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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000575 
 
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: MFA Denies Argument between Babacan and Guliev; 
Columnists Warn Azerbaijan about Russia 
 
MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Foreign Ministry Denies Babacan Chided Guliev at BSEC 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) 
officially denied press reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Ali 
Babacan argued with Azerbaijan's deputy Foreign Minister Memed 
Guliev at the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) summit in 
Yerevan this weekend.   The MFA's statement said "Foreign Minister 
Ali Babacan had a useful and friendly meeting with Memed Guliev in 
Yerevan.  And our ties with Azerbaijan continue closely at every 
level." 
 
In a related story, conservative-nationalist Turkiye and 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak quote PM Erdogan in Germany as saying, 
"Opening up the Turkey-Armenia border depends upon a solution to the 
Upper-Karabagh dispute. Turkey will not open the border with Armenia 
before the Upper-Karabakh issue is resolved." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Armenia-Azerbaijan 
 
Semih Idiz writes in the mainstream Milliyet: "While Baku flirts 
with Moscow, Baku must remember that Russia has played an important 
role in Baku's loss of Nagorno Karabakh, and some other Azerbaijani 
territories, to Armenia.  Baku cannot reach its goals regarding 
Karabakh by drawing closer to Russia.  With Russia's invasion of 
Georgia last August, Moscow has shown that it still maintains a 
Stalinist 'divide and rule' policy.  Russia will never press Armenia 
for a settlement before undertaking guarantees regarding the 
autonomy of Karabakh, which, in practice, will mean independence for 
the breakaway region." 
 
Ardan Zenturk observes in the mass-appeal, pro-government Star: 
"After Moscow's recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and a 
decision to establish Russian ground and naval bases with the 
deployment of 3,800 troops and 10 navy ships in the breakaway 
region, NATO decided to reach out to Georgia.  Turkey, the US, 
Britain, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Greece, Canada, 
Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, 
Moldova, Serbia, Spain, Macedonia and the United Arab Emirates will 
participate in the two NATO exercises (Cooperative Longbow 09 and 
Lancer 09) to be held at the Vaziani military base near Tbilisi from 
May 6-June 1.  We see a diverse list of countries will participate 
because NATO considers these exercises to be within the framework of 
'The Partnership for Peace' initiative and thus accepts non-NATO 
members' participation.  After meeting FM Babacan in Yerevan, 
Russian FM Lavrov said it was not right to hold NATO exercises in a 
region which recently went through a war.  Abkhazia made Russia's 
discomfort clear by announcing it will hold a military exercise 
within its own territory at the same time of the NATO exercises. 
Turkey is in the midst of a chain of developments in a critical 
region and Turkey must be careful to not be dragged into a position 
of 'a front country.'  We must be careful and keep our calm." 
 
Tulin Daloglu writes in the mainstream Haberturk: "American 
officials believe Azerbaijani President Aliyev's Moscow visit was a 
'reaction against Turkey.'  They are concerned over Azerbaijan's 
announcement of Russia as 'a strategic partner,' and question how 
Turkey lost Azerbaijan.  The Azeri officials gave the message that 
if the AKP administration will work without taking into 
consideration the 'emotional bonds' between the two countries, then 
Moscow could be a better choice to defend the Azerbaijani interests. 
 This approach is largely dominated by the concern over the fact 
that Georgia has not received significant help following the Russian 
invasion.  Washington's calculation was that the normalization of 
Ankara-Yerevan ties would partly reduce Russian influence on 
Armenia.  Azerbaijan, however, disrupted such an expectation.  If 
Turkey is to follow a multi-dimensional policy, it must take the 
consent of all sides for a settlement.  Ankara cannot become a 
 
ANKARA 00000575  002 OF 003 
 
 
regional power nor defend its own interests by selling out its 
friends." 
 
General Odierno Meets with Massoud Barzani 
Mainstreams Hurriyet and Milliyet report that the commander of the 
multinational force in Iraq, General Ray Odierno met with Kurdish 
leader Massoud Barzani in Selahaddin town.  The reports indicate 
that Kirkuk, the latest developments in northern Iraq, regional 
security, PKK activities and Turkey were on the agenda of the 
meeting. 
 
