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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001922 
 
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, NOVEMBER 6, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
The American Public Has Never Been This Happy (Yeni Safak) 
Media report on the election of Barack Obama with excitement, hope, 
and compassion for the tough job ahead of the President-elect. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports, "In the 1940s, Rosa Parks was 
arrested for sitting in a bus seat that was designated for whites 
(note: referring to the 1955 incident in Montgomery, Alabama), but 
today a black American holds the top seat in the U.S."  Conservative 
Bugun carries the headline, "An American Dream," as "Obama's victory 
shows that America really is the land of opportunity."  Extreme 
right Tercuman carries the headline, "From Slavery to the Presidency 
- Barack Obama Becomes the First Black U.S. President."  Mainstream 
Vatan carries the headline, "143 Years after the End of Slavery, (an 
African-American) is now President."  Economic daily Referans' 
headline reads, "Obama's Victory - The First Step for Ending the 
Financial Crisis."  Mainstream Sabah reports, "Democracy is a 
Beautiful Thing," as "This election shows the importance of 
democracy and the strength of the voters."  Mainstream Milliyet 
writes in "Global Hope," that "People all over the world are tired 
of the eight-year Bush era of war and crisis," and the world 
"salutes the election of Barack Obama as U.S. President."  In 
addition, the paper says, "The world takes a breath of relief." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman surveys a number of Turkish specialists and 
retired diplomats who agree, "It's expected that Obama will adopt a 
new approach to U.S. policy in Iraq," and "give more priority to 
diplomacy," which "will have a significant impact on Turkey." 
Meanwhile, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "The Armenian 
controversy is likely to stir tensions between Turkey and Obama." 
 
 
Cartoon from today's mainstream Sabah newspaper reads, "Blacks used 
to sit in the back of the bus," and "now" Barack Obama is pictured 
sitting in the back of the presidential limousine.' 
 
 
PM Erdogan and President Gul Remarks Regarding Obama's Victory 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports President Gul sent a letter to Obama to 
congratulate him for his election victory.  In his letter, President 
Gul drew attention to the partnership between Turkey and the U.S. 
He noted this partnership "has a special importance for peace and 
security in Middle East, Caucasus, Balkans and Central Asia."  He 
stressed Turkey's determination for the two countries to continue to 
"advance our strategic partnership and cooperation in every field, 
including the war on terror."  Liberal Radikal quotes President Gul 
as saying "May peace, stability and security come to the world with 
Obama."  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak writes Prime Minister Erdogan 
commented on the U.S. presidential elections saying "Obama's victory 
marked the end of problems between whites and blacks."  Mainstream 
Hurriyet adds Erdogan noted the ties between Turkey and the U.S. 
were shaped by strategic factors and were not going to change.  The 
paper says Erdogan will go to the U.S. for the G-20 summit on 
November 13th and he would like to meet the President-elect. 
 
Columns: President-elect Barack Obama 
 
Cuneyt Ulsever observes in mainstream Hurriyet: "The most important 
aspect regarding the U.S. elections is that the white majority has 
overcome their prejudices and thus changed the course of history. 
By choosing Barack Obama, the American people have taken a giant 
step for global democracy.  Our lesson from the American people is 
this: despite some of the shortcomings of democracy, mistakes can be 
corrected eventually." 
 
Tamer Korkmaz writes in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Barack Obama 
was only two years old when Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his 
famous 'I Have a Dream' speech.  Forty years after MLK's 
assassination, the day has come, times have changed.  Barack Obama 
is America's first African-American President.  And, this man was 
chosen to be President by both blacks and whites. Obama is taking 
 
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over a fundamentally wrecked system, at home and abroad.  Until he 
is able to change things, we can all agree:  the African-American 
leader has some hard days ahead." 
 
Yavuz Donat writes in mainstream Sabah:  "Americans sought change 
and voted for Obama.  With Obama's election, the Bush era of 
unilateral decisions has come to an end.  Bush, with his know-it-all 
attitude, refused to consider the views of NATO or the UNSC. 
Meanwhile, Obama's stance is completely different and he says that 
he will listen to all sides.  From Turkey's perspective, Obama's 
policies will ease tensions for Turkey regarding Iraq, Iran and the 
Caucasus.   The change in the U.S. will be significant because the 
Democratic party holds majorities in the White House, the Senate, 
and the House of Representatives.  A new era is starting in the U.S. 
as well as in bilateral relations between Turkey and the US. 
 
