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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000204 
 
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 
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Palestinian President Abbas Visits Ankara 
Media outlets reported over the weekend that Palestinian President 
Mahmoud Abbas met President Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan in Ankara 
to discuss regional issues, including divisions among Palestinian 
factions and regional efforts toward a ceasefire between Hamas and 
Israel.  According to papers, Turkish officials told Abbas the 
rivalry between Palestinian factions should end.  Mainstream Vatan 
says Ankara "urged Abbas to set up a new platform within the 
Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) to ensure that both Fatah 
and Hamas can participate."  In response, Abbas rejected suggestions 
for the formulation of an alternative to the PLO and Abbas said 
Hamas had to accept the authority of the PLO.  Prime Minister 
Erdogan reportedly told Abbas that the Hamas-Fatah divisions harm 
Turkey's mediation efforts in the region.  Islamist-oriented Zaman 
reported Sunday that Abbas "asked Turkey to back the Egyptian 
efforts for a settlement between the Palestinian groups, and to 
declare a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel."  Papers comment that 
by doing so, Abbas made it clear that only Egypt's ceasefire plan is 
acceptable for resolving the situation in Gaza. 
 
Turkey Tries to Persuade Hamas to Free Israeli Soldier 
Weekend papers report Turkey is working for the release of Israeli 
soldier Gilad Shalit, who is currently being held by Hamas.  Papers 
reported on Saturday that a Turkish delegation from the interior 
ministry and the intelligence service went to Damascus to persuade 
Hamas to release Shalit.  If the initial contacts of the delegation 
produce positive results, Prime Minister Erdogan's foreign policy 
advisor Professor Ahmet Davutoglu will travel to Damascus to meet 
Hamas leader Khaled Meshal.  Sunday's Vatan reports, "Hamas demands 
Israel release 1400 prisoners in exchange for Shalit, but Israel 
says only 200 militants will be released.  Islamist-oriented Zaman 
reports Monday that al-Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti is among the 
200 prisoners Israel plans to release in exchange for Shalit. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey/Palestine-Israel 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "President Abbas 
noted that President Gul emphasizes the Turkish public's support for 
the Palestinian people as a whole, and not a particular group (i.e. 
Hamas).  It seems an interim government of technocrats in Palestine 
could pave the way for general elections and lead to Palestinian 
reconciliation. This formula was first outlined by Abbas and Turkey 
is also moving closer to siding with this formula." 
 
Semih Idiz wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "The new game plan in the 
Middle East does not include Turkey.  Whether we like it or not, 
Ankara is not considered a central player amid the new balances in 
the Middle East.  Prime Minister Erdogan has shown that he has no 
power to break the strong ties between Turkey and Israel.  In other 
words, Turkish diplomacy is now trying to make up for Prime Minister 
Erdogan's damaging attitude, particularly in the wake of the Davos 
crisis." 
 
Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "The outcome of the 
upcoming elections in Israel will indicate the future direction of 
the peace process.  However given the rise of the hawks in Israeli 
politics and the likelihood of a Likud victory, hope for peace in 
the Middle East will remain on the backburner for some time." 
 
Ferai Tinc wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "President Abbas looks 
forward to seeing Turkey participate in the peace process led by 
Egypt.  Even though he gave friendly and optimistic messages during 
his contacts in Ankara, Abbas also gave diplomatically crafted 
messages in order to pull Turkey toward a more a balanced approach 
to the Palestinian issue." 
 
FM Babacan Meets with Armenian and U.S. Officials at The Munich 
Security Conference 
 
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Weekend papers report that Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan met 
with Armenian President Sarksyan and Armenian Foreign Minister 
Nalbandian during the 45th Munich Security Conference.  Babacan told 
reporters "there were productive talks that aimed at normalizing 
relations between Turkey and Armenia."  Today's mainstreams Sabah 
and Milliyet, along with Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak, report FM 
Babacan held his first contacts with the Obama Administration during 
the security meeting in Munich.  Milliyet reports that Babacan met 
with U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden on Saturday and with U.S. 
National Security Advisor General James Jones and U.S. envoy for 
Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, yesterday.  Following 
his meeting with Biden, Babacan said "during our meeting I realized 
that we have a very intense common foreign policy.  I believe that 
both countries should be in close cooperation on these issues." 
Responding to a question regarding additional military aid to 
Afghanistan, Babacan said "Afghanistan was not on our agenda." 
 
