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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000367 
 
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, MARCH 11, 2009 
 
Gul:  President Obama Could Launch A New Era 
Media outlets note that Turkish President Abdullah Gul spoke to 
reporters yesterday while he was en route to Tehran and his messages 
praised U.S. President Obama's approach to the region.  Liberal 
Radikal headlines, "Gul Begins a New Era With Obama."  In "The 
Spirit of Obama in Iran," Radikal reports, "Gul told Ahmadinejad and 
Khomeini to prepare for dialogue with the U.S." Sabah notes that 
President Gul told Ahmadinejad "You can't shake hands when your 
fists are clinched." Mainstream Vatan reports Gul said "An 
opportunity has emerged with Barack Obama's election for problems to 
be solved and for a new world order" as "Turkey and the new U.S. 
administration share common views about Afghanistan, Pakistan, and 
the Kurdish issue. A new era has started and for the sake of the 
world security and stability, everyone should be prepared for this 
new era."  Mainstream Sabah reports that when asked whether Obama 
would deliver a message to the Islamic world when he was in Turkey, 
Gul said "Obama's visit to Ankara is a message in and of itself.  We 
are very pleased about the visit.  Because, if we manage to 
correctly lay the tracks from the beginning, we'll be able to 
advance along those rails speedily.  And this visit is a good 
opportunity to lay good groundwork."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
drew attention to the Kurdish issue, noting that Gul said, "It is 
wrong to blame foreigners for the Kurdish problem," in Turkey 
because "good things will happen." 
 
In a related story, Yeni Safak and Cumhuriyet report President Obama 
will join the G-20 meeting in Britain, where he will hold a 
bilateral meeting with PM Erdogan.  Obama will later participate in 
NATO's 60th anniversary summit talks in Baden-Baden in Germany, 
where he will meet with President Gul.  Obama will later move on to 
Prague before travelling to Ankara on April 6 and Istanbul on April 
¶7. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Obama's Turkey Visit 
 
Cuneyt Ulsever wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Obama's visit is very 
important, but it should be read in a proper context.  Like Turkey, 
the Obama administration is ready for engagement and dialogue on 
problematic areas and issues, such as Iran, Syria, Hamas, the 
Taliban and Hezbullah.  However this attitude provides an 
opportunity for these actors to change their approach.  This is not 
about accepting them as they are.  And it includes an expectation 
for Turkey to change as well, particularly on resolving the Kurdish 
issue and showing flexibility on the EU/Cyprus process." 
 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "The Obama administration's 
openness and encouragement for diplomacy is a strong basis for 
Turkey's mission in the region.  Turkey will be able to continue its 
role even more actively than before.  On the other hand, harmony 
between Ankara and Washington is an essential element to consider. 
Washington hopes Turkey take a role when it comes to problems like 
Iranian nuclear power and Hamas.  It will only backfire if Ankara 
chooses to defend their position as opposed to convincing them to 
change." 
 
Abdulhamit Bilici wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "Some in Turkey 
strongly argued against the  government's close engagement with the 
Middle East and the Arab world, claiming that it would alienate 
Ankara from Western world.  Developments are just proving otherwise, 
and the upcoming visit of President Obama is a clear indication to 
this.  The more we engage with the East, the closer we will get to 
the West." 
 
Cumhuriyet comments that in an effort to "cover some distance" 
before President Obama calls on Turkey, Ankara has sent a Turkish 
Foreign Ministry (MFA) delegation, headed by the deputy 
Undersecretary Unal Cevikoz, to Washington to lobby the U.S. 
Congress against the passage of the Armenian genocide resolution. 
Erdogan's top foreign policy advisor, Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, is 
also expected to pay a visit to the U.S. soon, according to 
 
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Cumhuriyet. 
 
Clinton Criticized for Soft Approach to Human Rights 
Media outlets highlight the Washington Post's editorial which 
criticized Secretary Clinton for 'not addressing human rights 
issues' during her visit to Turkey.  Mainstream Milliyet reports on 
its front page, "Press Freedom in Turkey is Under Siege" as "The 
Washington Post accuses Secretary Clinton of ignoring the human 
rights practices of the U.S.' major allies."  Leftist-nationalist 
Cumhuriyet reports, "The Washington Post Criticizes" Clinton because 
she "Forgot Human Rights in Turkey."  Islamist-oriented Zaman 
headlines, "The Washington Post Criticizes the Government Regarding 
Press Freedom," and notes "The Washington Post compared Prime 
Minister Erdogan's approach to press freedom to Russian President 
Putin's approach to press freedom by referring to the governments 
half billion dollar tax fine against the Dogan media group." 
Mainstream Vatan reports "The repercussions of Clinton's visit to 
Turkey continue."  Mainstream HaberTurk reports "Hillary Goes 
Against Her Own Department's Report" on human rights. 
 
