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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000035 
 
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 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Ergenekon Detentions Strike AKP Opponents (Cumhuriyet) 
Media outlets report that on Thursday, Ankara witnessed a heavy flow 
of meetings between military and political leaders as well as among 
members of the judiciary following Wednesday's detentions in the 
Ergenekon investigation.  The detention of retired generals Tuncer 
Kilinc and Kemal Yavuz and the former head of the Higher Education 
Board (YOK) Kemal Guruz, combined with the search in the house of 
the Court of Appeals former chief prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu stoked 
tensions in Ankara, say papers.  In "Emergency Summit over Latest 
Ergenekon Detentions," mainstream Sabah reports the Turkish General 
Staff (TGS) chief General Ilker Basbug held meetings with Prime 
Minister Erdogan and President Gul while retired generals were 
interrogated in Ankara.  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says General 
Basbug demanded from Erdogan and Gul that retired generals taken 
into custody should be "treated politely" and that instead of 
detentions, the retired generals should have been invited to the 
prosecutor's office to answer questions.  Basbug also said Hursit 
Tolon and Sener Eruygur, retired generals who were detained last 
year in earlier phases of the Ergenekon investigation, should also 
be released.  The Court of Appeals (Yargitay) held a meeting, but 
released no statement.  Later in the day, Erdogan held meetings with 
the Interior and Justice Ministers. 
 
While the Court of Appeals meeting was taking place, Government 
Spokesman Cemil Cicek, in an interview with Islamist-oriented news 
channel 24, warned the judges that a statement to be issued at the 
end of their meeting would amount to "statement of opinion" which 
would influence the process.  Vatan claims following Cicek's 
warning, the high court justices decided to not release a statement. 
 Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says that in the meeting, the high 
court members said action should be taken against Ergenekon 
prosecutor Zekeriya Oz for using illegal wiretapping methods to 
gather evidence. 
 
Vatan lists the accusations directed against the prominent names 
taken into custody Wednesday: The former head of YOK, Kemal Guruz, 
together with former Istanbul University President Kemal 
Alemdaroglu, was allegedly in charge of Ergenekon activities in 
universities.  Eleven Ergenekon suspects detained in the city of 
Sivas were said to be plotting assassinations of prominent 
intellectuals and politicians.  Former Istanbul Mayor Bedrettin 
Dalan, believed by some to be Ergenekon's "Number 1," was allegedly 
in charge of generating public support for Ergenekon.  Mainstream 
Hurriyet says the warrant for searching the house of former chief 
prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu contained "incredible accusations" such 
as linking Kanadoglu to the bomb attacks on Cumhuriyet newspaper 
offices in Istanbul and the armed attack on the Council of State 
(Danistay) in 2006.  The warrant places Kanadoglu among the members 
of an organization which was plotting the assassinations of the 
Prime Minister and renowned journalists, says Hurriyet.  Cumhuriyet 
says all those detained Wednesday were the opponents of the ruling 
AKP, and were believed to be implicated in the February 28 process. 
 
 
Papers also report Turkey's elite business group TUSIAD called for 
calm after Turkish shares fell more than 5 percent, and the lira 
weakened. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Latest Ergenekon Detentions 
 
Ertugrul Ozkok wrote in mainstream Hurriyet:" Neither the military 
nor the Yargitay made statements to the public even though there was 
a certain uneasiness regarding the ongoing Ergenekon investigation. 
This is a very good step toward a democratic culture." 
 
Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "General Basbug acted very 
responsibly by having meetings with Gul and Erdogan, and did the 
right thing by not trying to aggravate public tension via TGS 
 
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statements." 
 
Bilal Cetin wrote in mainstream Vatan: "Undeniably the recent 
arrests created high tension in the military high ranks which 
resulted in General Basbug's meetings with the president and the 
prime minister.  However all of this tension did not lead to a 
statement from the military which is very good thing for 
democracy." 
 
Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak: "Both military and 
opposition leaders are overreacting to the recent arrests and the 
ongoing case.  It is the government who should be concerned because 
it does not have any control over the judicial process." 
 
Nazli Ilicak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "Although the military did 
not issue a statement yet the intensity of General Basbug's meeting 
traffic was an intervention in the process, which wounds 
democracy." 
 
Rockets From Lebanon Raise Second Front Fears 
Media outlets report on fears which were heightened on Thursday when 
rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, raising the specter of 
a second front opening alongside the confrontation with Hamas in 
Gaza.  Mainstream Hurriyet reports, "the rockets are thought to have 
been fired by a small Palestinian group in Lebanon, not by 
Hezbollah."  Mainstream Sabah notes, "The United Nations will 
suspend relief deliveries to the beleaguered Gaza Strip after 
Israeli soldiers opened fire on a truck that was attempting to 
deliver aid, killing one UN-contracted truck driver." 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "Israel bombed UN's aid 
convoy just after silencing the weapons for three hours." 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak notes, "The UN Security Council has 
called a special session to discuss the humanitarian situation in 
the Gaza Strip." 
 
In a related story, mainstream Milliyet reports on a Ha'aretz story 
in, "Livni Told Not to Come to Turkey," and repeats the Israeli 
story's allegations that "Ankara rejected an offer from Israeli 
Foreign Minister Livni several days ago to visit the Turkish 
capital. The official response was, "If she doesn't want to talk 
about a cease-fire, she shouldn't come." 
 
EU's Solana Comes to Turkey for Ceasefire in Gaza 
Mainstream Sabah reports that the European Union's foreign policy 
chief, Javier Solana, yesterday praised Turkey's efforts to forge a 
truce in Gaza, calling these efforts "very constructive."   Solana 
arrived in Ankara late Wednesday for talks on the Gaza conflict and 
the situation in the region amid deepening concerns over further 
expansion of the conflict.  At a press conference, Solana said that 
all efforts have been focused on reaching a cease-fire and opening 
crossings for transportation of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza 
people, Solana said, noting that the EU and Turkey were of the same 
opinion on this issue.   While thanking Turkish leaders for their 
efforts, Solana also said the EU is willing to send monitors, who 
were once on Gaza's border with Egypt, to work at the crossing after 
a cease-fire in Gaza is achieved. 
 
Kemal Dervis Leaves his Post Early at the UNDP 
Milliyet, Vatan, Hurriyet, Radikal:  Today's papers report that 
United Nations Development Program Administrator Kemal Dervis said 
he would quit his post on March 1 instead of July 31.  Responding to 
a question whether he would be a candidate for the Istanbul Metropol 
Mayorship from CHP, Dervis said "I did not resign to be involved in 
politics.  My duties at the UN would end next summer.  I could ask 
for a four year extension but for family reasons I decided to quit 
now and become engaged in academic work on global and Turkish 
economics." 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
 
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Domestic 
 
- AKP MP Egemen Bagis has been named chief EU negotiator, a post 
currently held by Foreign Minister Ali Babacan.  Bagis has also been 
given the post of State Minister in the cabinet. 
 
- IMF delegation starts formal talks in Turkey.  A stand-by 
agreement is expected in March. 
 
- The prosecutor has launched an investigation against Diyarbakir 
mayor Osman Baydemir who said those who recognize the culture and 
language of the Kurdish people will have to accept also the name of 
their lands. 
 
World 
 
- A Greek Cypriot parliamentary committee has approved a 115 million 
Euro tank deal with Russia. 
 
- Russia and Ukraine have agreed to restart pumping Russian gas 
through Ukrainian pipelines to EU countries. 
 
- The US Navy will launch a force to combat piracy in the waters off 
Somalia. 
 
JEFFREY