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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000372 
 
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 12, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Iran Rejects Turkey's Mediation Offer 
Media outlets highlight that, during President Gul's trip to Tehran, 
Iranian President Ahmadinejad reneged on his prior acceptance of 
Turkey's offer to mediate between the U.S. and Iran.   CNNTurk 
reports, "Iranian President Ahmadinejad rejected Turkey's offer to 
act as a mediator between Iran and the Obama administration," and 
NTV reports Ahmadinejad told Gul, "If there is justice in the world, 
there should be no problems."  Liberal Radikal carries the headline, 
"The Iranian Leadership Is Not As Optimistic as Gul" about the new 
U.S. administration as the paper notes religious leader Ayatollah 
Ali Khomeini told Gul, "We have not seen any signs yet that Obama is 
any different from Bush."  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "Tehran 
Reneges on Ankara's Mediation between the U.S. and Iran," even 
though "Turkey was prepared to help initiate efforts toward dialogue 
between the two countries for the first time in 30 years." 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines, "Ahmadinejad Says He 
Doesn't Need a Mediator." 
 
While all other papers report that Tehran dismissed Turkey's 
mediation offer, mainstream Sabah reports that President Gul's 
efforts to mediate between the U.S. and Iran have influenced the 
Iranian leadership to refrain from politically criticizing the U.S. 
In "Gul's Mediation Between the U.S. and Iran," Sabah says, "Gul is 
breaking the ice between the U.S. and Iran" because he "took U.S. 
messages to Tehran" and Gul will "take Iran's messages to the U.S. 
when he meets U.S. President Obama at the NATO's 60th Anniversary." 
The front page of today's liberal Radikal carries columnist Murat 
Yetkin's interview with U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey 
under the headline, "Gul Conveyed Our Message to Iran Sincerely," 
and the article notes Jeffrey said, "We are prepared to discussed 
the topic of integrating Iran into the international system," and 
for this reason, "Turkey's relations with Iran and Syria could be 
helpful."  Columnist Cengiz Candar of Radikal notes, "Gul's actions 
in Tehran indicate to Washington that Gul is ready and willing to 
make progress in negotiations with Iran," and "Washington watched 
Gul closely as he urged Iranian leaders to take advantage of this 
opportunity to restart dialogue with the U.S."  Papers yesterday 
noted that Gul had urged both Ahmadinejad and Khomeini during his 
visit to consider dialogue with the U.S. by saying "You can't shake 
hands when your fists are clenched." 
 
Editorial Opinion on the Turkey-U.S./Obama Visit 
 
Kadri Gursel wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "The U.S. is actively 
involved in eliminating the post-Davos stress and is working toward 
normalization between Turkey and Israel.  Gul is doing his part by 
planning to visit Israel.  Obama is now visiting Turkey not because 
of what happened in Davos, but because Erdogan's Davos attitude is 
dead." 
 
Yasin Dogan wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Obama's visit 
demonstrates his appreciation Turkey's role and influence in the 
region. Washington is also showing its political will to work with 
the AKP." 
 
Talabani Comes to Turkey 
Mainstream Sabah and Islamist-oriented Zaman report that Iraqi 
President Talabani will come to Istanbul on March 16 to participate 
in the World Water Forum.  Presidents Gul and Talabani are expected 
to have a "mini summit" bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 
forum.  Gul is expected to travel to Baghdad before the end of March 
to meet with Talabani and others in Baghdad. 
 
EU Parliament Takes up Turkey Report 
Vatan, Hurriyet, Milliyet,Zaman,Sabah, Aksam:  EU Commissioner Olli 
Rehn spoke to the European Parliament regarding the latest Turkey 
report and said, "The freedom of press is a basic principle of 
Turkey's democratic transformation process and should be respected 
 
ANKARA 00000372  002 OF 002 
 
 
fully."   In stark contrast, Islamist-oriented Zaman instead notes 
that during the debate, "The European Parliament issued a warning to 
Turkey regarding law suits that seek to ban political parties." 
Sabah notes that the European Parliament was "hopeful for reforms in 
2009." 
 
Reaction from the Scientific Community to TUBITAK's Decision to 
Censor an Article on Darwinism 
Milliyet, Zaman, Cumhuriyet:  The Administration of the Scientific 
and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), which 
censored articles in a scientific publication recently regarding 
Darwin's evolution theory, was asked to resign from their posts by a 
group of scientists.  Milliyet notes that leading world academics 
described TUBITAK's censorship as "unacceptable and a source of 
concern."  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that "the truth was 
different" and "the science magazine, so far, has never carried a 
cover story about Darwin."  Instead, Zaman says, "The editor of the 
magazine decided on her own to devote the cover of the March issue 
to Darwin while the original plans were to publish a cover story 
about climate change." 
 
Editorial Opinion on the PKK/Kurdish Issue 
 
Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "The government must 
realize the magnitude of the problem with imprisoning vast numbers 
of the youth on charges of terrorism.  Those kids who are in prison 
on terrorism charges will be recruited and used by PKK because the 
PKK uses jails as recruitment centers.  If Turkey is truly a social 
state, then this issue must be addressed." 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Excavations of BOTAS wells in Silopi revealed more remains of 
bones and hair. 
 
- CHP leader Deniz Baykal says the left and the right should unite 
to defend secularism in Turkey. 
 
- The Turkish lira rebounds against the US dollar, closing at 
1.7340. 
 
- Turkey's Privatization Administration says there will be no bank 
privatizations in 2009. 
 
 
International News 
 
- Police shot dead a 17-year-old gunman who killed 16 people in a 
school shooting in southwestern Germany.  One of the victims was a 
Turk. 
 
- President Nicolas Sarkozy announces France intends to become a 
full member of NATO, 43 years after France pulled out of the 
alliance's military command. 
 
- An Iraqi court sentences Iraq's former foreign minister, Tariq 
Aziz, and Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as 'Chemical Ali,' to 15 years 
in prison for their role in the killing of 42 merchants in Baghdad 
in 1992 for profiteering. 
 
- The US Congress votes to ease travel and medicine sales 
restrictions to Cuba. 
 
JEFFREY