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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000464 
 
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 26, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
 
Second 'Ergenekon' Indictment Charges 56 Suspects 
Media outlets report the second indictment submitted to court 
Tuesday accuses 56 suspects, including retired force commander 
generals Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon and 10 other suspects, of 
being the leaders of the alleged 'Ergenekon' gang as well as working 
to topple the government and subvert the parliament by using 
violence.  If found guilty, the suspects could be sentenced to life 
in prison. 
 
Tolon and Eruygur are accused of "leading a terrorist group, trying 
to topple the government, influencing the judiciary, storing 
weapons, gathering and disclosing state secrets, and illegal 
collection of information on individuals."  Last year, both former 
generals were detained but later released due to "health reasons." 
Leftist-nationalist daily Cumhuriyet's Ankara bureau chief Mustafa 
Balbay is accused of stealing secret information concerning state 
security, and of attempting to topple an elected government.  The 
court in Istanbul will hold its first hearing for the 56 suspects on 
July 20, and will decide on the same date whether to combine the 
second indictment with the ongoing main 'Ergenekon' case, which 
tries 86 suspects. 
 
Liberal Radikal comments that, for the first time, commanders are 
being tried in Turkey on charges of attempting to stage a military 
coup.  Four coup attempts -- codenamed Sarikiz, Ayisigi, Yakamoz and 
Eldiven -- were listed in the second Ergenekon indictment.  The 
indictment accuses former commander generals Ozden Ornek, Aytac 
Yalman and Ibrahim Firtina of "cooperating with the Ergenekon 
organization."  The prosecutor in charge of the investigation said 
the former generals would be "tried by civil courts, not by the 
military court." 
 
Editorial Commentary on the Second 'Ergenekon' Indictment 
 
Ismet Berkan wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "It is important 
that top ranked retired generals will be tried for charges related 
to coup plotting this time.  It is also important that a civilian 
court tries them, and every step should be taken to prevent a 
military court from trying them instead." 
 
Ali Bayramoglu wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "The nature of 
second indictment in the Ergenekon case reflects a comprehensive 
approach regarding the future of military-civilian relations.  If 
the government acts with determination against criticism, eventually 
this relationship can be put onto the right track." 
 
Can Dundar wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "The trial of some high 
ranking names, including generals, is a good step toward the 
elimination of coup mongering.  However there should also be a long 
term perspective that focuses on a plan for democratization. 
Turkey's current structure is good enough to nourish more coup 
plotters.  The remedy to this situation is full democratization, 
including guarantees for a free press, individual freedoms and the 
unobstructed representation of all political leanings in the 
parliament." 
 
BBP Leader Yazicioglu's Helicopter Crashes 
All papers and TV channels:  A helicopter carrying the chairman of 
Grand Unity Party (BBP)Muhsin Yazicioglu and five more people, 
including a Ihlas News Agency (IHA)reporter, from Kahramanmaras to 
Yozgat for an election rally, crashed in the mountainous area near 
Goksun town.    Mainstream Hurriyet reports that IHA reporter Ismail 
Gunes called his agency by his cell phone and said "everybody died 
except me, I am injured on my feet and loosing blood."  Following 
this conversation, reportedly, the signal died.  The wreckage of the 
helicopter could not be found until now and the rescue teams are 
still searching for the helicopter wreck.  Islamist-oriented Yeni 
 
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Safak reports that Yazicioglu and his wife survived four suspicious 
traffic accidents in the past two years. 
 
Erdogan Announces the 5th Stimulus Package 
Sabah, Milliyet, Radikal, Aksam, Referans, Vatan, Zaman:  PM Erdogan 
announced the fifth economic package to boost the Turkish economy at 
his election campaign in Cankiri.  The package includes cuts in 
value added tax on furniture, computers, industrial machinery, 
office goods and real estate, for three months. 
 
Barzani: "Turkey Recognized Kurdistan" 
Mainstream Sabah quoted  the Regional Kurdish Administration's Prime 
Minister Necirvan Barzani as saying "President Gul's meeting with me 
means that Turkey recognizes the "Kurdistan region."  Barzani added 
that they are hoping to improve the relationship with Turkey and so 
far, very serious developments realized in ties with Turkey.  "Just 
a short while ago, Turkey deployed hundred thousand troops at our 
border.  We reached to a very important point in our relations and I 
believe that this relationship will be improved", added Barzani. 
 
A Zombie President for the EU (Hurriyet) 
Media outlets note that the global economic crisis has toppled yet 
another European government, and this government just happens to be 
the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency. 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports "The explosive political crisis in 
Prague has created a crisis also in Brussels.  The Lisbon Agreement 
is again in danger."  Mainstream Sabah reports, "The Global Crisis 
Topples the Czech Government," after Latvia and Iceland suffered the 
same fate and "the crisis has caused the EU Presidency to suffer." 
Liberal Radikal comments, "The Government Holding the EU Presidency 
Has Fallen," which "places the Lisbon process and the U.S. missile 
shield program at risk."  Leftist Taraf writes, "The Czechs Heat Up 
the EU's Waters."  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak notes, "The EU Is 
Left Without a President." 
 
Obama Brings The Goods (Zaman) 
Media are abuzz about the equipment that has arrived in support of 
President Obama's visit to Turkey.  Mainstream Hurriyet headlines, 
"The Goods Came Before Obama on 17 Packed Trucks."  Mainstream 
Haberturk reports, "Barack Obama and his team even brought their own 
drinking water."  Mainstream Sabah reports, "Flights will be 
cancelled for fifteen minutes" surrounding the president's arrival 
as "four F-16 war planes will usher Air Force One in and special 
measures will be taken against potential rocket attacks."  In "Obama 
Migrates," Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports, "Ten days prior to 
Obama's visit, armored cars, equipment and even drinking water is 
brought in via military cargo planes."  Yeni Safak also notes, 
"Obama will stay at the Sheraton, and his room will have 'an Iranian 
view,'" i.e. a view of the Iranian embassy. 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- State Minister Kursad Tuzmen says during the visit of President 
Abdullah Gul to Baghdad, Turkey submitted to Iraq 20 new projects 
for cooperation. 
 
- 8,000 policemen will be on duty in Ankara during the municipality 
elections to be held Sunday. 
 
- Experts predict a recent cut in value added tax (VAT) rate down to 
8 percent from 18 percent will boost the sales of computers in 
Turkey.  A Turkish computer company said they expect one million 
computers to be sold over the next three months in Turkey. 
 
- A senior official of Lipton Tea Company said tea consumption in 
Turkey increased by 13.6 percent in 2008 in comparison to the 
previous year.  "Despite the ongoing global financial crisis, the 
tea market in Turkey continues to grow," said the official. 
 
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World 
 
- On Thursday, President Abdullah Gul will meet European Commission 
President Jose Manuel Barroso, King Albert II Foreign Minister Karel 
De Gucht in Brussels.  Gul will also deliver a speech at the 7th 
European Business Summit. 
 
- Incoming Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says his government will 
be a "partner for peace" with the Palestinians. 
 
- European Court of Human Rights says Turkey violated the European 
Convention on Human Rights with the imprisonment given to Murat 
Ulke, a conscientious objector, for having refused to perform 
compulsory military service. 
 
- Syria's foreign minister says Damascus would be happy to help 
President Obama implement his plan to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq. 
 
 
JEFFREY