VZCZCXRO2182
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0296/01 0561438
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251438Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8892
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 9495
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 5423
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 3629
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 7140
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 7004
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3591
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFISS/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR TU
RHMFISS/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000296 
 
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 25, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Kurdish Party Leader Addresses His Party Group in the Kurdish 
Language in Parliament 
Media outlets report the leader of the pro-Kurdish DTP, Ahmet Turk, 
yesterday spoke Kurdish during an address to his party's group 
meeting in the parliament.  Turkey's official broadcaster TRT cut 
its live broadcast of Turk's meeting with DTP lawmakers after Turk 
began speaking in Kurdish.  Turk said he would continue in Kurdish 
"in the name of the brotherhood and the beauty of the languages," 
and stressed, "Turkey must save itself from the shame of banning a 
tongue in this era."  He noted he was speaking Kurdish in 
recognition of the UNESCO's International Mother Language Day this 
week to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and 
multilingualism.  TRT said that under the law, no language other 
than Turkish could be used when delivering parliamentary speeches or 
group addresses.  "If we are not allowed to speak in a native 
language, then women in chadors should not be allowed in the 
parliament as well," Turk told reporters after the meeting. 
 
The deputy parliamentary group chief of the ruling AKP, Nihat Ergun, 
said Turk's actions constituted a "provocative move against the 
democratic reforms made by the government," as, "The messages given 
in the parliament should be in Turkish, in our common language, in 
order to reach all citizens," said Ergun.  Parliament Speaker Koksal 
Toptan said in a statement Turk's move "was a breach of the 
constitution.  Use of any language other than Turkish means an open 
violation of the constitution."  Toptan, however, added Turk would 
not be penalized for defying the law.  The main opposition CHP 
accused TRT of censorship, "TRT's censoring of Turk's speech is not 
right; TRT should not censor the leader of a political party," 
Mustafa Ozyurek, the CHP Spokesman, told the press.  Meanwhile, 
Cihan Pacaci, the Secretary-General of the opposition far right MHP, 
said "Turk has made a mistake. The launch of broadcasts in the 
Kurdish language on TRT-6 was also a mistake.  We have asked in the 
past what would happen if Kurdish was spoken in the parliament." 
 
Editorial Commentary on 'Kurdish' in Turkish Parliament 
 
Ahmet Altan wrote in leftist Taraf: "It's not end of the world. 
Let's face the reality, Kurds speak in Kurdish." 
 
Umur Talu wrote in mainstream Sabah: "What is wrong with seeing a 
Kurdish parliamentarian speaking in his mother tongue while Kurdish 
mothers mourn in their own language? We should stop reacting with a 
clear double standard." 
 
Ali Bayramoglu wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "The DTP is 
trying to gain ownership of the Kurdish issue settlement by this 
untimely and provocative act.  The good thing is that negative 
reactions are not as strong as they used to be." 
 
Mehmet Kamis wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "With his untimely 
act, DTP leader Ahmet Turk made a deliberate provocation.  Had he 
been sincere on settlement for the Kurdish problem, he would have 
realized the fact that Turkey is on the way toward full 
democratization, including freeing Kurdish language." 
 
Cengiz Candar wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "What Ahmet 
Turk did deserves full appreciation.  He took a very efficient step 
toward democratization." 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Moderate 
reactions to the DTP leader's Kurdish speech at the parliament shows 
that Turkey has changed a lot in a positive way.  The soft approach 
to this matter comes along with a series of past events, including 
Turkey's opening an intel office in Erbil and the TRT's dedication 
of a special television channel in the Kurdish language." 
 
Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "By making Kurdish remarks 
 
ANKARA 00000296  002 OF 004 
 
 
at the parliament, DTP leader Ahmet Turk was trying to draw 
attention to the AKP's cosmetic efforts on the Kurdish problem. 
Resolving this issue requires genuine and substantive steps as 
opposed to PM Erdogan's few words in Kurdish during the southeast 
election rallies and the state-controlled Kurdish language 
broadcast." 
 
