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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000175 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Party Meetings Focus on Gaza and Israel 
Media outlets report that Prime Minister Erdogan lashed out at David 
Ignatius, the moderator of the Davos panel in which Erdogan and 
Israeli President Peres sparred, during yesterday's AKP group 
meeting in the parliament.  Erdogan called Ignatius "rude" and 
criticized Ignatius because he "dared to put his hand on the 
shoulder of a prime minister."  On charges that his attitude in 
Davos was "not diplomatic," Erdogan said he was "a politician, not a 
diplomat."  "I could have reacted differently were I not sticking to 
the code of diplomatic conduct," Erdogan said.   Mainstream Aksam 
writes, "The prime minister implied he could have gone so far as to 
punch Ignatius."  Finally, Erdogan stressed that "from now on, 
Turkey will act as a country aware of its standing." 
 
Addressing his CHP lawmakers in parliament, opposition leader Deniz 
Baykal criticized Erdogan for using the Davos incident as an 
"internal political tool."  "We continue military cooperation 
projects with Israel and are engaged in an intense cooperation with 
them.  Israeli pilots who bombed the children in Gaza are trained in 
Konya," emphasized Baykal.  He added, "We not only feel sorry for 
the children killed in Gaza, but for the one million Muslims killed 
in Iraq as well." 
 
Opposition far right MHP leader Devlet Bahceli slammed Erdogan, 
saying the PM stood behind the victims in Gaza, because he was "out 
on a hunt for votes before the forthcoming municipal elections in 
March."  The pro-Kurdish DTP chairman Ahmet Turk said Erdogan was 
"not convincing" when he reacted to the atrocities in Gaza.  "If 
Turkey wants to lead the peace efforts in the Middle East, the PM 
must understand that the road to peace in the region passes through 
Diyarbakir," implying that Erdogan should take a more active role in 
addressing Turkey's Kurdish issue instead of Gaza. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Gaza-Israel 
 
Yasemin Congar wrote in leftist Taraf: "Despite some criticism, 
Prime Minister Erdogan's sincerity deserves respect and has the 
potential to end an undeniable cruelty such as that in Gaza case. 
However, it is ironic that the prime minister of a bloody-handed 
state speaks out for Gazan children, particularly when our own 
children have been killing our own children in a 100-year long civil 
war.  If Erdogan continues to act under humanly and democratic 
considerations even more, he can be hailed as a genuine leader for 
morale both in the world and in this region." 
 
Ertugrul Ozkok wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "If Turkey is capable 
of telling Israel they are wrong, we should be able to make the same 
effort and admit we are wrong to support Hamas.  It is also very 
important to see the broader picture in international suffering. 
Turkey is limiting itself to Gaza when it comes to compassion for 
people who are suffering.  If we are sincere enough, this approach 
should be extended to the others, to Sudan for instance." 
 
Ismail Kucukkaya wrote in mainstream Aksam: "Turkey's efforts in the 
Middle East and in the Islamic world are good things.  However, we 
should not lose the West while gaining the East.  If we do not keep 
our relationship with the West properly intact, Turkey will lose its 
power as a bridge that links the East to the West." 
 
Hasan Bulent Kahraman wrote in mainstream Sabah: "At the end of the 
day, Turkey will face serious consequences if Hamas does not 
transform itself into a political organization that abandons 
violence." 
 
Praise in the Arab Press, Criticism in the Western Press for 
Erdogan 
Mainstreams Hurriyet and Vatan report a commentary in the leading 
Lebanese daily Dar-al-Hayat "praises Erdogan for denouncing Israeli 
 
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violence."  The article issues a call for the "revival of the 
Ottoman Empire as a tool for the unification of the Muslim world," 
and adds Erdogan should be declared "caliph" and "sultan of the 
empire."  In the West, Erdogan is criticized for "throwing a 
metaphorical shoe at Shimon Peres in Davos."  An article in The Wall 
Street Journal (WSJ) denounces Erdogan's arrogance.  "Erdogan 
forgets that Israel and the U.S. are Turkey's only friends in the 
Middle East," the WSJ says.  WSJ says "Erdogan tarnished the 
well-earned Turkish reputation for hospitality and tolerance by 
calling the Israeli President 'old' and 'a liar.'" 
 
A Message of Brotherhood to Turkey's Jewish Community from Gul 
Mainstream Sabah and liberal Radikal report that Turkish leaders 
told the Jewish community that they are safe in Turkey.  Prior to 
his departure to Saudi Arabia, President Gul told reporters at the 
airport, "All people living on this land have equal rights.  There 
cannot be discrimination against any citizen.  The issues related to 
Israel and the issues concerning Jews in Turkey are completely 
separate. No one should assume a wrong attitude on this issue. We 
should warn those with a wrong attitude."  At his party group 
meeting, PM Erdogan said "we guarantee the safety of the Jewish 
community." 
 
 
Ambassador Jeffrey Visits PM Erdogan, Emphasizes Cooperation 
Media report on Ambassador Jeffrey's first visit to the Prime 
Minister in a positive and straightforward manner.  NTV notes 
Ambassador Jeffrey emphasized "the close alliance between the two 
countries. " Mainstream Star reports in "Turkey and the U.S. - A 
Strong Alliance," that "U.S. Ambassador James Jeffrey met with Prime 
Minister Erdogan to discuss Middle East peace, energy security, 
Iran, and Iraq."  Islamist-oriented Zaman quotes Ambassador Jeffrey 
in the headline, "We Will Continue to Work in Partnership with 
Turkey." 
 
Badminton Diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran 
Mainstreams Sabah and Milliyet report that the U.S .State Department 
announced the American Female Badminton Team has accepted Tehran's 
invitation to participate in an International 'Fecr' Female 
Badminton Tournament.  Sabah notes, "Observers stressed that it is 
'very meaningful' that Iran invited the American female team and the 
American team accepted the invite."  Milliyet notes that the 'Fecr' 
Tournament will take place in Tehran February 5-8 and 16 countries' 
teams will participate.  The U.S. in turn invited the Iranian team 
to the U.S. for a competition in June. 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- The file on the Germany-based Islamist Deniz Feneri charity 
scandal is reportedly given to Frankfurt prosecutor's office.  The 
prosecutor will send the file to Justice Ministry in Berlin before 
it's sent to Turkey. 
 
- The head of Turkey's leading labor union Turk-Is says 400,000 to 
500,000 workers lost their jobs during the latest crisis. 
 
- The new chief of Dicle University hospital in Diyarbakir said the 
former hospital management procured drugs to meet the hospital's 
needs for a hundred years.  Half of the drugs were past expiry date, 
and the loss totals 8 million lira. 
 
- Police have found 27 kg of TNT bars and 100 gram of C-4 explosives 
in Beykoz neighborhood in Istanbul. 
 
World 
 
- Somalia pirates release a Turkish cargo vessel, MV Bosphorus 
Prodigy, which was hijacked in December.  The ship and its crew of 
 
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eight Ukrainians and three Turks were freed on Monday. 
 
- Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani invites his Turkish 
counterpart Koksal Toptan to join a conference in Tehran regarding 
Gaza. 
 
- The U.S. army releases about 70 Iraqi prisoners as part of a 
security accord signed in November which calls for the withdrawal of 
U.S. troops by the end of 2011. 
 
- Alexandros Petersen of the Atlantic Council says the Nabucco 
Conference held last week in Budapest was "important," adding many 
European leaders were disappointed by the absence of Turkish PM 
Erdogan. 
 
 
JEFFREY