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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000403 
 
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 18, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Talabani to Gul:  The U.S. Will Disarm The PKK If There Is An 
Amnesty Law (Sabah) 
Mainstream Sabah carries an interview with Iraqi President Jalal 
Talabani, who told the paper, "If The PKK Gets Amnesty, The U.S. 
Will Disarm Them." In addition, he said, "In April, all Kurdish 
groups will come together for a meeting in order to call for 
disarmament."  Talabani said "I think the PKK will accept this call 
to all Kurdish parties.  It will be an important step.  I hope 
Turkey would later take measures to persuade them to come down from 
the mountains."  Talabani also issued a message to PKK saying "the 
period of armed struggle has ended but the period of political 
struggle has begun." 
 
Finance Ministry Freezes Dogan Media Group Shares 
Media outlets report the Finance Ministry has frozen shares in Dogan 
Media Group's (DMG) Dogan TV company.  The freeze came following the 
Finance Ministry's rejection of DMG's offer of shares from Kanal D 
and Star TV as "collateral" for a USD 534 million tax fine. 
Mainstream Sabah says that according to the law, cash, credit 
letters issued by banks, Treasury bonds and immovable property are 
accepted as collateral by the tax office.  The tax office, however, 
has the authority to make their own decisions on different 
guarantees offered by taxpayers. 
 
President Gul and President Talabani Hold Bilateral Talks on 
Sidelines of World Water Forum 
Mainstream Vatan reports that Presidents Gul and Talabani met in 
Istanbul at the World Water Forum.  Papers report Gul said the two 
countries should take advantage of ways to cooperate with each other 
and he told Talabani "we will share happiness if we act rationally; 
we will share sorrow if we don't act accordingly."  Islamist 
oriented Zaman reports that the two leaders did not discuss details 
of Gul's upcoming visit to Baghdad. 
 
Al-Qaeda Alarm in Turkey 
Mainstream Sabah cites intelligence reports that indicate the new 
Al-Qaeda leader Mohammed Al-Gazawi infiltrated into Turkey to launch 
Gaza revenge attacks against Israeli interests in Turkey.  It is 
believed that Gazawi, who changes appearances often, is staying in a 
cell house connected to the terror organization. 
 
5 Detained After More Human Bones Were Uncovered in 'Death Well' 
Excavations in Sirnak 
Media outlets report five people were detained after the discovery 
of 20 human bone fragments in excavated wells near the village of 
Kustepe in Cizre in the province of Sirnak.  Former Cizre Mayor and 
head village guard, Kamil Atak, is also being sought in connection 
with the investigation.  Liberal Radikal reports an informant 
testified that in the 1990s, Atak used the Hezbollah organization in 
Turkey to interrogate and kill those who were suspected of aiding 
the PKK.  According to the informant's testimony, Hezbollah buried 
the people they killed near Kustepe.  The informant, who helped the 
prosecutor find the bones, said the Kustepe village was used by 
Hizbullah for training.  Excavations were made in the pits known as 
"Death Wells" in Sirnak last week.  Papers reported parts of a human 
skull, burnt clothes and bones were found in the excavations despite 
claims that some of the wells were 'cleaned up' after the 
excavations were announced 10 days prior to the diggings. 
 
A cartoon in today's leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet depicts Justice 
hogtied and prepared for execution by the sword.  Cumhuriyet's 
Ankara Bureau Chief, Mustafa Balbay, currently faces charges in the 
Ergenekon coup plot case, so the paper is clearly expressing its 
views that the AKP government's Islamist roots are threatening the 
judiciary. 
 
Editorial Opinion on Mustafa Balbay Diaries and Ergenekon Trial 
 
 
ANKARA 00000403  002 OF 003 
 
 
Ali Bayramoglu wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Journalist 
Mustafa Balbay was obviously involved in plotting a coup, along with 
some army generals.  Before organizing solidarity events to protest 
Balbay's detention, members of the media should think first about 
their ethical standards." 
 
Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Even though it is 
inappropriate for a journalist to talk about ways to overthrow the 
government, Mustafa Balbay's diaries also indicate he was planning 
to write a book about these developments.  And we must remember the 
basic legal philosophy 'innocent until proven guilty' because these 
are notes coming from a website, not from an official court 
document." 
 
