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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001700 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
16 New Detentions in 'Ergenekon' Investigation 
All media outlets report that on Tuesday, 16 suspects, including 
television station owner Tuncay Ozkan, known for his strong 
opposition against the governing AKP, were taken into custody in the 
'Ergenekon' investigation.  Ozkan established a popular opposition 
platform, "How Many Are We?"  He was also the former owner of 
nationalist Kanalturk TV, a media outlet fiercely critical of the 
AKP.  Ozkan sold the outlet to pro-AKP figures also having close 
ties with the Islamist sect leader Fettullah Gulen's group, a sale 
which upset fellow ultra-nationalists.  Mainstream Sabah says Ozkan 
and his group allegedly represented the "media wing" of the 
Ergenekon network and are suspected of using "black propaganda" 
methods and "disinformation" to agitate the public.  Also detained 
were Gurbuz Capan, a columnist and shareholder in the nationalist 
and anti-AKP Cumhuriyet; Adnan Bulut, journalist and former board 
member of Kanalturk TV; Tanju Guvendiren, a retired colonel, and 
Adil Serdar Sacan, a retired police chief. 
 
Milliyet notes Prime Minister Erdogan and Interior Minister Besir 
Atalay held two-and-a-half hour meeting before yesterday's 
detentions happened.  Islamist-oriented Zaman points to the timing 
of the detentions, which came one month before the first hearing in 
the Ergenekon trial to be held on October 20.  Leftist-nationalist 
Cumhuriyet finds the new wave of detentions "interesting" as it came 
at the time the Deniz Feneri scandal is at the top of the Turkish 
domestic agenda. 
 
President Gul Addresses UN General Assembly 
All papers:  President Gul delivered a speech at the UN General 
Assembly in New York yesterday.  Mainstream Sabah reports that in 
his speech, President Gul extended support to calls for UN reform 
and said that the greatest task for the international community is 
closing the gap between the richest and poorest countries as fast as 
possible.  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that in reference to 
Turkey's neighbors President Gul said "Turkey has contributed to 
peace in its region.  In this context, I believe that the Turkey's 
proposed 'Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform' will be a 
useful framework in which to discuss regional problems in a 
democratic arena."  Regarding the Cyprus issue, Gul urged the 
international community to ease economic limitations on the 
Turkish-Cypriots.  Sabah notes that President Gul also asked for 
support from the General Assembly for Turkey's candidacy for a 
non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council by saying "Turkey has 
not been represented at the Council for nearly half a century.  We 
believe that our foreign policy and our economic, social and 
cultural characteristics will help us make positive contributions to 
the Council's work." 
 
Meanwhile, economic daily Referans reports that in a speech at a 
meeting organized by the Foreign Policy Council in New York 
yesterday, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that Turkey, Armenia 
and Azerbaijan are determined to solve their problems.  On Friday, 
September 26, the Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Armenia and 
Azerbaijan will hold a trilateral meeting in New York, the paper 
adds. 
 
Global Economic Meltdown 
All papers carry State Minister Nazim Ekren's remarks about possible 
impact to Turkish economy.  Minister Ekren was quoted as saying 
"Turkey managed to organize itself through fiscal discipline and 
banking regulations during the 2001 crisis, therefore it is unlikely 
that the current crisis will hugely affect the Turkish economy.  The 
U.S. is now trying to adopt similar measures to regulate the system. 
 However, debts and current deficit are the two main problems we 
have to deal with." 
 
The economy pages feature quotes from the CEO of Turkey's Sabanci 
Holding, one of Turkey's leading conglomerates, and Rifat 
 
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Hisarciklioglu, chairman of Turkish Chamber of Commerce (TOBB). 
Guler Sabanci characterized the current crisis as the biggest tremor 
the world has seen, thus nothing will ever be the same again. 
Expressing hope for a new IMF agreement for Turkey, Ms. Sabanci 
added "The consequences of the current crisis will be felt in Turkey 
more in 2009 than today.  Turkey's growth rate and liquidity will be 
the main areas hit by this crisis."  Papers also highlight Chairman 
Hisarciklioglu's advice during a meeting with TOBB members: "The 
global crisis will hit everybody throughout the world.  Nobody is 
safe because of the domino effect.  Turkey has to focus on two goal: 
a strong economy and a strong democracy." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Global Economic Meltdown 
 
Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist-leaning Yeni Safak: "Walking through 
the streets of New York and seeing the faces of people tells a lot 
about the ongoing crisis because it means unemployment for many New 
Yorkers in the very heart of American finance.  The Bush 
Administration is trying to convince the Congress to pass the 700 
million dollar bailout, a sum which is actually more than Turkey's 
national income.  The Bush Administration's policy to shape the 
world played a significant role in the current economic crisis. 
However, it is not much of a debate here since both Republicans and 
Democrats agree wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were a mistake. 
American resources were used for the war instead of the country's 
economic welfare." 
 
Cukurova Media Group Gives Payment Plan to State Body 
Hurriyet, Sabah and Yeni Safak report that Cukurova Group, which 
owns a large media portfolio, has made an agreement with the banking 
regulatory and insurance board (TMSF) to repay its debts.  The group 
presented a plan to repay 400 million dollars in 8 years to the 
Treasury and a protocol is expected to be signed soon, reports 
added.  Cukurova Group portfolio includes dailies Aksam and Tercuman 
as well as Show tv. 
 
Editorial Commentary on the PM vs Media 
 
Hasan Cemal wrote in mainstream Milliyet:  "Recently, PM Erdogan has 
been very tense.  He gets very angry with all the questions from 
journalists.  I am sure the PM is aware of the fact that the media 
in every democratic country makes an effort to catch the mistakes of 
the government.  And I am sure he is aware that it is not the 
Turkish media's policy to be merciful in their criticism.  Let me 
remind him of a phrase from Winston Churchill who received plenty of 
criticism from the media "Don't ever complain, don't ever answer 
back."  Mr. Prime Minister, this is not the time to lose your cool, 
either locally or internationally." 
 
Mehmet Tezkan wrote in mainstream Vatan:  "I am sure The Economist 
has the most upsetting question for PM Erdogan "Isn't AKP pure any 
longer?"  But if you continue to support all the suspects of Deniz 
Feneri case, if you continue to say this case has no links with 
Turkey, if you continue to support RTUK chairman Akman and neglect 
initiating an investigation against him, then even foreigners will 
continue to ask same questions: "Isn't AKP pure any longer?" or 
"Isn't Erdogan acting like Putin?" 
 
Editorial Commentary on US-Pakistan 
 
Ergin Yildizoglu writes in leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet: "The 
suicide bomb attack on the Marriot Hotel in Islamabad has made it 
easier for the Pakistani Administration to explain to its people why 
it is cooperating with the US.  Experts who know the region and the 
social texture of Pakistan believe that such cooperation will drag 
Pakistan toward destruction.  One thesis claims the US is trying to 
create enough instability to legitimize an American seizure of 
Pakistan's nuclear weapons.  Another one says NATO is trying to to 
create a permanent presence in the region, as far as the Chinese 
border.  Whether the Pakistani and Afghani peoples as well as others 
 
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in the region object, NATO aims to create a continuous war and a 
confusion zone to legitimize its presence as a security element in 
the whole region." 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- AKP deputy chairman Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat and CHP deputy group 
chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu are expected to hold a televised debate on 
Thursday concerning the accusations they made against each other 
within the Deniz Feneri scandal. 
 
- The German Embassy spokesman in Ankara said press reports claiming 
Turkey's main opposition party CHP accepted a donation from the 
German Friedrich Ebert Foundation were "not true." 
 
- Greenpeace activists staged protests at the Energy Ministry in 
Ankara against the bidding process for the construction of Turkey's 
first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu in the Mediterranean province of 
Mersin. 
 
- Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Uc Maymun" (Three Monkeys) movie 
will represent Turkey in the competition for a foreign-language film 
category nomination at the 81st Academy Awards. 
 
International News 
 
- President Bush tells the UN General Assembly the international 
community needs to stand firm against the nuclear ambitions of North 
Korea and Iran. 
 
- Iraq resumes oil supplies to Jordan for the first time since the 
2003 US-led invasion. 
 
- Iran plans to build a car production plant in Afghanistan. 
WILSON