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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000546 
 
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: "Media: Baku Complicates Turco-Armenian Normalization, 
Ergenekon Targets Intellectuals." 
 
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey Can't Leave Azerbaijan High and Dry (Yeni Safak) 
Media continue to digest the regional ramifications of opening the 
border between Turkey and Armenia.  Today Islamist media is 
particularly interested in how the Azeri side and how the Armenian 
side views the effects such a move could have on the geopolitical 
dynamics of the southern Caucasus.  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak 
reports "Azeris can't understand the tensions between Ankara and 
Baku and Azerbaijanis think Turkey can't leave Azerbaijan high and 
dry," as "some believe there are those who want to drive a wedge 
between Turkey and Azerbaijan," but "the Azeri side is sure that 
Turkey is their brother country."  In addition, Yeni Safak says 
"Former presidential advisor Vafa Guluzade says the Kremlin suggests 
Armenia should withdraw its forces from Azeri regions so Russia can 
send in peacekeeping troops to the area."  Meanwhile, 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports "Armenian officials say that 99 
percent of the Armenian public supports the opening of the border." 
Meanwhile, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports in "Turkey Could 
Lose Azerbaijan" that "Azeri parliamentarians are in Ankara to make 
a valuable warning regarding the Turkey-Armenia border opening." 
Cumhuriyet says the Azeri parliamentarians are in Ankara to give 
messages that "U.S. interests could be in danger," as "Azerbaijan 
could play its strategic card," and "They want to ruin our 
relations" and "Turkey must use it's own cards in it's own hand," as 
"Russia is on the lookout for an opportunity" to expand its 
influence in the Caucasus by its offer to send Russian peacekeepers 
to Ngorno Karabakh. 
 
In a related article, Cumhuriyet also notes "secret negotiations 
have taken place between turkey and Armenia since 2007 in which such 
topics as the border crossing and trade were discussed." The paper 
says, "after Obama's call to normalize relations," there is now "a 
packet that is being formulated by lower level diplomats in order to 
 proceed with the normalization of ties between Turkey and Armenia 
and at the same time seek a resolution to the Karabakh issue by 
pushing for a withdrawal of Armenian forces." 
 
In Armenia, All Eyes Are On the Border with Turkey (Zaman) 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports from Yerevan regarding the "mood of 
Armenians" on the controversial issue of the reopening of the border 
crossing with Turkey.  All Armenians encountered by the Zaman 
reporter told him they felt the border with Turkey should be opened, 
with most of them saying they want to visit Turkey after the border 
is opened.  However, Zaman says the same people think Turkey won't 
open the border before the Karabakh question is resolved.  Zaman 
notes the elder generation is more cautious regarding relations with 
Turkey while young Armenians show they are ready to break the 
historic taboos against relations with Turkey.  Two young women, 
Susan (17) and Hasmik (23) said they had no prejudice against 
Turkey, stressing that peace would lead the way to exchanges, visits 
and even marriages between the two peoples.  "Even the military and 
intelligence officials anticipate in excitement for the opening of 
the border.  When asked, officials say 99 percent of Armenians want 
the border to be opened," says Zaman. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Armenia-Iran 
 
Fikret Ertan wrote in Islamic-oriented Zaman:  "The ties between 
Iran and Armenia are improving gradually in many fields.  The 
leaders of the both countries are meeting quite often to strengthen 
and improve their relationship.  Within this framework, Iranian 
Foreign Minister Muttaki paid a visit to Yerevan last March. 
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian went to Tehran yesterday to 
improve cooperation between the two countries in every field, 
including the economy.  Moreover, it was claimed that during this 
visit, Sargsian will sign a memorandum of understanding with Iran 
 
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for the 470 km-long railway construction to connect the two 
countries.  In addition to the railway construction, Armenia and 
Iran are working on a feasibility project to build hydro-electric 
plants and railways on the both sides of Aras river, negotiating for 
a oil pipeline and refinery, and a high power electricity line to 
connect the two countries' electricity network.  The bilateral trade 
rate between the two countries increased last year 26 percent and 
reached $230 million.  This is the latest picture of the relations 
between Armenia and Iran, which Turkey also should follow it 
closely." 
 
The PKK Declares Unilateral Ceasefire until June (Taraf) 
Leftist Taraf reports on its front page that the PKK has announced 
it will extend its current ceasefire until June; the paper also 
notes the PKK statement mentioned the ceasefire appears to have 
ushered in an era of peace.  Taraf notes the statement said, 
"Because the Turkish military is largely respecting the ceasefire, 
an era of peace has prevailed throughout Turkey," and the statement 
"called on all groups related to the Kurdish question to support 
efforts for a democratic solution."  The statement also asked 
international actors, namely the U.S., to take a role in the 
resolution of the Kurdish problem. 
 
