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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000151 
 
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 PREL KPAO
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Q Erdogan - 'The Conqueror of Davos' or Just 'a Train Wreck?' 
Q Erdogan Calls on Obama to Re-evaluate Definition of "Terror" 
Q Constitutional Court Annuls PM's Authority to Tap Phones 
Q Al-Qaeda Clash with Police at a Post Office in Istanbul 
Q Erdogan: Not the End of the World if No IMF Deal Reached 
 
 
Erdogan - Greeted By Cheering Crowds as 'The Conqueror of Davos' 
(Vatan) but is he 'Just a Train Wreck?' (Milliyet) THE story of the 
day is that of Prime Minister Erdogan's antics yesterday during a 
panel on Gaza at the World Economic Forum in Davos.  Many Islamist, 
conservative, nationalist papers applaud Erdogan for standing up to 
the Israeli president.  Conservative-nationalist Turkiye reports in, 
"An Historic Lesson for Peres" that "Peres boldly defended Israel's 
operations in Gaza" and Erdogan responded by saying "You know very 
well how to kill."  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak calls Erdogan's 
harsh criticism against Peres, "An Historic Gaza Slap," and the 
paper calls Erdogan, "The Heroic Knight" who "sharply criticized the 
killing of civilians in Gaza" and "shouted at Peres 'you are 
guilty!'"  Yeni Safak also reports, "Erdogan exposed Israel's 
guilt." Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "Peres Apologized to 
Erdogan" for the tensions on the panel and the paper calls Peres' 
remarks during the panel "biased."  Zaman also notes Prime Minister 
Erdogan said later, "Peres must learn how to properly speak to the 
Turkish Prime Minister."  Extreme right Tercuman reports, "Erdogan 
Deserves Applause," for his reaction to Peres. 
Conservative-nationalist Bugun headlines, "Erdogan Deals a Blow to 
The Arrogant Israeli President Peres."  Mainstream Vatan reports 
crowds greeted Erdogan upon his 3:00 am return to the Istanbul 
airport by cheering "Damn Israel" and "Erdogan - the Conqueror of 
Davos!"  Mainstream Aksam reports the crowds  hailed Erdogan as "the 
new leader of the world." 
 
Meanwhile, many mainstream and liberal outlets are more skeptical of 
the impact Erdogan's outburst will have on Turkey's global 
reputation.  In a reference to Kasimpasa slum in Istanbul, liberal 
Radikal headlines, "A Climate Like Kasimpasa in Davos," and 
criticizes Erdogan's "street-boy behavior" in front of an elite 
audience in Davos as he "foamed at the mouth," and "clashed with 
Peres" and vowed "to never return to Davos."  Radikal columnist 
Murat Yetkin asks, "Will Erdogan's antics damage relations between 
the U.S. and Turkey?"  Mainstream Milliyet carries the banner 
headline, "Shock in Davos" and reports the reactions of several 
retired Turkish diplomats who say, "the incident will fuel tensions 
between Israel and Turkey" and "Erdogan has damaged Turkey's status 
as an impartial mediator in the Middle East."  Milliyet also reports 
an opposition leader said, "this spat constitutes the end of 
Erdogan's standing in the civilized world" while the paper also 
quotes a former foreign minister who called the incident "a train 
wreck."  Columnist Rusen Cakir of mainstream Vatan comments, "The 
tensions created by Erdogan in Davos may harm the AKP's legitimacy 
on the international stage," but "his popularity in the Muslim world 
will rise," and "this will raise further concerns that Turkey is 
estranging itself from the West."  Finally, mainstream Hurriyet 
declares on its front page, "The Spirit of Davos is Dead." 
 
In a developing story, NTV is reporting that Hamas has announced, 
"We respectfully welcome Erdogan's courageous response" to Peres. 
 
Today's liberal Radikal headlines, "A Kasimpasa (Slum) Climate in 
Davos" as Erdogan "foams at the mouth." 
 
 
Today's extreme right Turkiye headlines, "An Historic Lesson from 
Erdogan to Peres." 
 
