation for societies 
in the West.  Since Sept 11th, the War on Terror has terrorized the 
Muslim World." 
 
TV News: 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- On Wednesday, UN Special Cyprus Envoy Alexander Downer met 
President Gul, PM Erdogan and FM Babacan in Ankara before moving on 
to Cyprus on Thursday to join 'comprehensive' talks between the 
Cypriot leaders Talat and Christofias. 
 
- 17 Glock handguns were seized Wednesday in a truck entering Turkey 
through the Habur border crossing, on the border with Iraq. 
 
- Opposition MHP leader Devlet Bahceli paid a courtesy visit to the 
new military General Staff chief General Ilker Basbug on Wednesday. 
 
International News 
 
- Georgia claims Russia will establish military bases in Abkhazia 
and South Ossetia. 
 
- The Georgian government says an official report shows 295 people 
were confirmed dead during the conflict with Russia. 
 
- A Dutch court said the Netherlands was not liable for the deaths 
in Srebrenica as its troops operated under a UN mandate. 
 
WILSON