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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000435 
 
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 
MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
 
Obama's Nevruz Message Plays Well in Turkey while Khomeini Snubs 
Obama's Nevruz Olive Branch 
Media outlets cover Obama's Nevruz message positively, and major TV 
networks NTV, ATV, CNNTurk, and ShowTV carried the full video 
message, dubbed over in Turkish, beginning on Friday afternoon. 
Once reactions began to come from Tehran, media note that despite 
the fact that Obama had extended an olive branch to Iran, Iranian 
religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini reacted harshly. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reported, "Obama's message that sought 
to soften relations with Iran was greeted harshly  when religious 
leader Khomeini responded by saying 'I see no change in American 
policy.'"  Liberal Radikal reported Sunday, "Iran's religious leader 
Khomeini did not give a warm response to Obama's message of peace 
for Nevruz." The paper also reports "In response to Obama's historic 
message, Khomeni responded severely," but "Obama is not intimidated 
by Khomeini's approach and the White House called for more 
diplomatic steps to establish dialogue."  Mainstream Vatan 
commented, "Despite the effects Obama's message will have on the 
rest of the world, it doesn't look like his message had any effect 
in Iran."  Mainstream Milliyet reports, "Obama extended his hand in 
peace," and "Iran's religious leader Khomeini responded by saying he 
wants 'real' change in the U.S. approach to Iran."  Mainstream 
Hurriyet commented, "The Iranian leader's swift and sweeping rebuff 
to Washington's offer for dialogue is more than just a reply to 
Obama's latest outreach. It is a broad lesson in the mind-set of 
Iran's all-powerful theocracy and how it overshadows any possible 
next steps by President Barack Obama."  Islamist-oriented Zaman 
reports "Religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini responded to Obama 
by saying, 'It is not enough to just change your words,'" and Zaman 
notes "sanctions remain in place against the Iranian administration 
and the U.S. continues to express its support for Israel," despite 
the fact that "Obama seeks to end the 30-year enmity between the 
U.S. and Iran through diplomacy." 
 
In a related story, weekend papers note that U.S. Ambassador James 
Jeffrey joined the Cultural and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay for 
Nevruz celebrations and jumped over the Nevruz fire at the Ataturk 
Cultural Center in Ankara on Saturday.  Photos of Ambassador Jeffrey 
jumping over a fire don front pages of Sunday newspapers, and 
mainstream Milliyet joked that Ambassador Jeffrey succeeded in 
overcoming "A Trial By Fire." 
 
Editorial Opinion on President Obama's Nevruz Message: 
 
Semih Idiz wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "The Iranian religious 
leadership did not welcome President Obama's message.  Khomeini and 
others are using anti-Americanism in order to garner political power 
in the days prior to presidential elections in Iran.  Thus, 
normalization with the U.S. is a nightmare scenario for some Iranian 
leaders in the lead up to Iran's presidential elections." 
 
 
FM Babacan on the Kurdish Conference 
Sabah, Vatan, Radikal:  In an interview with the Haber Turk TV, 
Babacan addressed a question regarding Turkey's official 
participation in the Kurdish Conference in Arbil next month, "Our 
Iraq special envoy Murat Ozcelik was told about this conference 
three or four months ago.  If Turkey is invited to the conference as 
an observer, we will evaluate the invitation according to the 
conditions of the day."  Regarding rumors of a possible U.S. troop 
withdrawal from Iraq via Turkey, Babacan said "we were informed of a 
such possibility awhile back, but we have not yet received an 
official request." 
 
President Gul to Pay Landmark Visit to Baghdad 
Media outlets report President Abdullah Gul will travel to Baghdad 
on Monday for a two-day official visit -- the first Turkish 
 
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president to visit Iraq in 33 years.  Papers say Gul will visit only 
Baghdad and will not travel to the Kurdish cities such as Erbil, 
Kirkuk or Najaf.  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports that on Monday 
night, President Jalal Talabani will host a dinner in Gul's honor, 
to which Massoud Barzani, the head of the Kurdish region in northern 
Iraq, is expected to attend. 
 
Meanwhile, mainstream Hurriyet reports that ahead of President Gul's 
visit to Baghdad, the Erbil-based "Hewler Post," an English-language 
newspaper backed by Massoud Barzani, began printing a 
Turkish-language edition as well.  Hurriyet sees the publication of 
the daily in Turkish as a "historic gesture" from Barzani in honor 
of President Gul's visit to Iraq. 
 
PM Erdogan Offers Support For U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq Via Turkey 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that PM Erdogan told CNN International 
in an interview this weekend, "With regard to the exit of the 
American soldiers, we are positive on that issue."  In addition, he 
noted, "If weapons and ammunition are going to come out, it has to 
be clear where they are going to be heading," and, "If we are 
informed about where this military equipment would be going 
precisely, then we can make a proper evaluation."  Erdogan added 
that he welcomed Obama's recent Newroz message.  He also praised 
Obama's steps to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. 
Finally, Erdogan drew a comparison between his and Obama's "humble 
roots." 
 
Editorial Opinion on Turkish-American Relations 
 
Okan Muderrisoglu wrote in mainstream Sabah: "Defense Minister Gonul 
told Sabah he expects President Obama to request additional Turkish 
troops for the NATO mission in Afghanistan when he comes to Turkey 
in April.   Gonul noted, 'We would like to contribute additional 
troops to Afghanistan as long as they are not serving in the combat 
zone as combat troops.' It looks like the Turkish government feels 
obliged to do more for Afghanistan; but the major focus is on 
encouraging Taliban elements, especially the more moderate elements, 
toward the political process.  Defense Minister Gonul believes 
Turkey has a role to play in this process, which is indirectly and 
unofficially supported by the U.S. administration." 
 
