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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000013 
 
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, JANUARY 6, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey to Reinstate Citizenship of Poet Nazim Hikmet 
Media outlets report government spokesman Cemil Cicek said Monday 
the Council of Ministers has approved a decree to reinstate the 
Turkish citizenship of world-renowned poet Nazim Hikmet.  Turkish 
citizenship for Hikmet, who died in Moscow 45 years ago, will be 
restored 58 years after it was rescinded.  Until his death in 
Moscow, Hikmet spent many years in jail which was followed by exile 
due to his communist beliefs.  Returning Hikmet's body from Moscow 
to Turkey would be his family's decision, said Cicek. 
 
From Belgrade to Baku, a Torrent of Rage at Israel (Yeni Safak) 
Media outlets continue sensationalist reports on the humanitarian 
crisis in Gaza.  In addition, media portray Western leaders as 
"quiet" or on vacation, while Turkish leaders are busy trying to 
address ways to bring an end to the conflict.  Islamist-oriented 
Yeni Safak reports, "Obama, who appears to 'hope' for peace in the 
Middle East, is spending his time moving his family from Chicago to 
Washington," while "Russian State President Medvedev and Russian PM 
Putin failed to condemn Israel's actions in Gaza because they are on 
a skiing vacation in Soci," and "yesterday, while children were 
being killed in Gaza, German Chancellor Merkel took every 
opportunity she had to hold Hamas responsible for the situation in 
Gaza."  Meanwhile, Yeni Safak depicts Turkish leaders as "on the 
case" and "directing diplomatic traffic" in order to work towards a 
ceasefire.  Mainstream Sabah carries the front-page banner headline, 
"The World Should Be Ashamed," as "Israel Commits More Massacres," 
while, "Turkey continues to send food and medicine to Gaza." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports "The world remains silent and world 
leaders take no steps toward ending the humanitarian crisis in 
Gaza," except that "Turkey takes concrete steps to rachet up 
diplomatic efforts."  Conservative-nationalist Turkiye reports in 
"Cruelty," that, "The world just watches," as "the Israeli army 
kills civilians." 
 
Meanwhile, many columnists remain skeptical of Turkey's approach to 
the situation.  Mainstream Vatan reports, "The strongest reactions 
against Israel's operations in Gaza have come from Erdogan, Qadhafi, 
and Ahmadinejad."  Vatan columnist Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream 
Vatan, "Regardless of the bad situation, diplomacy will eventually 
prevail.  This fact must be kept in mind and the (Turkish) 
government should stop acting according to its leaders' emotional 
drives.  PM Erdogan's recent rhetoric against Israel has put Turkey 
side by side with Iran and Libya, and no hope for diplomacy can 
emerge from that point."  Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: 
"Obama's silence (in response to the Gaza conflict) is no 
coincidence, but an indication of the next Washington 
administration's support for Israel.  It seems neither the U.S. nor 
E.U. will take a concrete diplomatic step against Israel until their 
job is done in Gaza.  And Turkey cannot pursue any mediation as long 
as Turkey sides with Hamas."  Ismet Berkan wrote in 
liberal-intellectual Radikal, "Defending Palestine is one thing and 
acting for Hamas is another.  The Turkish government, due to its 
recent unbalanced rhetoric, has portrayed itself as a messenger of 
Hamas.  Let's not even go there."  Murat Yetkin wrote in 
liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Turkey even failed to use the UNSC 
platform properly.  Instead, we hid behind the Libyan proposal that 
in the end made Turkey look like a courier for Hamas."  Hakan 
Albayrak wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak, "Now is not the time 
to try to act as a messenger for Hamas.  The government should 
invite Hamas leader Meshal directly to Turkey and have him speak at 
the parliament.  By doing that, Meshal can deliver Hamas' messages 
directly to the world." 
 
Mainstream Vatan reports that President Gul, PM Erdogan and FM 
Babacan held a meeting at Cankaya Palace yesterday to discuss the 
developments in Gaza.  At the meeting it was decided that Babacan 
would go to New York immediately to attend a UN meeting on the issue 
and Erdogan's chief advisor Davutoglu would travel to Damascus to 
 
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hold talks with French President Sarkozy.  Mainstream Milliyet 
reports that Babacan left for New York last night. 
 
Turkish Police Directed to Protect U.S., Israeli Interests 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that the General Directorate of Security 
has sent out an order to all its units following the Israeli land 
operation in Gazza.  The warning called for top-level security 
measures at the US and Israeli diplomatic missions, along with 
businesses belonging to Israelis in Turkey.  The written warning 
sent to 81 provincial Security offices said that radical religious 
organizations could possibly launch attacks against the Jewish 
community, their synagogues and institutions, US citizens and US and 
Israeli diplomatic missions, therefore, all security measures should 
be increased at the mentioned places. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Israel's Gaza Assault 
 
Vatan columnist Gungor Mengi wrote: "Regardless of the bad 
situation, diplomacy will eventually prevail.  This fact must be 
kept in mind and the (Turkish) government should stop acting 
according to its leaders' emotional drives.  PM Erdogan's recent 
rhetoric against Israel has put Turkey side-by-side with Iran and 
Libya, and no hope for diplomacy can emerge from that point." 
 
Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Obama's silence (in 
response to the Gaza conflict) is no coincidence, but an indication 
of the next Washington administration's support for Israel.  It 
seems neither the U.S. nor E.U. will take a concrete diplomatic step 
against Israel until their job is done in Gaza.  And Turkey cannot 
pursue any mediation as long as Turkey sides with Hamas." 
 
Ismet Berkan wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Defending 
Palestine is one thing and acting for Hamas is another.  The Turkish 
government, due to its recent unbalanced rhetoric, has portrayed 
itself as a messenger of Hamas.  Let's not even go there." 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Turkey even 
failed to use the UNSC platform properly.  Instead, we hid behind 
the Libyan proposal and in the end presented made Turkey look like a 
courier for Hamas." 
 
Hakan Albayrak wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak, "Now is not 
the time to try to act as a messenger for Hamas.  The government 
should invite Hamas leader Meshal directly to Turkey and have him 
speak at the parliament.  By doing that, Meshal can deliver Hamas' 
messages directly to the world." 
 
Correction on the General Directorate for Foundations' Donation 
List 
Yesterday's Milliyet erroneously reported that the US Embassy in 
Ankara gave $129, 000 to the Ensar foundation, which is known for 
its Islamist religious activities.  Today's Milliyet reports that 
the General Directorate of Foundations stated that a mistake was 
made on the donation list and that the names of the foundations had 
slipped on the list.  The $129,000 donated from the US Embassy went 
to Junior Achievement, not to the Ensar foundation.  Meanwhile, the 
Ensar Foundation also rejected the reports that they received any 
donations from the US Embassy. 
 
Cobra Helicopters Strike Village By Mistake 
Liberal Radikal reports the pro-Kurdish DTP Hakkari lawmaker Hamit 
Geylani announced during a press conference yesterday that on 
January 3, two of the Turkish military's Cobra helicopters bombed 
the Mordag Village in the province of Semdinli, injuring a 16-year 
old girl and damaging some houses.  Village head Seyit Muhammed said 
the district governor and local brigade commander apologized to the 
villagers, saying the Cobras' actual target was the Goste village in 
northern Iraq, which was reportedly evacuated. 
 
Dink Family Denounces Accusations in Documentary Aired on TRT 
 
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Mainstream Milliyet reports the family of slain Armenian-Turkish 
journalist Hrant Dink wrote a letter of correction to the 
state-owned broadcaster TRT, in which Dink's wife and children 
rejected claims in a documentary, "Labyrinth of the Shahs," which 
said Dink played a part in backing the ethnic strife which claimed 
hundreds of lives in the city of Kahramanmaras in late 1970s. The 
documentary was shown on TRT last week and it claims, "The incidents 
in Kahramanmaras were not a conflict between the Alevis and Sunnis 
-- they were committed by Dink and his friends' organizations." In 
their letter, Dink's family denounced the claim, saying the 
documentary had been a part of a "slander campaign which still 
continues after Dink's murder."  The family will reportedly file a 
lawsuit against TRT and the producers of the documentary.  The 
producers of the documentary have links to the far right Grand Unity 
Party (BBP). 
 
Star: NATO Napoli Base May Move to Izmir 
Star newspaper reports that 4,000 US military personnel rented 
houses in Urla town of Izmir and this move caused speculation that 
the NATO base in Napoli is going to move to Urla.  CHP Mersin deputy 
Ali Riza Ozturk carried the issue to the parliament and questioned 
the government whether there were any agreements signed on the 
issue. 
 
 
TV News: 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- An IMF delegation will come to Turkey on Thursday for a standby 
agreement meeting. 
 
- Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said Turkey needs a new 
regulation that will permit inmates to talk with their relatives in 
Kurdish over the phone. 
 
- The Privatization Administration is preparing for the sale of arms 
producer MKE, the oil and gas pipeline company Botas and the Turkish 
coal company TKI. 
 
International News 
 
- The Taliban claim their forces killed 5,220 foreign troops, downed 
31 aircraft, destroyed 2,818 NATO and Afghan vehicles and killed 
7,552 Afghan soldiers and police last year. 
 
- U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says Democrats in Congress 
hope to approve a massive economic stimulus plan backed by 
president-elect Barack Obama by early February. 
 
- Ukraine's state gas company Naftogaz says a sharp cut in the 
supply of Russian gas to Ukraine will affect Europe immediately. 
Russia stopped supplying gas to Ukraine last week in a row over 
unpaid bills. 
 
JEFFREY