Hasan Cemal writes in mainstream Milliyet:  "American voters made 
history yesterday by electing a black president.  Now it is Obama's 
turn to make history and fulfill all his promises of change. A 
headline from yesterday's New York Times read "The Obstacle of 
Racism Has Collapsed" and noted that this is only the beginning.  It 
is true, the American people initiated this beginning and now it is 
Obama's turn to continue it.  We hope that Obama will not disappoint 
his own people and the rest of the world." 
 
Omer Taspinar of mainstream Sabah writes, "Turkey should not focus 
on the Armenian issue in its relations with Obama, but instead take 
a look at the bigger picture in ties with the U.S. Obama has the 
vision that is necessary to repair the tensions between the U.S. and 
Europe, which will have a positive impact on Turkey." 
 
Semih Idiz of mainstream Milliyet writes, "Obama may enrage Ankara 
regarding the Armenian genocide issue," but "in the long term, Obama 
will be a better partner for Turkey regarding regional stability." 
 
In liberal-intellectual daily Radikal, Ismet Berkan writes: "Obama's 
victory is a victory of hope and a victory for the real America, 
which we have not seen during the last 8 years.  This is a triumph 
of democracy." 
 
A Reform Warning from the EU 
Sabah, Hurriyet, Milliyet, Zaman, Vatan and others:  The EU made 
public its annual report on Turkey's progress regarding its 
EU-related reforms.  The report calls on Turkey to speed up its 
reform process during 2009.  The 85-page report criticized the 
pressure placed on the press by the military and the government, 
note mainstream Sabah and Islamist-oriented Zaman. 
 
Chief Prosecutor's Office Initiates Investigation against AKP in 
Deniz Feneri Case 
Milliyet, Vatan, Hurriyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman: 
Papers report that the Yargitay Chief Prosecutor's office initiated 
an investigation yesterday into possible links between the ruling 
party AKP and the Deniz Feneri charity fraud case in Germany. 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman 
Yalcinkaya, who authored the party closure case against the AKP, 
requested a copy of the Deniz Feneri file once it is received from 
the German Court.  The Frankfurt Court ruled the Deniz Feneri 
("Lighthouse") charity received a total of 41 million Euros in 
donations, of which 17 million Euros was sent to Turkey, adds 
Milliyet. 
 
Panic in the PKK (Milliyet) 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that, following the Turkish Military's 
air operations in northern Iraq, panic has erupted in the terrorist 
organization.  Groups of terrorists have started to leave PKK camps 
in the recent months.  The most recent report indicates that eight 
PKK members, including two high-level leaders, recently escaped from 
the mountain camps in northern Iraq. 
 
 
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Rape Trial against Islamist Writer Continues 
Zaman, Hurriyet, Milliyet, and others: Huseyin Uzmez, a columnist 
for the extreme Islamist Vakit daily and who is charged with raping 
a 14-year old minor, was warned by the Diyanet Director for 
Religious Affairs Ali Bardakoglu not to use the Islamic religion as 
an excuse for his actions.  Anatolian News Agency reports Bardakoglu 
told them, "The abuse of minors is never acceptable in Islam," and 
"Someone who commits a crime like this is going against nature, 
against humanity, no matter if they are religious or not. Nobody 
should either defend or support such figures. On the contrary, those 
abusing minors should be harshly condemned, and we should all do 
something for those children.  I sincerely support the common 
reaction in public opinion against the sexual abuse of minors, and I 
have seen a significant step forward in the level of public 
consciousness that has been raised about this issue." 
Uzmez was taken into custody in April on charges of repeatedly 
sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, whose age was recently 
confirmed through bone density testing. He was arrested and 
incarcerated pending trial until his surprise release from jail last 
week, which was based on a forensics report indicating that the 
victim's physical and mental health was stable. The Justice Ministry 
then launched an investigation into the doctors who filed the report 
at the Council of Forensic Medicine. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
The CHP Istanbul Women's Branch protested outside the extreme 
Islamist Vakit newspaper's Istanbul office in order to object to the 
paper's refusal to criticize its columnist Huseyin Uzmez, who is 
charged with raping a minor.  Police had to break up a fistfight 
that broke out between the protesters and Vakit employees. 
 
In response to the hike in natural gas prices, opposition party MHP 
filed a censure motion against Energy Minister Guler and asked the 
government to reverse the increase in natural gas prices. 
 
State Minister Nimet Cubukcu said Turkey was trying to block the 
broadcast of a British television program about Turkish orphanages. 
 
International News 
 
Azerbaijani President Aliyev discussed peace in the Caucasus with 
President Gul yesterday in Ankara. 
 
An unarmed Minuteman Intercontinental ballistic missile was 
test-launched from a U.S. military base Wednesday. 
 
US Ambassador Ross Wilson says Obama's victory was "a miracle of 
American democracy." 
 
WILSON