 
'German Police Detain Islamists with Ties to Turks' (Cumhuriyet) 
Media outlets report German police have staged "simultaneous raids" 
on the houses, businesses and associations of Islamist suspects in 
seven cities across the country.  In "Raid on Islamists with Ties to 
Turks," leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports new corruption and 
irregularities in a scale larger than the Deniz Feneri scandal could 
surface in the investigation.  Seven suspects, including Turks, who 
had been detained earlier, were charged with illegally raising 
funds, buying assets through false bankruptcy, forging documents and 
money laundering.  German police did not disclose the identities of 
the detained, but sources say the head of the illegal formation had 
ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and could have connections with the 
Turkish National View (Milli Gorus) organization, reports 
Cumhuriyet. 
 
PKK Defectors Working as Mercenaries for U.S. Army 
Mainstream Aksam and mainstream Hurriyet report that several former 
PKK members have claimed that they know other PKK militants who 
deserted the PKK in order to fight as mercenaries for the U.S. Army 
in Afghanistan.  According to the testimony, the former PKK 
militants turned mercenaries will undergo a short training program 
in Baghdad before being deployed in Afghanistan.  These claims were 
cited in the reports by MIT (National Intelligence Organization), 
TNP (Turkish National Police) and Gendarmerie intelligence. 
Hurriyet notes that a Syrian PKK militant code named "Hezir" 
testified that at least 15 of his friends "joined the U.S. army in 
exchange for a Green Card." 
 
CHP Submits Parliamentary Motion Regarding the 'Darwin Censorship' 
Media outlets report the opposition CHP submitted a parliamentary 
motion yesterday that asked for an explanation from PM Erdogan and 
Minister Mehmet Aydin about the TUBITAK board's decision to censor 
articles about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution in the 
March issue of "Science and Technology" magazine.  CHP leader Deniz 
Baykal said, "Such reactions against Darwin and the debates on 
evolution on the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth demonstrate the 
dogma that currently dominates scientific organizations in Turkey." 
Professor Nuket Yetis, the AKP-appointed head of Turkey's Scientific 
and Technical Research Institution, or TUBITAK, declined to answer 
press questions regarding the censorship. 
 
Second Indictment in Ergenekon 
All papers report that the Istanbul Prosecutors Office submitted 
yesterday an additional indictment in Ergenekon case.  Mainstream 
Hurriyet reports that the indictment accused 12 suspects of 
attempting to annul the parliament and government by using violence 
and sought life imprisonment.  Retired Generals Hursit Tolon and 
Sener Eruygur are among those 14 suspects. 
 
 
ANKARA 00000367  003 OF 003 
 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- A 13-year old child detained for "insulting" PM Erdogan at an 
election rally in Aydin says he was "hurt" by the PM and his 
bodyguards. 
 
- The ruling AKP government is set to release an economic stimulus 
package that will include an extra payment for pensioners and 
special tax and employment incentives for textile, automotive, 
steel, maritime and tourism sectors. 
 
- More than 14,000 people lost their jobs in Bursa and the entire 
Thrace region over the last two months. 
 
- Turkey's leading iron and steel producer Erdemir, suffering 
75-percent decrease in demand, is on the verge of collapse. 
 
World 
 
- A draft bill submitted to the US House of Representatives urges 
Turkey to respect the rights of the Istanbul-based Greek Orthodox 
Patriarchate. 
 
- Reformist ex-PM Mir Hossein Musavi, who was PM during the 1980-88 
Iran-Iraq war, says he will contest the presidential election in 
June.  Musavi's participation in polls could split the reformers 
seeking to oust President Ahmadinejad. 
 
- US intelligence chief Dennis Blair warns it would be "difficult" 
to convince Iran to give up its quest for nuclear technology. 
 
- The Somalian cabinet votes to implement sharia law across the 
country. 
 
JEFFREY