Editorial Opinion on Erdogan's Stance in Davos Oktay Eksi wrote in 
mainstream Hurriyet: "The entire world has watched our leader 
 
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exercise no sign of anger management.  This incident is a scandal 
and proves that Erdogan is no statesman." 
 
Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan: "PM Erdogan has an 
uncontrollable temper.  His scandolus acts contradict the efforts of 
the President and the Foreign Minister to temper Turkey's rhetoric 
regarding Israel's operations in Gaza.  Erdogan defends Hamas more 
vigorously than most Arabs." 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "This 
Erdogan-Peres crisis was forshadowed prior to the panel debate in 
Davos yesterday.  The PM began this crisis yesterday afternoon by 
calling on U.S. President Obama to redefine the terms 'terror' and 
'terrorist organizations' in the Middle East.  People did try to 
calm the PM down, but clearly their efforts were in vain.  Now, 
Turkish diplomacy will have to start from scratch." 
 
 
Erdogan Calls on Obama to Re-evaluate Definitions of "Terror" and 
"Terrorist." 
Prior to Erdogan's blowup in Davos yesterday, television outlets 
reported the PM recorded a video message posted on 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szRc0eZO6hA that asks the new Obama 
administration to "redefine 'terror' and 'terrorist organizations,'" 
and Erdogan said, "America must create a new policy in the Middle 
East based on these new definitions."  Islamist-oriented Zaman 
comments that this message "refers to America's classification of 
Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations." 
 
 
Constitutional Court Annuls Prime Minister's Authority to Tap Phones 
Today's papers report that the Constitutional Court ruled that the 
prime minister must coordinate with the president and the 
transportation minister to appoint a president to the 
Telecommunication board.  In addition, the court annulled the prime 
minister's power to assign a commission to supervise wire tapping by 
the intelligence agency (MIT), police and gendarmerie.  The ruling 
on the prime minister's authority came three years after former 
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had asked for cancellation of the 
authority, notes mainstream Hurriyet. 
 
Al-Qaeda Clash with Police at a Post Office in Istanbul Sabah, 
Cumhuriyet, Milliyet, Vatan, Zaman:  Istanbul police followed six 
members of Al-Qaeda to a Post office in Sultanbeyli-Fatih yesterday. 
 Fighting broke out between the police and the terrorists when they 
attempted to rob the post office.  During the clashes one terrorist 
was killed, three were injured and one was arrested.  The last 
terrorist, who was waiting in a getaway van outside, managed to 
escape from the area. 
 
Erdogan: Not the End of the World if No IMF Deal Reached Vatan, 
Hurriyet, Yeni Safak, Aksam, Hurriyet, Sabah:  Following his meeting 
with deputy chair of the IMF Lipsky in Davos yesterday, PM Erdogan 
told the journalists, "There are two IMF demands that cannot be 
accepted by Turkey."  He added that Turkey wants to make a deal with 
the IMF but "it is not the end of the world if there is no deal." 
Mainstream Vatan reports that despite Erdogan's comments, State 
Minister Mehmet Simsek said, "disagreements on the major issues have 
been resolved" and "the IMF delegation will be invited to Turkey 
within a few weeks." 
 
TV News: CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
-  A survey conducted by Middle East Technical University shows that 
free coal distributed by AKP-run Ankara Municipality has the highest 
content of arsenic and sulphur in the world. 
 
-  Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas decided not to use official vehicles 
 
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till the elections on March 29. 
 
- State Minister Mehmet Aydin refused to answer a question from a 
Roj TV correspondent during a press conference at the European 
Parliament. 
 
 
International News 
 
-  Iran is ready to cooperate with Obama Administration if the US 
changes its policies and practices in the Middle East, Iran's FM 
Mottaki said. 
 
-  Ties between the KRG and Turkey are among the priorities of the 
Obama Administration.  Speaking on the phone to Iraqi President 
Talabani, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said they will work for 
the improvement of ties between northern Iraq and Turkey. 
 
JEFFREY