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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001693 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
More Revelations in Deniz Feneri Scandal 
Many media outlets continue reporting about the Islamist-oriented 
Deniz Feneri charity scandal in Germany, which was dubbed "fraud of 
the century" by the German authorities.  In a news conference 
Monday, opposition CHP deputy group chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu showed 
to the press a document authorizing Kanal 7 TV president Zekeriya 
Karaman to handle Kanal 7 TV Europe manager Mehmet Gurhan's assets 
and investments in Turkey.  The document was issued by a notary 
public in Istanbul on May 21, 2007 -- on a date Gurhan was in prison 
in Germany.  The document authorizes Karaman to make transactions 
with the Gurhan's shares in Turkish companies.  Liberal Radikal says 
it is clear that Karaman was taking care of Gurhan's commercial 
interests in Turkey.  "The document shows Gurhan was a puppet and 
that Karaman was holding the whole power and authority," 
Kilicdaroglu stressed. 
 
On Monday, Turkey's media watchdog RTUK Chair Zahid Akman in an 
interview on NTV rejected charges that he played a key role in the 
Deniz Feneri scandal.  Akman said there was no need for his 
resignation because all the charges against him were "speculation." 
"The Prime Minister said I should continue with my duties at RTUK," 
Akman said.  Akman claimed the campaign launched against him was 
actually "plotted by foreign intelligence services."  Mainstream 
Milliyet says Akman occupied positions in four different companies 
after being assigned to RTUK, even though this is clearly prohibited 
by laws.  Meanwhile, opposition far right MHP leader Devlet Bahceli 
released yesterday a statement demanding RTUK President Akman be 
"forced to step down."  MHP deputy group chief Oktay Vural said his 
party would submit a motion to parliament for initiating 
parliamentary investigation into the Deniz Feneri scandal. 
 
Rice-Babacan Meet in New York 
Media outlets report that on Monday, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan 
met Secretary Rice on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly 
meetings in New York.  Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) Spokesman 
Burak Ozugergin said Babacan and Rice discussed "Turkey-U.S. ties, 
cooperation against the PKK and recent developments in the 
Caucasus."  "Babacan and Rice also discussed President Abdullah 
Gul's visit to Armenia," Ozugergin said.  Papers report Rice 
emphasized Turkey was an "excellent partner."  On a question whether 
Turkey backed the US in the Georgia-Russia crisis, Rice said "We 
have discussed the matter with Turkey a couple times because Turkey 
is an important power in the Caucasus and is working for a more 
peaceful Caucasus". 
 
Erdogan: "Economic Crisis Could be an Opportunity for Turkey 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Vatan, Turkiye, Yeni Safak, Zaman, Dunya, Posta: 
Today's papers extensively covered the press conference PM Erdogan 
held on recent economic developments in the world.  Finance Minister 
Kemal Unakitan, State Ministers Nazim Ekren and Kursad Tuzmen joined 
the Prime Minister at the press conference.  Mainstream Sabah and 
Islamist-oriented Zaman headline "Erdogan Relays Confidence Messages 
to Markets" and report Erdogan saying "The world's financial sector 
is going through a serious crisis.  Turkey will get over this crisis 
with minimum damage and walk towards its targets with determination. 
 I believe this process will turn into an opportunity for Turkey." 
Mainstream  Hurriyet quotes Erdogan as saying "The structural 
reforms carried out in the last six years have helped Turkey to 
minimize the effects of national and international crises.  Turkey 
is not as vulnerable to crisis and turmoil as it was in the past." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Global Economic Meltdown 
 
Mehmet Barlas wrote in mainstream Sabah:  "Pluralistic democracy is 
the guarantor of economic stability.  If there is no political 
stability and transparency in a country, then there will be no 
economic stability either.  Getting deeply involved in domestic 
issues and angry polemics can threaten Turkey's relationship with 
 
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the EU.  This situation can affect Turkey's economy dramatically. 
 
Hasan Cemal wrote in mainstream Milliyet:  The recent global 
economic crisis reminded me of the economic crisis Turkey faced in 
¶2001.  The damages of the recent global crisis are really big.  As a 
result, growth in the western economies will slow down and maybe 
completely stop.  Unemployment will spread.  International capital 
issues will cease.  While there are such crises in the world, I 
really don't know what measures PM Erdogan is taking against it. 
But one thing is definite: Turkey will be affected by this global 
crisis.  In order to avoid huge damage, Erdogan should pay more 
aptention to the global economic crisis and to EU reforms. 
 
DTP Rally in Diyarbakir and Van for Kurdish Language Education 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that a rally arranged by DTP activists 
in Diyarbakir and Van to demand Kurdish language education in state 
schools turned to a pro-PKK rally.  While Kurdish language songs 
praising the PKK and jailed leader Ocalan were broadcast from the 
DTP's official bus, primary school students attended the rally and 
chanted pro-PKK slogans.  Around 10,000 people attended the rally, 
including DTP chairman Ahmet Turk, DTP deputies Emine Ayna, 
Selahattin Demirtas, former DEP chairperson Leyla Zana and 
Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir.  Leyla Zana addressed the crowd in 
Kurdish and urged them to speak in Kurdish among the families, to 
read Kurdish papers, to watch Kurdish TV channels and to follow 
Kurdish internet sites. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey/Pluralism 
 
Ihsan Dagi in Islamist-oriented Zaman: "Racists in Europe have tried 
to block the construction of a mosque in Cologne.  European 
democrats disrupted their effort, and formed a 'rainbow' platform on 
the side of Muslims.  In this platform were church representatives, 
democrats, liberals, greens and even gays.  We have to take a lesson 
from this, and rediscover the tradition of tolerance and coexistence 
with people from diverse faiths.  An understanding of a homogenous 
religion, just like a mentality of a homogenous nation and state, 
will take a society to fascism.  It's odd that our tradition, which 
has seen Muslims, Christians and Jews existing together, is today 
displaying a destructive homogenous approach.  Those who try to put 
pressure on people coming from different faiths cannot object to the 
homogenizing politics of the Kemalist regime.  The mentality is the 
same -- everyone else should be like us; and whether this is seen as 
'everyone should be Kemalist and secularist' or 'everyone should be 
Muslim' doesn't make a difference.  We must admit that Turkey has 
lost its cultural pluralism.  This land is homogenous to an extent 
never seen in its history.  But they are still afraid, which means 
that 'uniformity' doesn't relieve our fears, on the contrary, those 
we have turned towards 'uniformity' return as our nightmares." 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Health Ministry has launched an investigation into the death 
of 13 premature babies in a hospital in Izmir. 
 
- A government decree authorizing cross-border incursions into 
northern Iraq for one more year has been sent to parliament for 
approval. 
 
- A report by Turkish Parliament's Human Rights Committee says about 
widespread wiretapping fears in Turkey that it was not possible to 
bug everyone because of technical and legal reasons. 
 
International News 
 
- President Abdullah Gul began official meetings in New York on the 
sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings. 
 
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- Russian warships sail for Venezuela for joint exercises in 
November. 
 
- More than 1000 artifacts looted from Iraqi sites and museums in 
2003 have been returned to Iraq. 
 
WILSON