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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000700 
 
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 
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2009 
 
IN TODAY'S PAPERS 
 
PM Erdogan Mends Ties with Baku, Insists Karabakh Must Be Resolved 
Before Turkey Will Open Border with Armenia 
All papers:  Media report that Prime Minister Erdogan assured 
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani Parliament 
that Turkey will not open its border with Armenia as long as there 
is no solution to the Karabakh issue.  At a joint press conference 
with Aliyev, Erdogan said "We had the opportunity to discuss 
Turkey-Azeri ties comprehensively with my brother and friend, 
Aliyev.  Our unity is unquestionable.  This meeting is the best 
answer to those who are trying to damage our relations.  Our 
bilateral relations are based on the one nation two states 
understanding.  We are as sensitive as Azerbaijan regarding the 
Karabakh issue.  This is an issue of cause and result.  The 
occupation of Karabakh is the cause and closing the border between 
Turkey and Armenia is the result.  The border cannot be opened if 
the occupation of Karabakh doesn't come to an end. 
The Minsk group should exert extra efforts to speed up the process. 
Naturally, the final decision will come after the Aliyev-Sargsian 
meeting.  After that, if we are given any responsibilities to 
fulfill, we will."  Erdogan added that he had the opportunity to 
discuss regional problems and energy issues with Aliyev. 
 
At his address to Azeri Parliament, PM Erdogan once again, 
repeatedly emphasized that no progress in bilateral ties or in the 
region can occur unless Armenia withdraws its forces from Karabakh. 
He decorated his speech with poems in order to emphasize Turkey's 
feelings of brotherhood with Azerbaijan and emphasize the "one 
nation two states" motto.  He stressed that Turkey's stance 
regarding the Karabakh issue was delivered by himself personally to 
all world leaders.  He added "With the Turkey-Armenia normalization 
process, we aim to contribute to whole region's peace."  In 
addition, he said, "Our stance is clear.  The occupation of Karabakh 
should end.  No country in the region will benefit from regional 
disputes.  And we have to pursue our targets by talking to each 
other directly, not through the media." 
 
Azerbaijani President Aliyev expressed gratitude to Erdogan and said 
"there couldn't be any other open response.  I am very grateful to 
this response.  There is no place for suspicion in our relations 
with Turkey." 
 
Price of Azerbaijani Gas Might Increase 
Sabah, Referans:  Economic daily Referans reports that in response 
to a question from an Azerbaijani journalist at the press conference 
in Baku yesterday, PM Erdogan admitted that the price Turkey pays 
for Azeri natural gas was not fair in comparison to the higher rates 
Turkey pays for natural gas from Russia and Algeria.  Mainstream 
Sabah reports that Turkey pays $400-450 for Russian gas and $300-350 
for Algerian gas while pays only $120 for Azeri gas.  PM Erdogan 
said that this was the price set when Turkey and Azerbaijan first 
signed a contract and Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz will meet 
with Azeri gas company Socar regarding the price increase soon. 
President Aliyev, on his part, noted that the increase in natural 
gas prices was not related to recent developments but it was fixed 
in line with the fluctuations of international markets. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkey-Azerbaijan 
Oktay Eksi wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "PM Erdogan did the right 
thing as his comforting statements put Turkey and Azerbaijani 
bilateral relations back on the right track.  Azeris understandably 
reacted after Ankara started making deals with Armenia after Obama's 
visit, which presented an image of neglecting Azeri concerns over 
Nagorno Karabakh." 
 
Ibrahim Karagul wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "Erdogan's 
visit to Baku achieved its purpose.  PM Erdogan successfully and 
correctly cleared the air between Turkey and Azerbaijan." 
 
 
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Suleyman Kurt wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "Erdogan gave clear 
and sharp messages to Baku which served as a full stop against all 
speculations that Ankara might neglect Azerbaijan's national 
interests.  The ongoing process between Ankara and Yerevan will 
certainly continue but will run parallel to the Baku-Yerevan 
process." 
 
CHP Supports the Kurdish Initiative 
Mainstreams Sabah and Hurriyet report that at his party board 
meeting, CHP leader Deniz Baykal said "We want to contribute to the 
Kurdish initiative.  Our reaction wasn't to obstruct the resolution, 
however, we have to know clearly what president Gul meant by his use 
of the term 'historic opportunity.'"  Deniz Baykal also gave a green 
light to the return of the Kurdish names to villages, which were 
changed during the military coup of 1980. He said "There is no need 
to act with complexity on these issues.  Whatever the old, rooted 
name is, it should be used, there is no need for changes.  It is 
wrong to change village names by force.  I told all my mayors not to 
do such things." 
 
In a related story, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports that the 
AKP government will give priority to cultural rights while launching 
the Kurdish initiative.  Accordingly, Kurdish Language and 
Literature departments will be established at universities in 
eastern and southeastern Anatolia or in Istanbul.  Moreover, Kurdish 
language will be offered as a selective course at secondary schools. 
 
 
Editorial Commentary on the Kurdish Issue 
Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Given the conditions, 
there are two options to address and settle the issue.  One way is 
to grant autonomous rights to Kurds as suggested by PKK as well as 
the DTP, or the second way is to grant full individual cultural and 
ethnic rights under Turkish citizenship as the primary identity. 
The latter is the way Ankara wants to do but this approach will not 
satisfy the PKK or the DTP." 
 
Sahin Alpay wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "There are examples 
throughout the world on how to cope with separatist movements in 
democracies.  All democracies succeed in marginalizing separatism by 
expanding freedoms.  Turkey can do this as well." 
 
President Obama Opposes the Release of Torture Photos 
Mainstream CNN Turk reports, "Obama Is Against the Publication of 
Torture," and reports, "U.S. President Barack Obama has stated that 
he is opposed to the release of photos of detainee mistreatment at 
the hands of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan."  Mainstream NTV 
headlines, "Don't Publish Torture Photos," and notes, "Obama fears 
the photos' release would lead to reprisals against U.S. soldiers 
who are currently serving in the field."  Islamist-oriented Yeni 
Safak headlines, "Obama Censors Torture." 
 
Barzani Criticizes U.S. for Lack of Support on Kirkuk Settlement 
Mainstream NTV reports in, "The U.S. Has Created Broken Dreams," 
that Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani 
told Reuters Washington failed to provide strong support to a 
Kurdish-backed plan in Iraq's 2005 constitution regarding the fate 
of Kirkuk, "We have had a historic and friendly relationship, but 
frankly speaking, we were expecting more." Barzani also criticized 
the U.S. by saying, "They could have played a much larger role in 
solving this problem than they did." Mainstream Hurriyet headlines, 
"A Kirkuk Reproach from Barzani to the U.S.," and notes "Barzani 
says the U.S. has not given enough support to Iraqi Kurds." 
 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
-  Batman prosecutor finds five skulls and many bone fragments in a 
 
ANKARA 00000700  003 OF 003 
 
 
cave in Helkis mountain.  The bones are sent to Istanbul for DNA 
identification. 
 
- Higher Education Board (YOK) President Prof. Yusuf Ziya Ozcan gave 
a nod to the opening of a Kurdish Language Research center in 
Istanbul University. 
 
- German Ambassador Kuntz said an investigation related to 
irregularities in Deniz Feneri charity was advancing normally. 
 
- Swiss authorities transfer $196 million from the accounts of Uzan 
group in Switzerland to the state banking fund. 
 
World 
 
-  A Survey conducted by poling company Option Way shows that 67 
percent of French voters are against Turkey's EU accession. 
 
- The Belgian government on Wednesday confirmed the first case of 
the H1N1 flu virus in Belgium. 
 
JEFFREY