Despite New Tone of U.S. Foreign Policy, Concern for Afghanistan 
Dominates Munich Security Conference 
Media outlets note the NATO Security Conference in Munich addressed 
the Obama Administration's new approach to diplomacy, concerns over 
the situation in Afghanistan, and relations between Russia and both 
the EU and the U.S. Liberal Radikal headlines, "Don't Become Obama's 
Vietnam," and reports the Munich Security Conference concluded amid 
worry about Afghanistan, as "commanders were unable to state a 
military plan or give an answer to the question 'What is the 
endgame?' in Afghanistan."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
headlines, "Unhopeful Messages for Afghanistan," and reports, "the 
45th Security Conference came to an end with pessimistic messages 
for Afghanistan and NATO's inability to effectively defeat the 
Taliban."  Meanwhile, Islamist-oriented Zaman notes Turkish Foreign 
Minister Ali Babacan told reporters Ankara's view of the situation 
in Afghanistan, "There cannot be only a military solution to 
Afghanistan, sending more money and sending more soldiers will not 
solve the problem.  Instead, social and political instruments must 
be used in order to be more effective," as "it's necessary that all 
groups take part in the democratization process."  In a related 
story, Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports, "Babacan told 
representatives of the new U.S. administration that Turkey supports 
the new American foreign policy that is based on dialogue." 
 
Baykal to Open CHP Office in Brussels 
Media outlets report opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal will travel 
to Belgium on February 9-10  to participate in the opening of the 
CHP's EU office in Brussels.  Baykal will meet with EU Enlargement 
Commissioner Olli Rehn and European Commission President Jose Manuel 
Barroso; he will also address the European Policy Center on 
Turkey-EU relations.  Baykal will also attend the opening of the 
Friends of Turkey Group in the European Parliament, which is led by 
the British Labor Party. 
 
A&G Survey on Efforts to Gain Votes Prior to Local Elections Next 
Month 
Milliyet reports that A&G polling company conducted a poll in 33 
provinces with 2407 people.  According to the poll results, 52.6 
percent believed that the CHP reached out to women in full Islamic 
dress in order to attract more votes; 6.1 percent of those polled 
supported the efforts while 15.3 percent said the CHP was mistaken 
in this approach.  46.9 percent did not find the AKP's efforts 
toward Alevis sincere, while 23.8 percent said it was a positive 
approach even though it was only to get votes for the elections; 
16.9 percent completely supported the AKP's approach to the Alevi 
community.  39.9 percent supported the TRT-6 Kurdish broadcast, 
while 46.4 percent were against it.  Moreover, 53.2 percent of DTP 
voters said the TRT-6 broadcast was not a sincere effort. 
 
 
TV News (CNN Turk)  Domestic News 
 
- Despite heated criticism coming from the press and opposition 
 
ANKARA 00000204  003 OF 003 
 
 
parties, the Tunceli Governor's Office continues to distribute 
household goods and appliances to poor families in rural areas. 
 
- On Tuesday, the Turkish Parliament will discuss a government plan 
to deploy warships as part of the international force to police the 
Somalia coast against pirates. 
 
- Selim Kuneralp, head of the Turkish delegation at the Nabucco 
talks in Hungary, says he expects the signing of the Nabucco 
contract by mid-2009. 
 
- Professor Nouriel Roubini of the Stern Business School at New York 
University says the global crisis will not have a big impact on 
Turkey. 
 
International News 
 
- President Gul will pay a state visit to Moscow from February 12-15 
to discuss customs problems and energy issues.  On February 14, Gul 
will visit Kazan, the capital of Tartarstan. 
 
- A recent public opinion poll suggests support for the Labor Party 
in Britain drops to its lowest level since Gordon Brown's bank 
bail-out in autumn. 
 
- Muhammad Khatami announces he will run for re-election as 
president of Iran after four years. 
 
- The people of Switzerland vote to continue allowing in workers 
from the EU and to extend access to two new member states, Romania 
and Bulgaria. 
 
JEFFREY