No Request for a U.S. Military Base in Trabzon or for Combat Troops 
in Afghanistan 
Islamist-oriented Zaman, mainstream CNN Turk, and Islamist-oriented 
Yeni Safak report, "MFA Spokesman Burak Ozugergin announced that the 
U.S. has not made a request for a military base in Trabzon or the 
use of Turkey's bases during a withdrawal from Iraq," and "Turkey 
has received no request regarding additional combat troops to 
Afghanistan."  In addition, the papers note that Ozugergin said 
"There are preparations in Erbil to activate a wing of the 
three-party committee formed by Turkey, the U.S. and Iraq in order 
to liquidate the PKK." 
 
Ambassador Levy: Rising Anti-Semitism Keeps Israeli Visitors Away 
from Turkey 
Mainstream Aksam carries an exclusive interview with the Israeli 
Ambassador in Ankara, Gaby Levy.  Levy said Prime Minister Erdogan's 
outburst during a panel meeting in Davos with President Peres had a 
"discouraging" effect on Israeli tourism to Turkey.  "In the past, 
10 flights per week would operate between Israel and Turkey, now 
it's reduced to one or two a week.  Compared to Erdogan's walkout in 
Davos, the real factor blocking the Israeli tourists from visiting 
Turkey had been the rise of anti-Semitism in your country," 
emphasized Levy.  He said the two countries had overcome problems in 
the past, expressing faith that they would also manage to leave in 
the past the recent crisis in Davos.  "Many Israeli citizens were 
born in Turkey, including myself.  Turkey is one of the two 
countries around the world which hosts Jews very well.  And we have 
a very strong military-defense cooperation," said Levy.  He noted 
"Israel backs a unified Iraq and supports Turkey's fight against the 
PKK."  On the Armenian Genocide Resolution (AGR) expected to be 
submitted to the U.S. Congress, Levy said Israel opposes such bills 
sent to parliaments.  "We don't have control over the Jewish lobbies 
in the U.S., and it's out of the question that we would have an 
impact on the AGR.  We also don't know what the approach of the 
Jewish lobbies in the U.S. might be," concluded the Israeli 
Ambassador. 
 
Dink Foundation Applies to Court to Halt Distribution of 'Sari 
Gelin' 
Cumhuriyet and Radikal report the International Hrant Dink 
Foundation has applied to a court in Istanbul to stop the 
distribution of "Sari Gelin -- The True Face of the Armenian 
Question," a documentary film developed by the military General 
Staff (TGS), to all schools around the country.  Turkey's Education 
Ministry had distributed "Sari Gelin" to schools months ago, 
requesting in a circular that "all students see the film" and also 
asking school directors to return a "conclusive report" to the 
Ministry by the end of February.  Last week, around 500 Armenians 
and intellectuals sent an open letter to the prime minister, 
protesting the film and the Ministry.  The Dink foundation says in 
its application to the Istanbul court that the documentary would 
have heavy "destructive effects" on the psychological and mental 
development of children at the elementary level, and depicts the 
Armenians as "bad," report papers. 
 
Wiretapping Scandal - The New Victim is Dogan Media Group 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that a cell-phone conversation between 
Dogan Yayin Holding's Vice-President Soner Gedik and tax office 
director Mehmet Akif Ulusoy was recorded and posted yesterday on 
several internet websites.  Milliyet notes that the phone 
conversation was conducted without a court-issued warrant and under 
the knowledge of the Finance Minister to discuss the astronomical 
tax fine recently imposed upon the Dogan Media Group.  Milliyet 
 
ANKARA 00000296  003 OF 004 
 
 
highlights that only a few days ago Deputy PM Cemil Cicek had said 
that wiretapping without a court decision is a crime and 3 years 
prison sentence for this kind of crime could be increased if it is 
necessary. 
 
Alevi Student Exempt from Religious Lesson 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that an Alevi teacher and her husband 
filed a lawsuit in an Antalya court requesting that their daughter 
should be exempt from compulsory religious lessons at her primary 
school on grounds that the lesson did not fit in her religious and 
philosophical belief.  The court decided that the execution should 
be suspended and the student should be exempt from the religious 
lessons. 
 
