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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002056 
 
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, NOVEMBER 26, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
PM Erdogan and Justice Minister Sahin Address Plans for Imrali 
Prison 
Mainstreams Milliyet and Sabah report Prime Minister Erdogan 
responded to a question from a journalist about recent rumors of a 
possible transfer of additional prisoners to the Imrali prison, 
where PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan is serving out a life sentence in 
isolation.  Erdogan said, "Our friends are working on it.  If we 
find it necessary, we will transfer other convicts to Imrali. 
Preparations for this are underway."  When asked whether Ocalan 
would be able to see any other inmates at Imrali, Justice Minister 
Sahin said "In these types of prisons, inmates reside in single 
rooms.  Even if we transfer additional inmates to Imrali, it will be 
illegal for Ocalan to meet with them because he has been known to 
send messages to the PKK through his lawyers." 
 
German Court Reveals Detailed Ruling of Deniz Feneri Case 
Sabah, Milliyet, Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet:  Today's papers and TV 
channels report that the regional court of Frankfurt, Germany 
released its detailed decision regarding the Deniz Feneri 
("Lighthouse") Case.  Mainstream Vatan reports the decision says the 
charity was established "in order to cheat philanthropists and 
donors out of 12 million Euros, which was transferred to Turkey by 
couriers between 2002 and 2007."  Hurriyet and Milliyet report that 
the German Court's decision claims that the key actors involved in 
the charities' irregularities are based in Turkey.  Hurriyet 
reports that the German court gave code names to the suspects of the 
case and Kanal 7 TV was referred as Kanal X in the ruling and said 
"the money sent to Turkey by the couriers were delivered to the 
Kanal X building." 
 
Armenia will Supply Electricity to Turkey 
Islamist-oriented Zaman and mainstream Sabah report that Armenian 
Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan told the press that Armenia is 
preparing to export electricity to Kars, Turkey by March 1, 2009. 
Movsisyan added that the agreement for it was signed in Yerevan in 
September 2008.  Zaman says this electricity exchange is a de facto 
opening of the border between the two countries. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Armenia Relationship 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet:  "Creating an opportunity 
is always very useful in international relations.  After President 
Gul's visit to Yerevan in September, the Armenian FM Nalbandian came 
to Istanbul Monday and met with FM Babacan.  An active dialogue 
between Ankara and Yerevan has begun and it is obvious that these 
contacts will continue.  The Nagorno Karabakh issue and the Armenian 
Genocide issue will be resolved during the process of normalization. 
 Over the last 17 years, Turkey and Armenia have not had any 
contacts.  Have any problems been resolved during this time? Did 
either side benefit from a lack of dialogue?  Of course not.  The 
only way to resolve these issues is through dialogue." 
 
Abdulhamit Bilici in Islamist-oriented Zaman: "Yerevan would not 
have been able to send warm messages to Ankara if Moscow and Turkey 
hadn't taken an active role in the resolution of the Karabakh 
problem between Armenia and Azerbaijan.  A Kremlin meeting that took 
place three years ago between former Russian President Putin and 
Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was a milestone in this 
process.  In that meeting, the Turkish side said unresolved issues, 
such as the Karabakh conflict, laid the foundations for external 
intervention in the region.  The recent developments in Georgia 
prove this.  Turkey, while forging warmer relationships with its 
neighbors, will melt the ice with Armenia as well as long as those 
who benefit from the 'genocide industry' allow Turkey to do so." 
 
Mehmet Kamis in Islamist-oriented Zaman: "40 million people were 
killed during World War II, but the sides forgot all that had 
happened and became allies soon after the war.  Our fights, however, 
continue to grow.  It's not the Armenians who benefit from the 
 
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prevailing hatred and animosity.  It's time the Armenians realize 
that they have been toys in the hands of big Christian nations over 
the past century.  Those who provoked the Armenians against the 
Ottomans in the 1900s continue to use the fruits of this enmity 
against Turkey, but Armenians gain nothing from this." 
 
