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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001911 
 
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, NOVEMBER 4, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
 The Most Critical Presidential Election in American History (Vatan) 
 
All media outlets still predict an Obama victory in today's U.S. 
presidential election, and anticipate a new phase in American 
history.  Islamist-oriented Zaman carries the headline, "The World 
Holds Its Breath as Obama Gets Closer to the Presidency," and 
speculates "Obama, who seeks to change the traditional line, could 
bring a breath of fresh air to foreign policy."  Mainstream Sabah 
carries the headline, "The World's Eyes are on This Election." 
Mainstream Milliyet reports, "The U.S. Elections Could Change 
History," as "The Dream Comes True."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
reports, "The U.S. Faces a Test in the Election of a Black 
President."  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries the front page 
headline "The Fateful Day," and reports, "If McCain is elected, the 
only result is the continuation of Bush's policies."  Leftist Taraf 
calls today "A Revolutionary Day in America."  Economic daily 
Referans carries the headline, "Either Obama Will Win or There Could 
Be a 'Racist' Miracle." 
 
Editorial opinion on U.S. Elections 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "The new 
American president will immediately be part of the system even 
before the inauguration ceremony; therefore there is a strong chance 
that PM Erdogan will meet with the new president during upcoming 
G-20 talks.  Following Ambassador Wilson's rightful explanation to 
President Bush about the seriousness of the PKK situation, 
Washington decided to give active support to Turkey last November. 
At that time, the U.S. also supported the newly-elected Erdogan 
government.  Erdogan will now be the key figure in the new era of 
Turkish-American relations as the only legitimately elected leader 
of the only democratic and secular country in the Muslim world." 
 
Tamer Korkmaz wrote in Islamist-leaning Yeni Safak: "There is a 
chance the United States will lean toward rational policies, 
particularly in the Middle East, if Barack Obama comes to power.  Of 
course if Obama is elected it still remains to be seen to what 
extent the 'American deep state' will let him proceed on his own 
accord.  The United States, under a new leader, will make gains if 
it abandons its policy toward world hegemony.  Otherwise the United 
States will continue to be a loser." 
 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah:  "There are rumors that Obama 
will withdraw US troops from Iraq immediately, freeze sanctions 
against Iran, engage in close cooperation with the EU and open a 
brand new page with Russia.  Don't believe these rumors.  American 
national policies do not always change with the election of a new 
president.  Nevertheless, Obama has millions of fans all over the 
world, including Turkey.  If he wins, one must simply enjoy the 
pleasure of a change." 
 
Can Dundar wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "There is no doubt that an 
Obama victory will bring many political results.   But, from a 
historical perspective, the most important point is that a black 
person can become president in a country where, half a century ago, 
white women were not allowed to marry black men.  This is really 
good news for people who believe that communities can eliminate 
bigotry and prejudice in order to find the rational path." 
 
Ambassador Wilson Offers Reassurance Regarding Elections. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports in "Either Way, Turkey Will 
Win," that U.S. Ambassador Ross Wilson spoke to journalists 
following his farewell call to the Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler. 
Wilson emphasized, "No matter which candidate is elected, there will 
be strong and positive relations between the U.S. and Turkey." 
 
The Duchess of York Stirs Diplomatic Tensions 
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has created a tense controversy 
in Turkey after revealing her undercover photos of orphanages in 
 
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Turkey including Saray orphanage on the outskirts of Ankara.  The 
photos were published in the Sunday Daily Mail* last weekend and a 
documentary will be aired on ITN November 6th that details 
horrifying conditions, including children screaming for attention, 
patients fed while lying down, patients eating their own feces, and 
patients tied to their beds.  Mainstream Vatan newspaper accuses the 
Duchess of "offering donations to convince orphanage officials to 
show her the worst parts of their facilities."  Islamist-oriented 
Zaman carries the headline "Sarah Ferguson's Hidden Intentions," and 
notes, "State Minister for Women and Children's Affairs Nimet 
Cubukcu accused Ferguson of attempting to harm Turkey's image at the 
same time the EU Commission is preparing a report regarding Turkey's 
progress toward its EU bid."  In "The Duchess Crisis," mainstream 
Sabah reports, "The English Duchess created diplomatic tensions 
between the UK and Turkey when she took secret photos," and notes, 
"The British Foreign Ministry said Ferguson's opinions were not 
official," and "do not represent the views of the UK."  Mainstream 
Aksam, meanwhile, calls the Turkish government's response to the 
photos "buffoonery" because "the government launched diplomatic 
complaints with the UK before they launched an investigation into 
the conditions in the orphanages."  Liberal Radikal also criticizes 
the Turkish government by saying, "Turkey cares more about its image 
than the problems in orphanages."  Radikal also notes that a 2005 
report by Mental Disability Rights International documented the poor 
conditions at the Saray orphanage, calling the conditions 
"tantamount to torture." 
 