Protestors Deported after Demonstration at The World Water Forum 
Sabah reports that two protesters were deported after holding up a 
banner during the opening ceremony of the 5th World Water Forum on 
Monday.  As Turkey's President Abdulah Gul opened the forum, 
Ann-Kathrin Schneider of Germany and Payal Parekh of the United 
States, members of the nongovernmental organization International 
Rivers, expressed their disapproval of the Ilisu Dam project in 
Southeast Turkey with a banner reading "No Risky Dams." 
 
The Armenian Lobby Isn't In Danger of Losing Their Jobs 
(Cumhuriyet) 
Media outlets note two major developments regarding the Armenian 
Genocide issue - first that U.S. President Barack Obama may decide 
against using the word 'genocide' in his speech on April 24th, 
Armenian Remembrance Day.  In addition, the AGR was officially 
introduced in Congress this week.  Mainstream Hurriyet reports from 
an LA Times article published yesterday, "Obama could delay his 
genocide statement."  Far Right Ortadogu reports, "Obama Is 
Hesitating on His Promises To Accept Armenian Claims."    Mainstream 
Sabah reports, "The Genocide Resolution Is With Representatives in 
Congress," but the paper reminds readers, "In 2007, the Bush 
administration exerted efforts that succeeded in keeping the 
Congress from voting on the resolution." Mainstream Milliyet reports 
"The 'Armenian Genocide' Resolution Officially Enters the U.S. 
Congress," and notes, "The Armenian lobby in the U.S. is angered by 
Turkey's view of the events (of 1915) and has placed heavy pressure 
on President Obama to recognize the genocide claims." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "It is likely that, due to the risk 
of losing Turkey's support for U.S. endeavors in the Middle East and 
other regions, Obama may delay his April 24th statement."  Elcin 
Poyrazlar of leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet comments that, in the 
midst of an economic crisis and rising unemployment in the U.S., 
"Armenians Are Not Unemployed." 
 
Editorial Opinion:  Afghanistan; Azerbaijan 
 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "There is very dim hope for 
the future of Afghanistan since the current situation resembles the 
same situation eight years ago.  Observers who know the regional 
realities well say it will take at least two more generations before 
Afghanistan can truly become stable.  Currently, the Taliban is 
gaining more power and control.  Additional forces from the U.S. and 
NATO will not change the negative direction in which Afghanistan is 
heading." 
 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Azerbaijani President 
Aliyev is following a path cut by every authoritarian figure in the 
world. Today's referendum to extend the president's term to a 
lifetime term is a mistaken approach and there are great political 
risks for the future of Azerbaijan if the referendum passes." 
 
TUBITAK Editor Keeps Her Post after 'Darwin Censor' 
Media outlets report Turkish science board TUBITAK said Cigdem 
Atakuman, the editor of popular science journal Science and 
Technology, was not removed from her post.  TUBITAK board had 
"censored" several articles on Darwin in the March issue of the 
 
ANKARA 00000403  003 OF 003 
 
 
journal.  Mainstream Milliyet comments "Atakuman had to be kept in 
her position in the face of strong reactions that came from the 
domestic and international circles." 
 
Meanwhile, the opposition CHP lawmaker Mehmet Sevigen submitted a 
motion to the parliament, asking why the Natural History Museum in 
Ankara displaying fossils in support of Darwin's evolution theory 
was kept closed.  The museum was closed for 'renovations' after the 
AKP came to power in 2002. 
 
 
 TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- On March 18, Turkey marks the 94th anniversary of the Battle of 
Gallipoli, which paved the way for the War of Independence and the 
foundation of the Turkish Republic. 
 
- Interior Minister Besir Atalay says the population registration 
offices will work "day and night" to give voters new identification 
documents needed for the municipality elections. 
 
- Energy Minister Hilmi Guler says assessments related to the first 
nuclear power plant to be constructed in Turkey will be submitted to 
the government after the elections. 
 
- An F-4 military training plane crashed Tuesday near Altinekin town 
in the province of Konya, killing one pilot and injuring the other. 
 
 
World 
 
- Gazprom deputy chair Alexander Medvedev said Russia will not join 
the Nabucco Project, emphasizing they continued work on the South 
Stream project. 
 
- Egypt seeks in Washington "relaxation" of the US conditions for 
Hamas to join an internationally recognized Palestinian government. 
 
 
- The Taliban's Islamic courts start to function in northwestern 
Pakistan's Swat Valley. 
 
- A survey shows one in every seven young Germans, or 14.4 percent, 
could be considered "very hostile to foreigners." 
 
JEFFREY