R 021441Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8650
INFO AMCONSUL ISTANBUL

UNCLAS ANKARA 000160 
 
 
EUR/PPD-STEFANIE ALTMAN-WINANS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO SCUL TU
SUBJECT: Following up the President's al-Arabiya Interview - Turkish 
Media Praise Message of Unity with Muslims 
 
REF: STATE 7500 
 
¶1. Summary: Turkish media coverage of President Obama's al-Arabiya 
interview last week was overwhelmingly positive.  Many news stories 
focused on his statement that "Americans are not the enemies of 
Muslims" and commentators praised the interview's unifying spirit. 
The US Mission supported the interview by posting it on our website, 
composing and releasing a companion "Ask the Ambassador" website 
blog and using a visit by Ambassador Jeffrey to a prominent Ankara 
mosque to emphasize the President's commitment to reaching out to 
the Muslim world.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. Turkish media coverage of President Obama's al-Arabiya interview 
was generally very positive.  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak, leftist 
Taraf, liberal Radikal, and Islamist-oriented Zaman all quoted Obama 
in the same headline, "Americans Are Not The Enemies of Muslims." 
Mainstream Milliyet headlined an article, "This Is Real Change," as 
Obama promised "We Are Not the Enemy of Muslims," and he said "Yes 
to contacts with Iran."  Ozdemir Ince wrote in mainstream Hurriyet, 
"President Obama exemplifies the spirit of Abraham Lincoln by 
pursuing a unifying tone without discriminating against any ethnic 
or religious groups in the United States of America.  This is just 
the kind of unifying rhetoric Turkey needs."  In a related story, 
Yeni Safak carries the headline, "Listen to Arabs," and reports, 
"George Mitchell is embarking on a tour of the Middle East in order 
to do more listening than talking." 
 
¶3. Embassy Ankara posted the transcript of the Al-Arabiya interview 
on our website as soon as we received it from EUR/PPD.  We then sent 
text messages to our diplomatic correspondents and bureau chiefs 
with links to the transcript to ensure that all media outlets had 
access to the president's comments. 
(http://turkey.usembassy.gov/statement_012609 .html ) 
 
¶4. In addition, the day after the Al-Arabiya interview, Embassy 
Ankara posted a new Ask the Ambassador Q and A based on the talking 
points distributed in the reftel.  We also sent text message 
announcements on this website information to our diplomatic 
correspondents and our bureau chiefs.  The new Q&A is available at 
http://turkey.usembassy.gov/ask_the_ambassado r_qa.html (English) and 
http://turkish.turkey.usembassy.gov/soru_ceva p.html (Turkish). 
 
¶5.  A few days later, Ambassador Jeffrey used a previously scheduled 
courtesy call on the imam of Ankara's prominent Malteppe mosque to 
reiterate the President's commitment to reach out to the Muslim 
world.  Following evening prayers, the Iman announced Amb. Jeffrey's 
presence at the mosque to those present, and a sizeable number 
thronged to the Ambassador to welcome him.  (The mosque's imam, 
Mustafa Demir, will take part in a USG sponsored exchange program 
this week.)  Demir later spoke to the Turkish press in glowing terms 
about Ambassador Jeffrey's visit and media reports focused on the 
Ambassador's reiteration of the President's message to the imam and 
worshippers at the mosque. 
 
¶6. Comment:  From the left to the right, from the secularists to the 
Islamists, media reacted positively to President Obama's promise, 
"Americans are not the enemies of Muslims."  His message has 
resonated positively with Turkish media and the Turkish public. 
There is cautious but real hope here in Turkey that the President's 
message of dialogue will have help decrease the anti-Americanism 
that has plagued the relationship in recent years. 
 
JEFFREY