Government under Fire for Rising Gas Prices 
All papers gave prominent coverage to the recent 22.5 percent 
increase in natural gas prices.  Minister of Energy Guler, in a 
press conference held with Saltuk Duzyol, the chairman of BOTAS [Oil 
Pipeline Corporation], said that all pricing processes are 
determined by an automated pricing mechanism in which neither the 
government nor BOTAS has a direct impact.  Papers note that after 
the natural gas price hike, a rise in electricity prices is also 
expected. 
 
Derya Sazak of Milliyet points out, "Turkey has become one of the 
few countries in the world with record high natural gas price.  The 
government has to come to its senses eventually and should cancel 
the price hike."   Erdal Saglam of Hurriyet holds PM Erdogan 
responsible for the price hike, "Due to the AKP government's 
populist policies and political decisions, the high profit-making 
BOTAS has turned into a deficit-making corporation.  The natural gas 
price increase is a clear demonstration of the mismanagement of the 
economy." 
 
Cartoon from today's edition of mainstream Sabah entitled "After the 
Natural Gas Hikes." 
 
DTP Slams PM Erdogan for His Remarks in the Southeast 
During his trip to the largely Kurdish Southeast of Turkey over the 
weekend, PM Erdogan angered many Kurds when he said, "Those who 
reject the concept of one flag and one nation are free to leave and 
go anywhere they want," which many media outlets translated as 
"Turkey - love it or leave it." In response yesterday, Ahmet Turk, 
Chairman of mostly pro-Kurdish opposition DTP, posed a sharp 
question to the PM "Who will expel whom from whose motherland?  This 
country and its flag are common values of the Kurds, Turks and all 
other segments of our society." 
 
Six Prison Guards Charged in Ceber Torture Case 
Mainstreams Sabah and Milliyet report six prison guards from Metris 
prison were charged by the court in connection with the death of 
Engin Ceber in Metris prison last month.  19 guards were detained 
for torturing and killing Ceber in prison and six of them were 
formally charged yesterday. 
 
Life Is Hard for Women in Turkey 
Milliyet, Sabah, Aksam, Posta, Radikal, Zaman, Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet 
 
ANKARA 00001911  003 OF 003 
 
 
and others:  Today's papers report on the investigation the Justice 
Ministry has initiated into a medical report that lead to the 
release of extreme Islamist Vakit columnist Huseyin Uzmez from jail. 
 Uzmez was detained last April on charges of repeated sexually 
assault against a 14-year-old-girl. Uzmez is awaiting trial, but was 
released from jail last Tuesday because the Council of Forensic 
Medicine's report indicated that the 14-year-old assault victim's 
physical and mental health was stable and therefore not affected by 
Uzmez's alleged assaults. 
 
Mainstream Milliyet and others note that there are plenty of similar 
cases in Turkey and the life is becoming harder for women in Turkey 
day by day.  Papers point to the latest rape incident in Sivas as an 
example.  A 16-year-old girl in Sivas refused to marry a 32-year-old 
man chosen by her parents.  The girl became a rape victim after her 
parents invited their chosen husband-to be to their home and locked 
him in a room alone with their daughter.  The girl was then raped by 
the man and later beaten by her family in order to convince her to 
marry him.  The girl filed a legal complaint and the parents and the 
rapist were arrested. 
 
TV News 
 Domestic 
 
- The DTP completes its sit-in protests in Diyarbakir. 
 
- Zahid Akman, Director of the Radio and Television Board (RTUK), 
said he was ready to publicly discuss the graft allegations against 
him, which were brought up by CHP deputy Kemal Kilicdaroglu. 
 
- Consumer prices increased by 2.6 percent in October. 
 
 
International 
 
- Total spending for political campaigns in US presidential 
elections nears $1 billion. 
 
- The Iraqi Parliament approves legislation restoring guaranteed 
seats on provincial councils to Christians and other small religious 
communities. 
 
- Palestinian President Abbas is en route to Romania for a two-day 
official visit. 
WILSON