Taraf also reports Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP party board said 
in a meeting over the weekend the Kurdish question cannot be 
resolved without taking into account the PKK's imprisoned leader, 
Abdullah Ocalan.  The DTP defends the PKK must be represented at the 
international Kurdish conference to be held in Erbil, says Taraf. 
 
Obama Shocks Patriarch Bartholomew I (Milliyet) 
Mainstream Milliyet and liberal Radikal report Greek newspapers 
claim that in his Istanbul meeting with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch 
Bartholomew I, President Obama said the Greek side must "respond" to 
a possible reopening of the Halki Seminary by taking new initiatives 
concerning the rights of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace. 
Obama told Bartholomew I the matter was raised by President Gul 
during a meeting with the U.S. President in Ankara last week. 
Milliyet cites the Greek daily TaNea as reporting, "It was confirmed 
that Obama supports the Turkish thesis on the Halki Seminary." 
Etnos is cited as saying, "Rahm Emanuel also told Bartholomew I 
Greece must take initiatives regarding the education and religious 
rights of the minorities in Western Thrace in order for the Halki 
Seminary to be reopened." 
 
Obama's First Decisive Military Victory 
Many media outlets praise U.S. President Barack Obama for giving the 
order to rescue the American captain who was being held hostage by 
Somali pirates.  However, some warn the pirates are now threatening 
all out war against the U.S. in response. Mainstream Hurriyet hails 
the victory over the pirates as "Obama's First Military Victory" and 
the paper applauds the "Sharp Marksmanship" of the Navy Seals, who 
struck the pirates and ended the standoff.  Mainstream Haberturk 
headlines, "Obama's First Military Victory" and notes "Obama Did 
What Sarkozy Couldn't," in a reference to the French commando raid 
Friday in which a French citizen was killed during the rescue 
operation.  Mainstream Vatan reports "Obama Gave the Order and Three 
Pirates Were Struck Down."  Liberal Radikal headlines, "Somali 
Pirates Declare War Against the U.S." after "Obama gave the order to 
strike and American Captain Philips was saved" and thus "Obama 
passed his first test" with the pirates.  Leftist Taraf notes, 
"while Captain Richard Phillips was being rescued from Somali 
pirates," another drama was unfolding as "U.S. Representative Donald 
Payne's plane was fired upon as he departed Mogadishu." 
 
Obama Confirms His Message to the Muslim World Came from Ankara 
(Yeni Safak) 
In "I Gave My Message to Muslims from Ankara," Islamist-oriented 
Yeni Safak reports "President Obama told participants in a Easter 
and Passover celebration at the White House that he gave his message 
of trust and cooperation to the Muslim world when he spoke to the 
 
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Turkish parliament and to Turkish students." 
 
Minister Ekren: Turkish Economy Expected to Contract by 3.6 Percent 
in 2009 
Papers report Deputy Prime Minister Nazim Ekren said Monday the 
Turkish economy is expected to contract by 3.6 percent in 2009.  The 
ruling AKP government had earlier forecasted four percent growth. 
Unemployment for 2009 is projected as 13.5 percent.  Ekren added 
that the economy is expected to grow by 3.3 percent in 2010 and 4.5 
percent in 2011.  Business daily Referans says the AKP government 
has finally "acknowledged the existence of the global economic 
crisis." 
 
Latest Wave of Ergenekon Detentions Target Modern Life (Milliyet) 
Media outlets report "academics" were targeted in the latest wave of 
the 'Ergenekon' detentions on Monday, with five professors taken 
into custody.  Papers report variations in the number of detentions 
during raids in 18 provinces, from 43 to 60.  Baskent University 
rector Professor Mehmet Haberal and Giresun University rector 
Professor Osman Metin Ozturk were detained in addition to three 
other former university rectors.  Professor Erol Manisali, a 
columnist for leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet daily, was also been 
taken into custody.  Professor Mehmet Haberal is the founder of 
Baskent University, Baskent Hospital, Patalya Hotel and Kanal B 
television, a channel strongly critical of the AKP government. 
Islamist-oriented Zaman claims the academics taken into custody 
yesterday "have held meetings with the generals and the Ergenekon 
leaders who were planning to make Haberal president following a 
military takeover."  Mainstream papers emphasize that all the 
academics taken into custody yesterday were known to be 
secular-minded, pro-Ataturk names who opposed the Islamic-style 
headscarf in universities.  Leftist Taraf, however, says the 
suspects taken into custody yesterday were "academics in military 
boots." 
 
