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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000331 
 
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 
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Clinton to Seek Support for Iraq Exit in Turkey 
Mainstream Aksam reports today in front-page coverage "During 
Secretary Clinton's visit to Turkey, the U.S. will ask Turkey for 
logistical support in the withdrawal of U.S. soldiers from Iraq." 
Aksam says, "Turkey is the most suitable route for the US, both from 
an economic and security point of view," adding "Turkey will have to 
pass a motion or issue a government decree to authorize cooperation 
with the US on the issue."   Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports 
that "In exchange for its support for the US, Turkey is expected to 
ask the new administration to block Armenian genocide claims and 
support the liquidation of the PKK." 
 
Editorial Commentary on the US-Turkey Ties 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Secretary 
Clinton's Turkey visit has a wide range of agenda issues to discuss, 
including Iraq, Afghanistan, PKK, Hamas, energy and Iran as well as 
a pending Armenian genocide resolution in Congress.  However, it is 
not realistic to expect concrete decisions from Secretary's visit 
because the new American administration's European policy has not 
been fully shaped yet.  U/S for European Affairs Philip Gordon is 
still in the Congressional approval process.  The fight against the 
PKK, however, is the most stable aspect of cooperation between 
Turkey and the United States.  The cooperation is military in nature 
and will continue until President Obama invalidates the National 
Security Order signed by former president Bush in November 2007. 
Information coming from diplomatic sources indicate that Turkey 
expects a robust military action from the U.S. against the PKK if 
and when needed.  Ankara has raised this expectation with visiting 
high-level U.S. officials to Turkey.  Even though the two are not 
related to each other, Turkey seems to expect an active contribution 
from the U.S. to its fight against terrorism while Turkey is 
expected to do the same in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission 
to fight against terrorism"." 
 
Hasan Cemal wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "April 24 is the most 
important date for Turkey right after the local elections.  The 
pending Armenian genocide resolution in Congress is not only a 
concern to Turkey, but it is also of direct concern to the U.S as 
well as Armenia.  Concerned parties should think twice before 
creating a new crisis which might be an essential source for 
instability.  If President Obama makes a mistake on April 24, it 
will close the door for normalization between Turkey and Armenia, 
and also U.S.-Turkey relations will be hit with a deadly blow." 
 
Donors Pledge Aid in Gaza, Excluding Hamas 
Media outlets report that the leaders of 87 countries made aid 
pledges amounting to $4.5 billion to rebuild Gaza and excluded Hamas 
rulers from the conference in Sharm al-Sheikh on Monday. 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports in, "First Peace, Then Aid," 
that "it was highlighted by the leaders that reconstruction aid 
would not have a lasting effect without peace which requires a 
political solution."  Mainstream Hurriyet notes, "Clinton urged the 
international community to take steps to establish peace in the 
Middle East and end violence," adding, "the US has promised a $900 
million aid preventing the money transferred to the wrong hands 
referring to Hamas."    Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak notes, "the US 
and Saudi Arabia pledged the largest amount while most of the 
countries asked that the money be under the Palestinian 
Administration President Mahmoud Abbas's control and that Hamas is 
excluded."  Mainstream Sabah carries the headline, "One State 
Destroyed, 87 Trying to Reconstruct," adding "Turkey pledged $200 
million for the Gaza rebuilding." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Gaza Donors' Conference 
 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "Making generous 
contributions for Gaza's rebuilding is good, but not enough. 
 
ANKARA 00000331  002 OF 003 
 
 
Rebuilding Gaza requires the Palestinians to overcome their 
administration crisis and present a unified presence.  Unless the 
Palestinian groups are reconciled, Gaza will continue to suffer." 
 
Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in Islamist-oriented Zaman: "International 
efforts for the rebuilding of Gaza have reached a good stage with 
statements from many countries expressing a readiness to make a 
financial contribution to Gaza.  However, there is still a big 
question mark on how this financial support will reach to Gaza and 
how it will be spent.  Some countries have openly stated that their 
money should not reach the hands of certain Palestinian groups.  All 
of this shows the urgency of reconciliation between Palestinian 
groups." 
 
Exports Fall Sharply in February 
Cumhuriyet, Vatan, Radikal, Sabah, Milliyet, Hurriyet:  Today's 
papers draw attention to the sharp fall in exports.  Mainstream 
Vatan gives extensive front page coverage to the issue with a 
headline "One Engine Stopped, We are in Turbulence" and notes that 
"we are not talking about a plane crash, but the economy.  Turkey's 
monthly exports income dropped by half, this means one of the 
engines stopped.  One US Dollar is over 1.73 Turkish lira because of 
the turbulence in the markets."  Liberal Radikal  reports that 
according to the figures of the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM), 
exports in February dropped 35 percent when compared to figures from 
the previous year. 
 
DEA's Leonhart: Turkey Effective in Blocking Heroin Transport to 
Europe 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet carries a talk with the US Drug 
Enforcement Agency (DEA) Deputy Administrator Michele Leonhart on 
the State Department report on narcotics trafficking.  Leonhart says 
that in 2008, Turkey displayed "16 percent of effectiveness" in 
blocking the transport of heroin coming from Afghanistan to Europe 
and other countries.  The PKK has been involved in crimes related to 
drug trafficking, says Leonhart, adding they were trying, in 
accordance with the counter-terrorism law in the US, to cut the 
sources which help the terror organization to finance its actions, 
reports Cumhuriyet. 
 
Verheugen: "We Made A Big Mistake" 
Mainstream Sabah and conservative-nationalist Turkiye report that 
European Commission's deputy chairman Gunter Verheugen criticized EU 
countries for giving negative messages to Turkey by saying "Turkey 
has a critical importance for Europe in terms of energy and 
security.  However, we could not present a reliable course for 
Ankara."  Verheugen added that he is not surprised that Turkey's 
desire for reforms dropped under these conditions. 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- Turkey's elite business group TUSIAD's chair Arzuhan Yalcindag 
says the AKP government was planning to delay the signing of a new 
stand-by deal with the IMF until after the municipality elections. 
 
 
- A convoy of 100 military vehicles and personnel was dispatched 
yesterday to the Cudi Mountains for Turkish military operations 
against the PKK terrorists in Sirnak province on the border with 
Iraq. 
 
- A retired police officer threatened to commit suicide outside of 
the Prime Minister's Office, saying his low income was not enough to 
pay his debts. 
 
- Turkey's leading mobile phone operator Turkcell says in a 
statement it was working to acquire Macedonian peer Cosmofon. 
 
 
ANKARA 00000331  003 OF 003 
 
 
World 
 
- On Tuesday, Deputy PM Nazim Ekren and Tevfik Bilgin, the head of 
Turkey's banking watchdog, BDDK, will travel to the US to meet the 
new US administration and hold talks with the IMF and World Bank 
officials. 
 
- President Abdullah Gul will visit Iran on March 10 to participate 
in a meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). 
 
- The head of the UN nuclear monitoring agency IAEA, Muhammad 
al-Baradei, says Damascus is blocking IAEA efforts to establish 
whether it tried to secretly build a plutonium producing reactor. 
 
- An Iraqi court sentences to death a former Iraqi general, Ali 
Hasan al-Majeed, known as "Chemical Ali" for his role in the forced 
deportation and massacre of the Shiites in 1999. 
 
JEFFREY