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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000650 
 
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: TURKISH MEDIA REACTION 
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2009 
 
IN TODAY'S PAPERS 
 
New Responsibilities Assigned for The New Cabinet 
All papers: Prime Minister Erdogan held his first meeting with new 
Council of Ministers after the latest cabinet reshuffle.  During the 
meeting, a draft law on the establishment of a Counter Terrorism 
Under Secretariat under the auspices of Interior Ministry, was 
submitted for the council's approval.  Duties were also announced 
during the meeting.  PM Erdogan will be in charge of the National 
Security Council, the intelligence service (MIT) and the mass 
housing Administration TOKI.  Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc is 
responsible for ties with the Council of State, the general 
directorate for foundations, the general directorate for press and 
information, TRT broadcaster, Anatolian news agency, and the radio 
and television board RTUK.  Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek is 
responsible for ties with parliament, Cyprus coordination, public 
administration reforms, human rights coordination and for the High 
Inspection Board.  Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan is responsible 
for the coordination of economic issues, the Treasury, the central 
bank, Ziraat bank, Halk Bank, Exim bank, Vakiflar bank, capital 
markets board SPK, banking watchdog BDDK, state banking fund TMSF, 
and the tobacco and spirits regulatory fund.  State Minister Mehmet 
Aydin is in charge of the Alliance of Civilizations, the Ataturk 
Culture Language and History Institution, the science board TUBITAK. 
State Minister Hayati Yazici is in charge of the Istanbul 2010 
European Culture Capital Agency, the coordination of collective 
public contracts, the Customs Under secretariat, the State Personnel 
Department, the Social Solidarity Fund, and the Promotion Fund. 
State Minister Faruk Nafiz Ozak is in charge of the Youth and Sports 
Directorate, the directorate for university dormitories, and the 
Soccer federation. State Minister Zafer Caglayan is responsible for 
foreign trade. State Minister Faruk Celik is in charge of the 
Directorate for Religious affairs and the Turkish Cooperation and 
Development Agency.  State Minister Egemen Bagis is the Chief EU 
negotiator in charge of the General Secretariat for EU Affairs. 
State Minister Selma Aliye Kavaf is in charge of family and social 
research, the status of women and children, and orphanages. State 
Minister Cevdet Yilmaz is responsible for the Eastern Anatolian 
Project (DAP), the Konya Plain Project, the State Planning 
Organization, the Turkish Statistics Institution, and the 
Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). 
 
Comments on the New Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu 
 
Sahin Alpay wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "Davutoglu has been a 
significant figure in shaping the mostly successful foreign policy 
of the ruling AKP.  Thus, Davutoglu is the perfect choice for this 
post." 
 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "It was a noteworthy 
comment when the new foreign minister described relations with the 
West as 'one of the fundamental legs of Turkey's foreign policy 
vision.'  This comment, in a way, addresses concerns that 
Davutoglu's main focus will be the Middle East and the Arab world." 
 
Cuneyt Ulsever wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Davutoglu's 
multi-faceted foreign policy approach generally receives 
appreciation, however given the current situation his approach may 
be spiraling out of control.  So far, Turkey's focus on Hizbullah 
and Hamas has not produced anything positive at all.  Mediation 
efforts regarding Iran and Syria have not been successful either. 
It is good for foreign policy to have many facets, but there should 
be an overall focused goal as well.  In Turkey's case, this must be 
EU accession." 
 
Bloody Attack on Village Wedding in Mardin 
All papers and TV channels report that the wedding reception of the 
daughter of Bilge village's former head turned into a battle ground 
due to a feud between two families.  Four masked gunmen waged an 
attack with grenades and automatic weapons on the wedding party, 
 
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killing 44 people and injuring 17 others. 
 
Prime Minister Erdogan to Visit Baku and Sochi 
Mainstream Sabah and Islamist-oriented Zaman report that Prime 
Minister Erdogan is going to Baku on May 13 to hold meetings with 
Azerbaijani President Aliyev and to Sochi on May 16 to meet with 
Russian President Putin. 
 
In a related story, mainstream Hurriyet reports that President Gul 
will go to Prague May 7-8 for a trilateral summit with Azerbaijani 
President Aliyev and Armenian President Sargsian. 
 