Iraqi President Talabani: Disarmament Doesn't Mean Surrender 
Mainstream Sabah and liberal Radikal report that in an interview 
with Al-Hurra TV, Iraqi President Celal Talabani said "We are 
hopeful that the PKK will lay down its arms soon; the trilateral 
commission between Turkey, the US and Iraq is working on this issue. 
 This century is not a century for weapons, instead this is the 
century of peace and political approaches.  If the PKK lays down 
arms, this will not mean to surrender but it will mean the end of 
war and beginning of political process." 
 
111.000 People Marched to Anit Kabir to Protest the Arrest of 
Bashkent University President Professor Haberal 
Hurriyet, Radikal, Milliyet, Cumhuriyet and others:  The Turkish 
General Staff web page carried the Anit Kabir Command's report 
indicating that 111,000 people marched to Anit Kabir on Saturday to 
protest the arrest of Baskent University Rector Prof.  Mehmet 
Haberal under the Ergenekon investigation.  Haberal remains in 
intensive care for treatment of a heart condition. 
 
Editorial Commentary on the Ergenekon Case 
 
Rusen Cakir warns in mainstream Vatan: "The Ergenekon investigation 
has strayed from its main target of eliminating a 'terror 
organization' that is deeply rooted in the state and extends out to 
all walks of life.  The Association for Supporting Modern Life and 
the Modern Education Foundation, targeted in the latest wave of the 
Ergenekon detentions, have been rivals to the Fettullah Gulen 
community's similar activities.  During the February 28 process in 
Turkey, the secularists tried to eliminate all Islamic sects in the 
country, including the Gulen group.  The Gulen group survived the 
attacks, and now, by using the Ergenekon investigation, it is out to 
eliminate its rivals.  The group must remember that the February 28 
efforts to eliminate them had backfired, just as the group's efforts 
today to eliminate its rivals will backfire." 
 
The Opposition Wins in northern Cyprus 
All papers:  Dervis Eroglu's National Unity Party (UBP) won the 
elections in northern Cyprus by winning 44 percent of the votes and 
26 seats in parliament.  Meanwhile the Republican Turkish Party 
(CTP) won 29 percent of the votes and 15 seats.  Milliyet says that, 
with this result , a new era will has begun in northern Cyprus and 
the course of  negotiations with the Greek Cypriots will change. 
Liberal Radikal calls the elections results "A 'No-Solution' 
Victory."  Sabah reports that in a speech after the elections, 
Dervis Eroglu called for unity and support for President Mehmet Ali 
Talat in unification talks. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Cyprus Elections 
Ferai Tinc observes in mainstream Hurriyet: "Sunday's general 
elections leaves Turkish Cyprus with a president who has backed the 
Annan Plan for the reunification of the island and a government that 
opposes it.  Insisting on 'no-solution policies' will not take 
Turkish Cyprus anywhere.  The political divisions in Turkey should 
not be allowed to effect the Turkish Cypriots, and the AKP must 
cease its attitude which leaves out the opposition in northern 
Cyprus.  Election results indicate the Turkish Cypriots' 
disappointment with the EU as well as with the efforts for a 
solution.  This, of course, doesn't mean that Turkish Cypriots do 
not want a solution and a life without sanctions." 
 
ANKARA 00000575  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
-  A member of the Trabzon municipality assembly triggered 
controversy in the AKP when she wanted to wear Islamic style 
headscarf at assembly meetings. 
 
- Deputy PM Nazim Ekren said talks with IMF will be finalized soon. 
 
 
World 
 
-  French Police have arrested the military chief of ETA Jurdan 
Martitegi. 
 
- A suspect in the investigation into the murder of former Lebanese 
PM Hariri has been arrested in Dubai. 
 
- Italy agrees to accept 140 migrants stranded aboard a Turkish 
cargo ship, which rescued them in the Mediterranean. 
 
- NATO forces patrolling the Gulf of Aden foiled a pirate attack on 
a Norwegian tanker this weekend. 
 
JEFFREY