New Kurdish Report Prior to NSC Meeting 
Mainstream Sabah reports that Bilgesam Strategic Research Center has 
prepared a report on the Kurdish issue and sent it to top state 
officials before tomorrow's National Security Council Meeting.  The 
report summarizes the views and proposals of retired diplomats and 
retired military officers regarding the Kurdish issue.  The report 
recommends the recognition of Kurdish cultural identity and more 
tolerance for ethnic political parties. 
 
Iran's 50-Year Nuclear Dream Comes True (Aksam) 
Media outlets note that Iran has begun its first tests of a nuclear 
reactor at the Bushehr plant today, while at the same time the Obama 
administration appointed a new advisor to the region. 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports in, "Iran Begins Its First Nuclear 
Power Plant Tests Today," that "The U.S. was close allies with Iran 
in the 1950s when Iran started their nuclear program, but the 1979 
Islamic Revolution ended that alliance." In addition, Zaman notes, 
"Russia signed an agreement to coordinate with Iran on the plant 
after Germany and France each cancelled prior agreements to help 
Iran build the plant."  Liberal Radikal reports in "A Bushehr Show 
from Iran," that "Russian Energy Council Chief Kiriyenko will join 
the opening of the plant," while "Obama, who has called for dialogue 
with Iran, appointed Dennis Ross, who is known to be a supporter of 
Israel, as the Special Envoy for Iran."  In "The U.S. Appoints a 
Special Envoy for Iran," mainstream Aksam reports, "Ross will 
coordinate the Obama Administration's new foreign policy in the 
region."  Mainstream Hurriyet reports, "Iran Starts Work at the 
Bushehr Reactor," as "Dennis Ross is Appointed Special Envoy to 
Iran." 
 
Fitna in the U.S. Congress 
Media continue to report on the U.S. Congress' screening of the 
controversial film by Dutch Politician Geert Wilders entitled 
"Fitna;" and "fitne" in Turkish means "tension," so the reports make 
a play on words by implying that not only the film is being brought 
into the U.S. Congress, but tension is being brought into the U.S. 
Congress.  Liberal Radikal reports, "Wilders' Fitna Is In The U.S. 
Congress."  Mainstream Aksam reports, "Fitna Enters the U.S. 
Congress."  Leftist Taraf writes, "Fitna Enters Congress." 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- Televisions and wire agencies report Wednesday morning that the 
head of Turkish Special Forces, Behcet Oktay, died in Ankara after 
shooting himself in the head after allegations linked him to the 
controversial 'Ergenekon' case.  Oktay was mentioned in the 
testimony of Ergenekon suspect Ibrahim Sahin, the former Special 
Forces chief. 
 
- On Tuesday, the court file of the Germany-based, Islamist-oriented 
Deniz Feneri charity arrived at the chief prosecutor's office in 
Ankara, 170 days after it was requested from Germany.  The 3,000 
pages of the file will be translated from German to Turkish in 
March. 
 
ANKARA 00000296  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
- On Wednesday, President Gul will receive Silvyo Ovadya, the head 
of the Jewish congregation in Turkey. 
 
- World aviation shrank 10 percent whereas Turkish Airlines, THY, 
grew 21 percent.  "THY targets increasing the number of transit 
travelers by 50 percent among its total passengers," says 
Director-General Temel Kotil. 
 
World 
 
- In Washington, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyanni expresses 
full support for Turkey's EU membership, but adds that Turkey's 
membership was related to the resolution of the Cyprus question. 
 
- Reports claim that Belarus could recognize the breakaway Georgian 
regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. 
 
- US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the American economy 
may climb out of recession in 2009, but a full recovery is unlikely 
for a number of years. 
 
- French President Nicolas Sarkozy says the EU should protect its 
industries in the same way the US does, adding EU partners must take 
"strong decisions" in defense of European interests. 
 
JEFFREY