CHP Continues Party Registration of Women Wearing Headscarves 
Media outlets continue the coverage of the membership of women 
wearing black chadors and headscarves in the opposition CHP, which 
has drawn strong reactions from secular groups and party supporters. 
 Several circles see the move as part of the CHP's campaign to 
attract voters for the upcoming municipality elections in March. 
CHP leader Deniz Baykal said veiled women's membership to the party 
was not a "political show," and added, "The CHP will embrace all of 
those who reconcile with modern Turkey's founder Ataturk and his 
principles."  Baykal stressed that enrolling women in headscarves 
was "not a violation of the principle of secularism, but an 
expression of respect for secularism," as Baykal noted, "Almost 70 
percent of women cover their heads in this country," and that the 
headscarf was "a part of daily life in Turkey."  Prime Minister 
Erdogan said Tuesday he welcomed the move by the main opposition CHP 
to accept new members who wear headscarves.  "There will be negative 
reactions, but Mr Baykal should stand strong and retreat," said 
Erdogan. 
 
Meanwhile, papers report that on Tuesday, 100 new members, including 
women wearing headscarves and veils, joined the CHP in the 
southeastern province of Adiyaman. 
 
EU's LagendijkVisits Ankara, Criticizes PM's Cancellation of Press 
Accreditation 
Media outlets report Joost Lagendijk, co-chairman of Turkey-EU joint 
parliamentary commission, met Tuesday with Prime Minister Erdogan, 
President Gul, and political party leaders in Ankara.  Opposition 
CHP leader Deniz Baykal declined to meet with Lagendijk. 
Islamist-oriented Zaman recalls Lagendijk stated earlier this year 
that as a "social democrat," he was "ashamed" of the CHP's conduct 
which he called "nationalistic and pro-military."  In his meeting 
with the pro-Kurdish DTP officials, Lagendijk said closure of the 
DTP would block Turkey's EU accession drive, stressing a ban would 
strengthen the position of adversaries of Turkey in Europe.  Meeting 
with MHP leader Devlet Bahceli later in the day, Lagendijk applauded 
the MHP for backing constitutional reforms, papers report. 
 
Kurdish Oil to be Transported via Kirkuk-Yumurtalik Pipeline 
Liberal Radikal reports that on Monday, officials from the Iraqi Oil 
Ministry and the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) agreed to 
transport oil produced by the Norwegian company DNO from northern 
Iraq through an oil pipeline between Kirkuk and the Yumurtalik port 
on Turkey's Mediterranean coast.  Radikal reports, "Ankara is 
uncomfortable with the shifting attitude of the Baghdad 
administration, which earlier declared energy deals the KRG made 
with foreign companies illegal."  Turkey opposes the control of 
Iraq's oil reserves by regional provinces in the country.  Turkey is 
also concerned that the Iraqi Kurds may use oil revenues for 
armament, says Radikal. 
 
Graham Fuller Brings Up The Greater Middle East Project to BBC 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet quotes former CIA official Graham 
Fuller in an interview with BBC Turkish Service in the front page 
headline, "The Greater Middle East Project is a Death Sentence for 
Turkey."  Mainstream Vatan reports Fuller spoke to the BBC Turkish 
Service and emphasized, "Turkey's and America's interests in the 
Middle East are not compatible, and Turkey needs to stick to 
policies that are not guided by Washington's trajectory because 
being included in America's plans is equivalent to signing a death 
warrant." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Domestic Politics 
Ergun Babahan wrote in mainstream Sabah:  "Today, Turkey has three 
 
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main issues to resolve - the Kurdish issue, the Alevi issue and the 
headscarf issue.  Despite the expectations of the general public, 
the main opposition party CHP can only contribute to the resolution 
of the Alevi issue.  Alevis have historically supported the CHP. 
If the CHP is planning to steal a role from the AKP, then, 
definitely they should bring the Alevis' demands to the agenda.  In 
addition, as the main opposition party, the CHP can corner the 
government with the Alevi issue as their trump card. 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- On Wednesday, a delegation of the Subcommittee on Human Rights of 
the European Parliament will hold talks in Ankara. 
 
- A teacher in Denizli is suspended for saying he longed for the 
restoration of monarchy in Turkey. 
 
- Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan announced the "special consumption 
tax" on Internet usage will be reduced from 15 to 5 percent. 
 
International News 
 
- Turkish company YDC Denizcilik said it was close to making a deal 
with the pirates who hijacked a ship belonging to the company on 
November 12.  The ship carries 14 crew and was intercepted by the 
Somali pirates off the coast of Yemen. 
 
- Two Turkish citizens, who were kidnapped in Afghanistan on October 
22, were released, the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) said on 
Tuesday. 
 
- Lebanon has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, 
becoming the 148th nation to do so. 
SILLIMAN