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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000047 
 
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 
MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Ergenekon Investigation Uncovers Hidden Arms Caches 
All media outlets reported over the weekend and today that police 
used a map, confiscated during a search of Ergenekon suspect Ibrahim 
Sahin's house in Ankara,that led them to a hidden weapons cache that 
included two light anti-tank weapons, one grenade, 300 bullets and 
700 grams of plastic explosives.  Sahin, the former special 
operations chief of police, was formally charged in connection with 
the Ergenekon investigation.  Eight others were charged following 
last week's Ergenekon raids.  Nine others, including retired 
generals Tuncay Kilinc and Kemal Yavuz, and the former chairman of 
the Higher Education Board (YOK) Kemal Guruz, were set free.  On 
Sunday, weapons seized during the latest operations (25 grenades, 
explosives, two Kalashnikov rifles, 29 handguns, two anti-tank 
weapons and ammunition) were displayed to the press.  Papers report 
the latest Ergenekon operations revealed that Sahin set up teams to 
assassinate prominent Alevi leaders in order to create sectarian 
tension prior to upcoming local elections in March 2009.  Mainstream 
Sabah says another plan involved car bomb attacks at six shopping 
malls in Ankara. 
 
Liberal Radikal reports Prime Minister Erdogan, at a party group 
meeting Sunday, extended support to the Ergenekon prosecutors and 
criticized opposition parties who are criticizing the Ergenekon 
investigation.  "Those living in dark labyrinths are now scared," 
said Erdogan, adding, "The opposition and the media talk about an 
'empire of fear.'  Seeing what is recovered from underground, it's 
obvious who was planning to set up an empire of fear."  Erdogan 
noted, "No one is above the law." 
 
Editorial Commentary on the Ergenekon Investigation 
 
Enis Berberoglu wrote in mainstream Hurriyet (1/11): "The current 
phase of the Ergenekon detentions indicates a decreasing likelihood 
the investigations will result in uncovering a 'deep state' coup 
plot.  Instead, the detentions appear to be aimed at threatening the 
AKP's political opponents." 
 
Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak: "The Ergenekon 
investigation is the most serious effort to date that seeks to 
uncover a 50-year old 'deep state' structure." 
 
Urban Warfare Escalates and Intensifies Danger to Civilians in Gaza 
 
Media outlets report on the deteriorating security situation in Gaza 
due to escalating street violence, Israeli PM Olmert's promise to 
continue Israel's Gaza operations, and protests throughout the world 
against the operations.  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries the 
headline, "We Will Continue the Killing," as "Olmert Defies the 
World," by "Rejecting the UN's call for a ceasefire."  Conservative 
nationalist Turkiye reports, "Face-to-Face Battles Ensue as 
Palestinian Civilians Deal with Increasing Violence."  Mainstream 
Aksam reports in, "The Street War in Gaza," that "Israel has 
targeted a large number of mosques since their operations began, 
calling mosques and schools 'weapons depots,'" as "Israeli soldiers 
and Hamas are engaging in violent clashes in the streets of Gaza." 
Mainstream Vatan reports, "Once Again, Israel Targets a Mosque." 
Mainstream Sabah carries the front-page headline, "Jews Revolt," as 
"Jewish Intellectuals write an open letter to Israel that says, 
'Stop the Attack,'" but "Israel defies the world and orders tanks to 
advance into Gaza."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "Tens 
of thousands of people in European capitals joined protests that 
denounced Israel's attacks in Gaza."   Leftist Taraf carries the 
headline, "Israel Still Openly Challenges the World." In "These Are 
the Children of the Holocaust," Islamist-oriented Zaman notes the 
irony in the fact that the Israelis who are perpetrating the Gaza 
operations were born to parents who themselves fled from ethnic 
violence during the Holocaust.  Liberal Radikal carries a quotation 
from Hamas leader Meshal in the headline, "Israel Is Creating a 
 
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Holocaust." 
 