Ferai Tinc wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "The 'new' Washington 
approach has moved away from pointing fingers at an axis of evil 
toward seeking resolutions to conflicts.  Dialogue and 
consensus-building will be main mottos of the Obama administration. 
Within this context, American officials' contact with moderate 
Taliban figures should not come as a surprise.  However, there is a 
potential pitfall to this approach.  Some problematic regimes might 
eventually win support from the U.S. if they soften their policies; 
in return, Washington may look the other way regarding some regimes' 
shortfalls regarding basic democratic criteria." 
 
Ali Aslan wrote in Islamist-oriented Zaman: "PM Erdogan's foreign 
policy adviser Davutoglu recently concluded an important trip to the 
U.S. prior to President Obama's historic visit to Turkey.  Adviser 
Davutoglu not only explained in detail Turkey's foreign policy, but 
he found that many in Washington agreed with his views.  Thus, he 
returned to Ankara very optimistic about the future relations with 
the U.S." 
 
 
Parties Hold Final Weekend Election Rallies in Istanbul 
Media outlets report that a week ahead of the March 29 municipal 
elections, election rallies were held in five political parties in 
Istanbul in a single day.  Prime Minister Erdogan addressed tens of 
thousands of AKP supporters in Kazlicesme district, while three 
opposition parties, including the CHP, the SP and the BBP, rallied 
in Caglayan Square.  Devlet Bahceli, the leader of MHP, held a rally 
in Adana.  Papers report thousands of AKP supporters from distant 
neighborhoods were brought to Kazlicesme by buses and trains for 
 
ANKARA 00000435  003 OF 004 
 
 
free.  Mainstream papers report Erdogan addressed around 50,000 
supporters whereas CHP's Deniz Baykal spoke to some 40,000 people 
(the same figures reported by the Islamist papers are 200,000 and 
40,000 respectively). 
 
In the March 29 municipal elections, 48,006,650 voters will cast 
votes in 177,050 ballot boxes and elect 36,820 people, excluding the 
muhtars (village or neighborhood 'headmen'). 
 
Journalists Mehmet Ali Birand and Ugur Dundar React to Ankara Mayor 
Gokcek's Threats 
Mainstreams Hurriyet, Milliyet and Vatan reported over the weekend 
that Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek, during his party meeting in Kazan 
last week, accused media VIPs  Mehmet Ali Birand and Ugur Dundar of 
"reporting incorrect news" about Gokcek, who threatened them by 
saying "after the elections, I will make your lives miserable in 
Turkey."  Ugur Dundar reacted by saying, "Gokcek has directly 
singled us out and targeted us.  If anything happens to me or any of 
my family members, I'll hold Gokcek directly responsible." 
 
Cagaptay: The AKP Has Replaced Turkey's Former Deep State with the 
AKP's Own Deep State (Newsweek) 
Media outlets carry excerpts from an article by Soner Cagaptay, the 
Washington Institute's Turkey Program Coordinator, in Newsweek.  In 
his article, Cagaptay claims that in Turkey, the Islamists are not 
successfully eliminating the shadowy "deep state," but instead are 
replacing it with one of their own.  The article says the AKP has 
used cases like the 'Ergenekon' case to attack Turkey's secular 
judges, media, military and its political opponents.  "The police 
have taken more than 100 supposed plotters into custody, including 
not just underworld figures, but also journalists, military 
officers, businesspeople, judges and academics," says Cagaptay.  He 
adds, "The tragedy here is that the AKP is not just using Ergenekon 
to rid Turkey of the old Deep State, but to intimidate its 
legitimate opposition ahead of nationwide local elections on March 
¶29.  As the last elections suggested, more than half the population 
still opposes the AKP, but many are now afraid to speak out due to 
signs that the government is monitoring its enemies."  According to 
Cagaptay, "Such signs suggest that the AKP has replaced the old Deep 
State with a new one of its own." 
 
 
Armenian Lobby Group ANCA Faces Investigation 
Media outlets reported over the weekend and today that the U.S. 
Department of Justice has announced it will launch a probe into a 
complaint filed by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) 
ethics organization that the Armenian National Committee of Armenia, 
or ANCA, the largest U.S. Armenian group, is involved in "campaign 
finance and lobbying violations."  The CREW said last month that 
ANCA had failed to register as a domestic lobbying group or as a 
foreign agent, despite its political work and its close ties to an 
Armenian political party, and called for a formal investigation 
against ANCA.  ANCA also has not registered as a lobbyist with 
either the house or the senate, CREW said.  Failure to register can 
be a felony offense.  ANCA officials denied any wrongdoing, report 
papers. 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- Arzuhan Yalcindag, the chair of Turkey's leading business 
grouping, TUSIAD, said, "Businessmen in Turkey are scared even when 
making assessments.  Threatening businessmen to not lay off workers 
is no solution.  The government did not recognize the crisis on 
time, and was late to take measures against it." 
 
- On Saturday evening, Turkey's official broadcaster TRT's new 
channel, TRT Avaz, kicked off broadcasts into 27 countries in the 
Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia in a ceremony in Ankara 
 
ANKARA 00000435  004 OF 004 
 
 
attended by President Gul, cabinet ministers as well as artists from 
Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. 
 
- Deputy Prime Minister Hayati Yazici says his government plans 
legal reforms to facilitate customs procedures. 
 
World 
 
- Turkish Cyprus leader Mehmet Ali Talat is expected to meet with 
Secretary Clinton in Washington on March 30. 
 
- On March 26, President Abdullah Gul will travel to Brussels to 
attend Business Europe summit talks. 
 
- U.S. sources say Washington is to back former Danish Prime 
Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to be the next secretary general of 
NATO. 
 
JEFFREY