VZCZCXRO8772
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0375/01 0721321
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131321Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9037
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 9528
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 5504
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 3677
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 7170
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 7035
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3623
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 02 ANKARA 000375 
 
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 
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
The European Parliament's Latest Report Calls for Reforms and 
Criticizes Restrictions on Internet Access, Government Pressure on 
Media 
Vatan, Hurriyet, Milliyet, Aksam, Zaman:  Yesterday the European 
Parliament (PACE) approved the latest report on Turkey by a vote of 
528 to 52.  Mainstream Hurriyet  notes that this report criticized 
"Turkey's restrictions on internet access and the government's 
pressure against the media."  Mainstream Aksam says the report 
"urged Turkey to accelerate reforms."  Islamist-oriented Zaman 
highlights the report also "warned against the closure of political 
parties."  Mainstream Vatan notes, "Following in the footsteps of 
the U.S., Europe is now drawing attention to the role of secularism 
in Turkey" because the report "highlights the importance of 
secularism." 
 
Turkish and Greek Business Leaders Call for Peace In Cyprus 
Mainstreams Hurriyet and Vatan report that business leaders from 
Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus released a joint declaration in Nicosia 
that extended full support towards a peace process in Cyprus.  The 
Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association 
(TUSIAD)chairperson Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag said that if a solution 
was reached in Cyprus, the economy on the island would develop. 
 
Speculations Swirl Around Obama's Visit to Turkey 
Media outlets are fiercely competing to see who can predict what 
President Obama will do and what it will mean during his visit to 
Turkey next month.  Islamist-oriented Zaman, which is known for its 
close ties to the government, reports, "In a gesture to Ankara, 
Obama will address the parliament."  Mainstream Milliyet's Athens 
correspondent reports, "Obama's last stop in Turkey will be a visit 
to the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartolomeos."  Meanwhile, 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet chimes in a new theory on the meaning 
of the visit.  In "Why is Obama Coming to Turkey?" the paper notes 
that "Washington Institute Turkey expert Soner Cagaptay says Obama 
is trying to prevent Turkey from distancing itself from the West." 
Liberal Radikal columnist Murat Yetkin writes, "Obama is trying to 
ease the climate of tension that was created by his predecessor." 
 
Obama's PKK Plan (Sabah) 
Mainstream Sabah reports that the U.S. sent a diplomatic delegation 
prior to Secretary Clinton's visit in order to discuss political 
initiatives to disarm the PKK.  The delegation met with politicians 
of Kurdish descent such as Esat Canan, Serafettin Elci and Orhan 
Miroglu.  The delegation discussed the possibility of an amnesty 
program and addressed the topic of TRT's new Kurdish broadcasting 
stateion, TRT-Ses. 
 
IMF Eases Terms on New Deal with Turkey 
Media outlets report the IMF "changed its mind" due to the 
"resolute" attitude of the Turkish government, and came up with more 
flexible terms for a possible stand-by deal with Turkey.  State 
Minister Mehmet Simsek told reporters, "The IMF showed flexibility 
on tax administration, a matter on which we could not agree."  The 
IMF later made new loan proposals to Turkey, and now awaits an 
invitation from Ankara to meet for negotiations, say papers. 
 
A "Surprise" Energy Summit 
Mainstream Sabah reports in "A Surprise Energy Summit" that Energy 
Minister Guler met with Ambassador James Jeffrey and Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Matt Bryza 
yesterday "in order to discuss the Nabucco pipeline project."    CNN 
Turk reports Bryza told the 8th Turkish Oil & Gas Conference that 
"from the topic of energy to the topic of the Middle East, Turkey is 
one of the closest allies to the U.S." 
 
Aksam and Cumhuriyet report Bryza said the U.S. relationship with 
Russia needs to be "rearranged."  In "The U.S. Opposes Iranian Gas," 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports the U.S. sent "warm messages 
 
ANKARA 00000375  002 OF 002 
 
 
to Russia," but was aloof toward Tehran.  "The diversification of 
natural gas pipelines is important, but the inclusion of Iran in the 
existing projects is not in line with U.S. interests," said Bryza. 
In the face of President Obama's call on Tehran to "unclench its 
fist," Bryza said "The international sanctions against Iran are 
clear," reports Cumhuriyet. 
 
Editorial Commentary on President Gul-Iran-U.S. 
 
Fehmi Koru wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "When Gul says 
'good things are about to happen' he means good things will happen 
regarding the ongoing process toward finding a solution to the 
southeast problem.  As the president confirms, there is perfect 
harmony at the state's top level and there is an overall psychology 
to work toward settlement." 
 
Cengiz Candar wrote in business daily Referans: "There is an overall 
understanding that terrorism does not solve problems.  President 
Gul's visit to Iran also signals that important developments can 
happen after the Obama visit, particularly regarding Iran and the 
Azerbaijan/Armenia issues." 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Just as stated 
by U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey, Turkey is helping with the Iranian 
dispute by expressing the American side's sincerity to the Iranian 
regime.  A high level MFA official recently said, 'Turkey has never 
tried to act as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran, but wanted to 
facilitate a better understanding on both sides to solve their 
problems through dialogue.'  It is important that Gul expressed the 
sincere desire in the new American administration for dialogue and 
diplomacy, and the Iranian side listened to him very carefully." 
 
TV News (CNN Turk)  Domestic 
 
- In Silopi in the province of Sirnak, security forces found 
Thursday more bones and human hair in excavations launched to find 
the remains of people who disappeared in the 1990s. 
 
- Nihat Ergun, deputy chairman of AKP parliamentary group, says the 
government will be reshuffled if support for the ruling party 
declines by 10 percent in comparison to the general elections in 
¶2007. 
 
- Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP invited Iraqi President Jalal 
Talabani and Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud 
Barzani to join Nevruz celebrations in Diyarbakir. 
 
World 
 
- President Obama has extended sanctions against Iran for another 
year, saying it continues to pose a threat to U.S. national 
security. 
 
- Iraqi President Talabani, whose term ends at the end of this year, 
says he won't run for office again. 
 
- "We all have the right to self determination.  That is the 
aspiration of all the Kurds and it is a natural right," says KRG 
President Massoud Barzani. 
 
- Muntazar al-Zaydi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes to 
former US President Bush, was sentenced to three years in prison for 
assaulting a visiting head of state. 
 
JEFFREY