PM's Wife Hosts a "First Ladies' Summit" to Stop Israel's Gaza 
Attacks 
 Emine Erdogan, wife of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan 
hosted Aisha Muammar Gaddafi, daughter of the Libyan leader Colonel 
Muammar Gaddafi, Fauzia Gilani, wife of Pakistani Prime Minister 
Yousuf Raza Gilani, Asma Assad, wife of Syrian President Bashar 
Assad, Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, wife of the Emir of 
Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Queen Rania, wife of 
Jordan's King Abdullah, Wafaa Suleyman, wife of the Lebanese 
President Michel Suleiman, and Vice speaker of the Azerbaijani 
parliament Bahar Muradova, during a meeting in Istanbul on Saturday. 
  Sunday's mainstream Vatan reports that French First Lady Carla 
Bruni, Spanish First Lady Espinoza, and actor Antonio Banderas sent 
messages in support of the meeting.  During her speech at the 
meeting, Emine Erdogan broke into tears while describing the tragedy 
in Gaza and the suffering of Palestinian children.  A joint 
declaration was issued at the end of the meeting calling on the 
international community to pressure Israel to stop its attacks.  The 
wife of President Gul's wife Hayrunnisa Gul did not join the 
meeting. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Israel-Gaza-Turkey 
 
Ceyda Karan wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Israel wants to 
eliminate, or at least weaken, the Hamas factor.  However, it's 
possible that Israel's operations into Gaza may further legitimize 
Hamas in the eyes of the Obama administration." 
 
Mehmet Tezkan wrote in mainstream Vatan: "Can you believe that 
Turkey hosted a political first ladies' show which our own first 
lady did not even attend or acknowledge?  Emine Erdogan, wife of our 
prime minister, did not contribute to the Palestinians' cause by 
hosting her first ladies' show.  Instead, her antics put Turkey in 
the same league with Libya, Syria and Qatar.  Nobody cares about 
what Lybia, Syria, and Qatar think about the Middle East." 
 
Semih Idiz wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Erdogan's continual harsh 
and undiplomatic rhetoric towards Israel represents Erdogan's and 
the AKP's insensitivity toward anti-Semitism.  Expressing anger 
against Israel's actions is one thing; becoming a member of the 
anti-Israeli league is another thing, but the AKP does not realize 
that.  The Armenian Genocide Resolution campaign in the United 
States will soon begin anew, and the ruling AKP members will face 
another reality:  If they can't knock on the Jewish lobby's door for 
support, to whom can they turn?" 
 
Turkish Envoy Meets with Barzani in northern Iraq 
Mainstream Hurriyet and Islamist-oriented Zaman report that Turkey's 
special Iraqi envoy Ambassador Murat Ozcelik had several meetings 
with representatives of the Kurdish Regional Government in 
Salahaddin and Erbil last weekend.  The meeting between Ozcelik and 
KRG President Massoud Barzani took place in Barzani's official 
residence and reportedly, this was the first official meeting 
between a Turkish official and KRG President Massoud Barzani. 
According to papers, political and economic relations between Turkey 
and the KRG were discussed during the meetings. 
 
PJAK Ends Separatist Activities in Iran 
Papers report the PJAK group, an offshoot of the terrorist PKK in 
Iran, announced that it has "suspended its separatist activities in 
Iran."  According to leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet, Iran's official 
news agency IRNA said the PJAK-affiliated Nevruz TV reported PJAK 
said it was not planning to secede from the central governments in 
Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq, and called on other terror 
organizations to follow a similar policy. 
 
Obama Sets Out Foreign Policy Goals: Iran and the Mideast 
Media outlets note with great interest that U.S. President-elect 
 
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Barack Obama told George Stephanopoulos on This Week that he will 
pursue a new approach of engagement with Iran and he will establish 
a team to work towards peace in the Middle East.  Mainstream 
Milliyet carries the headline, "Obama's First Priority is Peace in 
the Middle East."  Liberal Radikal writes, "Obama's First Job Is 
Iran and the Middle East."  Islamist-oriented Zaman writes, "Barack 
Obama Will Not Delay on The Topic of The Middle East." 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "Obama Will Start Work on 
Day One."  In "The First Promises from Obama," mainstream Hurriyet 
reports, "Obama will pursue a new approach to Iran and will 
establish a new team to address the Middle East. 
 
TV News: CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will pay a formal visit to Kosovo on 
January 13. 
 
- The Turkish Consumers' Union announces a decision to boycott goods 
made in Israel. 
 
- The Council of Ministers'decision to re-instate the Turkish 
citizenship of the famous Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet was published in 
the Official Gazette. 
 
International News 
- A deal to restore Russian gas supplies via Ukraine to Europe 
collapses. 
 
- The New York Times says President Bush blocked Israel's plan last 
year to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. 
 
- President-elect Barack Obama signaled changes to a much-criticized 
700-billion-dollar bank bailout program. 
 
JEFFREY