The police also searched the branches of the Association for 
Supporting Modern Life (CYDD), and detained several prominent 
association representatives.  A front page headline in mainstream 
Milliyet says "The Target is Modern Life."  Milliyet notes the CYDD 
was known for extending a helping hand to girls to advance their 
education, and also for its activities in support of secularism. 
Liberal Radikal warns that "the Ergenekon raids will deal a blow on 
the activities of the voluntary education organizations."  "We have 
29,000 university students and 36,000 school girls on scholarship. 
Our data disks containing their names and personal identification 
information were confiscated.   The students will not be able to 
receive their stipends this month," the head of the CYDD, Professor 
Turkan Saylan, said.  Mainstream Hurriyet says together with the 
Modern Education Foundation (CEV), the CYDD was accused of 
involvement in "Christian missionary activities in Turkey." 
Gulseven Yaser, the president of CEV, was also taken into custody. 
Students given scholarships by the two organizations reportedly have 
become the "target of Christian propaganda."  Papers report both 
organizations were charged with receiving support from Protestant 
foundations in Europe and the U.S.  The police say the two 
"suspicious foundations" were receiving financial support from the 
American Board and were "coordinating missionary activities in 
Turkey." 
 
In reaction to yesterday's detentions, the main opposition CHP 
lawmaker Kemal Kilicdaroglu said, "This operation was staged against 
the intellectuals of this country."  Opposition MHP deputy group 
chief Mehmet Sandir said the waves of Ergenekon detentions are 
"arranged to distract the attention of the public" from other 
problems facing the ruling AKP government. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey-EU 
 
Cuneyt Ulsever wrote in mainstream Hurriyet:  The AKP government has 
initiated efforts to diversify Turkey's foreign policy since 2002. 
 
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The architect of this new era is Ahmet Davutoglu and the initial 
goal of his approach was EU membership.  However, since 2005, Turkey 
has  stumbled aimlessly and today bears no ideological resemblance 
to Turkey's prior foreign policy, instead Turkey appears as if it is 
trying to get closer to the Middle East than the EU.  In this era, 
Turkish foreign policy's organizational structure looks rather 
strange.  No one takes Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, nick named 
"baby-can", seriously.  Davutoglu, together with his team and 
President Gul, fulfill the Foreign Minister's duties.  Moreover, PM 
Erdogan's outburst at the World Economic Forum in Davos caused the 
EU to question its trust in Turkey.  Recently, French Foreign 
Minister Kouchner openly stressed that he is against Turkey's EU 
membership because "Turkey is moving away from secularism and 
towards an Islamic state."  This statement was no mere political 
commentary, but more like a serious warning to Turkey.  Therefore, 
now Davutoglu should exert extra efforts to move Turkey towards the 
EU instead of towards the Middle East. 
 
Temel Iskit of leftist Taraf writes, "While Merkel and Sarkozy are 
right to react to Obama's support for Turkey's EU entry, Obama's 
approach is not wrong," even though "Erdogan is complicating 
Turkey's EU aspirations by not opening Halki Seminary and by not 
opening the border with Armenia until the Ngorno Karabakh issue is 
solved."  Iskit notes, "the keys to saving ourselves today lie in 
our own hands - the only way for us to move forward is to through EU 
membership and Obama's vision and it's not about what the EU or the 
U.S. wants, its about what we will see in our own future." 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- Prime Ministry sources deny Armenian press reports that PM Erdogan 
was planning to go to Moscow on April 16 to join a meeting of the 
presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh 
question. 
 
- On Wednesday, an international symposium sponsored by the Turkish 
Parliament and The World Bank on parliamentary oversight and 
external audit will be held in Ankara. 
 
- Former prime minister Necmettin Erbakan is in Iran to meet 
President Ahmadinejad, religious leader Kahamanei and former 
president Rafsanjani on behalf of the Islamist Saadet Partisi (SP). 
 
 
- Kurdish singer Rojin quits a show she hosted on the state-owned 
broadcaster TRT's Kurdish-language channel TRT-6, saying TRT 
administration intervened in all the details of her program. 
 
World 
 
- The New York Times writes during his visit to Turkey last week, 
President Obama steered away from the 'poisonous post-9/11 clash of 
civilizations mythology' that drove so much of President Bush's 
rhetoric and policy. 
 
- An op-ed in the Financial Times warns the Turkish government to 
use "quiet and responsible diplomacy" instead of adopting a brash 
tone on the world stage. 
 
- Greek Cyprus leader Demetris Christofias says he was "not happy" 
with the progress made so far in the reunification talks. 
 
JEFFREY