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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000345 
 
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 
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Ankara's Messages for Secretary Clinton 
Mainstream Sabah reports that "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 
will have meetings with President Gul, PM Erdogan and FM Babacan 
during his visit to Turkey on March 7."  At a countdown meeting at 
the MFA, Minister Babacan and his team decided to give the message 
that they were ready to cooperate and also emphasize Turkish 
sensitivity regarding the PKK issue and Armenian Genocide claims. 
US troop withdrawal in Iraq, transfer of troops to Afghanistan and 
parliamentary permission needed to take the military equipment out 
of Iraq through Turkey are some of the issues to be discussed at the 
meeting. 
 
In a related story, mainstream Vatan reports that on his way to 
Brussels, FM Babacan talked to the press at the airport and said "no 
official request came from the US to use Turkish ports or bases in 
order to withdraw its troops from Iraq.  If a request comes from the 
States, Turkey's approach to the issue would be positive." 
 
Ambassador Jeffrey 'Observes' Mersin Port for US Iraq Exit 
Mainstream Aksam reports US Ambassador James Jeffrey made Wednesday 
some "observations" at the port of Mersin on the Turkish 
Mediterranean with regard to the withdrawal of US troops and weapons 
from Iraq.  "We will be pulling out of Iraq 150,000 troops and some 
equipment over the next 19 months.  The existing agreements between 
Turkey and the US allow for such an operation, but no final 
decisions on the Iraq withdrawal have been made yet yet," emphasized 
Jeffrey. 
 
Editorial Commentary on US Troop and Weapons Withdrawal from Iraq 
 
Ismail Kucukkaya wrote in mainstream Aksam: "The US wants to 
withdraw from Iraq via Turkey due to some strategic concerns as well 
as cost calculations.  Ankara has a positive approach to the idea, 
but it does not want to declare its position before receiving an 
official request.  The route that the US troops will follow during 
withdrawal and other details about the withdrawal will top the 
agenda of Secretary Clinton's visit to Ankara.  For this reason, the 
US is giving special attention to Incirlik/Adana and Tasucu/Mersin 
Port.  That was why Ambassador Jeffrey has visited Mersin twice 
since his arrival to Ankara.  Although the US's decision on the 
troop withdrawal is welcomed in Ankara, there are serious concerns 
about the weapons left behind by the US army.  High levels of 
diplomacy and security have concern over potential 'unclaimed 
weapons syndrome.'  Given the huge number of missing weapons, as 
many as 190.000, Ankara does not want any possibility of weapons 
left behind that could fall into the hands of PKK.  This is going to 
be one of the topics raised by Ankara during Secretary Hillary 
Clinton's visit." 
 
Deputy Chief of General Staff General Igsiz in Baghdad 
Mainstreams Hurriyet, Vatan and Sabah report that TGS Deputy Chief 
General Hasan Igsiz went to Baghdad yesterday upon the invitation of 
Iraqi Defense Minister Abdulkadir Jassim.  During the meeting, 
military issues related to both countries were discussed and the 
importance of ongoing cooperation was emphasized.  TGS announced the 
visit in a written statement and also said that General Igsiz had a 
meeting with the MNF commander about Turkey-US military 
cooperation. 
 
ICC Issues Warrant for Sudanese Leader Bashir 
The International Criminal Court's decision to issue an arrest 
warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes and 
crimes against humanity is receiving large media attention today. 
Liberal Radikal headlines, "ICC's Arrest Warrant for Bashir." 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "the warrant is the first 
against a sitting head of state by the International Criminal 
Court."  Mainstream Milliyet reports, "Turkey was one of the 
countries refusing to recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC," and 
 
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warns "Ankara might seriously harm its image by preserving close 
ties with Bashir."  Mainstream Hurriyet and other papers note, 
"while the court charged Bashir with war crimes, it stopped short of 
charging him with genocide due to insufficient evidence." 
Cumhuriyet adds, "there is no international police force to enforce 
the indictment, suspects can be arrested only in the states aside in 
the agreement establishing the ICC.  It seems impossible for the 
Sudanese government to enforce the decision."   Foreign Minister 
Babacan said on the issue, "We hope that this will not worsen the 
situation in the region." 
 
Editorial Commentary on ICC Arrest Warrant for Sudan's al-Bashir 
 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "The arrest warrant for El 
Beshir will only worsen the situation in Darfur.  The court decision 
is not even fully endorsed by the UN Security Council.  Moreover, 
the African Union and the Arab League remain opposed to the 
decision.  All of this only indicates some bad news for the future 
as the problem will likely deepen." 
 
Ibrahim Karagul wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Turkey does 
not recognize the Hague court, therefore, the arrest warrant will 
not have a binding effect on Turkey.  And the same goes to the 
United States as well.  There is certainly a tragedy in Darfur but 
this is not the way to resolve it." 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The Dutch Safety Authority says a "faulty altimeter" shut down the 
engine of the Turkish Airlines flight that crashed near Amsterdam 
airport last week.  Turkish aviation experts rejected yesterday the 
"explanation," saying the crash was caused by wake turbulence made 
by a Boeing-757 which landed minutes before the Turkish airliner. 
 
- The ruling AKP deputy chairman Bulent Gedikli says IMF was a 
"shortsighted" institution, adding the IMF proposals on the economic 
crisis would "harm" Turkey. 
 
- Former UNDP head Kemal Dervis becomes a member of the Sabanci 
University's International Advisory Board. 
 
- Four demonstrators, including a student and two teachers, are 
given 11 months and 20 days prison sentences for "insulting" PM 
Erdogan by shouting "Light-Bulb Tayyip" at a protest demonstration 
in the city of Bursa. 
 
International News 
 
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani 
"welcome" the improvements between Turkey and northern Iraq at their 
meeting in Berlin. 
 
- Israeli fighter jets bombed yesterday the northern Gaza Strip. 
 
- The director of the FBI arrives in Pakistan to help investigate 
last year's Mumbai attacks. 
 
- BP Turkey is "fined" 474 million lira by the Turkish Finance 
Ministry for irregularities in tax-free fuel oil sale at the 
Bulgarian and Greek borders. 
 
JEFFREY