Talabani: "No Bargaining over Kirkuk" 
Mainstream Sabah reports that Iraqi President Jalal Talabani talked 
to press in Suleymaniye following his meeting with Iraqi KRG 
President Massoud Barzani.  Talabani stressed his objection to the 
UN proposal to postpone the referendum in Kirkuk for five years and 
said "Article 140 regarding the referendum in Kirkuk is a legal and 
constitutional article.  I will never agree to give up Kirkuk in 
return for something else.  There will be no bargaining over 
Kirkuk." 
 
PKK's Karayilan Talks to Milliyet 
Mainstream Milliyet features a front page interview with PKK leader 
Murat Karayilan.  Columnist Hasan Cemal conducted the interview in 
"one of the villages near the Qandil mountains in northern Iraq." 
Karayilan made encouraging comments about peace by saying "We have 
strong hopes for peace.  The 1993 ceasefire was a good chance but 
did not go further due to lack of political will.  This time we have 
another important chance and this chance has to be used.  We want to 
see an end to bloodshed.  If we can start a dialogue, we can then 
talk about disarmament.  (Abdullah) Ocalan is the address for 
dialogue.  If that is not acceptable then we should be the ones 
consulted.  And even if that is also unacceptable, those chosen by 
the political will of the people [i.e. the largely pro-Kurdish 
opposition party DTP] should be the venue for dialogue." 
 
Could the Taliban Get Their Hands On Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons? 
(CNN Turk) 
Media note Washington is increasingly concerned about the security 
of Pakistan's nuclear weapons as the Pakistani military engages in 
intense fighting with the Taliban.  Liberal Radikal reports in 
"Pakistan, The U.S.' Nuclear Nightmare," that "The Obama 
Administration's concerns are increasing over whether Pakistan's 
nuclear weapons could fall into the wrong hands," as, "Pakistan was 
pressured by the U.S. to fight the Taliban, and thousands of 
civilians are now fleeing the area."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
headlines, "The U.S. Is Worried About Pakistan," as, "The Taliban 
Could Capture (Pakistan's) Nuclear Weapons."  Mainstream Haberturk 
reports in "Where are Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons?" that "The U.S. 
has given Pakistan $100 million in order to secure the weapons," 
but, "Washington is nervous that as the Taliban gains power, the 
weapons could wind up in the wrong hands."  CNN Turk reports "As the 
Taliban spreads its influence, the U.S. becomes more and more 
worried about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear weapons." 
 
In a related story, mainstream Sabah carries the sensational 
headline, "Dogs Are Eating Dead Civilians On the Side of the Road," 
and the paper reports, "With every passing day, violence escalates 
in Pakistan's northwest regions and the threat to civilian life 
continues," as "150,000 civilians, mostly women and children, have 
scattered throughout the country in order to flee the fighting" 
between the Taliban and the Pakistani military. 
 
Gates Embarks on Mid East Tour to Calm Fears Regarding U.S.-Iran 
Dialogue. 
Media note Defense Secretary Robert Gates has embarked on a tour of 
the Middle East in order to assure U.S. allies that talks with Iran 
will not harm the U.S.' relations with its current allies in the Mid 
East.  Leftist Taraf headlines "Iran Is Still Showing Its Fist," and 
 
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notes Secretary Gates "gave a guarantee to U.S. allies that 
U.S.-Iran talks will not damage U.S. relations with other Gulf 
states."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines, "Gates 
Emphasized that Washington's Rapprochement with Iran Will Not Damage 
Relations With Washington's Allies" and "The U.S. Will Not Upset 
Riyadh" or other Gulf states.  In "An Iran Guarantee from Gates," 
mainstream Haberturk reports, "Gates gave a guarantee that the 
improvement in relations between the U.S. and Iran will not do 
damage to U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia."  Islamist-oriented 
Zaman reports, "Gates Will Calm Arab Fears Over The U.S.-Iran 
Dialogue." 
 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
-  Jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan underwent minor surgery in 
Imrali. 
 
- DTP officials ended their hunger strike and realed a press 
statement. 
 
- The EU Commission said the Turkish economy is expected to shrink 
by 3.7 percent in 2009. 
 
 
World 
 
-  The World Health Organization cautions that the swine flu 
outbreak could gain momentum in the months ahead. 
 
- Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister Azer Azimov, who is in charge 
of the Nagorno Karabakh issue, came to Turkey to meet Turkey's new 
Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu 
 
JEFFREY