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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001008 
 
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, JULY 14, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Nabucco - A Dream Come True for Turkey's EU Aspirations 
Media continue to praise the signing of the Nabucco pipeline 
agreement yesterday as "a dream come true" and most media predict 
the pipeline will support Turkey's bid to join the EU, while others 
raise their doubts regarding the viability of the project. 
Mainstream Milliyet headlines, "Turkey Is A New Energy Actor," and 
the paper reports, "Turkey from now on is one of the important 
energy actors in the world," and, "The Nabucco project will clearly 
strengthen Turkey in relations with the EU." In "High Five Barroso," 
mainstream Vatan reports, "PM Erdogan and EU Commission President 
Barroso gave each other a high five to celebrate the signing of 
Nabucco," and Barroso said, "A new period has begun in Turkey-EU 
relations."  Vatan also notes U.S. Senator Richard Lugar said "The 
significance of the Nabucco agreement we are celebrating today is 
far greater than the natural gas it will carry." Vatan says that 
Lugar indicated the agreement demonstrates "a unity of purpose on 
energy security between the European Union and Turkey, Georgia and 
Azerbaijan." Liberal Radikal calls the pipeline, "The Line That 
Connects Turkey to The EU."  Conservative-nationalist Turkiye 
reports, "The project which will connect Turkey to the EU has 
formally begun."  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports, "We are one 
step closer to the EU." In "Signature of The Century," mainstream 
Sabah reports Prime Minister Erdogan said yesterday, "It is obvious 
that Turkey should be an EU member, even only by looking at the 
energy dimension."  Meanwhile, economic daily Referans notes, 
"Ambassador Morningstar said the project will help rapprochement 
between Turkey and Europe." 
 
Islamist-oriented Zaman headlines, "Nabucco Is Not A Dream" and the 
paper notes PM Erdogan commented on the pipeline by saying, "This 
will become a story of success that will foil all negative 
arguments," against it.  Speaking of, mainstream Aksam points out, 
"Representatives from Russia and from Turkmenistan did not show up 
to the signing," which the paper takes as "an indication that the 
only gas for the pipeline will come from Azerbaijan, and there is 
not enough gas in Azerbaijan to fill the pipeline." 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet claims there is internal conflict 
regarding Iran's participation, "PM Erdogan expressed willingness to 
intergrate Iranian gas into the system," while "U.S. Energy Envoy 
Richard Morningstar said Iranian participation is not necessary at 
this point."  In addition, Cumhuriyet notes "The most important 
problem for the project is the lack of a sufficient gas supply to 
fill the pipeline." Mainstream Vatan reports Prime Minister Erdogan 
said Turkey wants Iran to join Nabucco, but "the US immediately 
rejected the offer," as "Richard Morningstar, U.S. President Barack 
Obama's envoy for Caspian energy matters, gave a green light to the 
involvement of Russia and Iraq, but voiced objections to the 
participation of Iran." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Nabucco Pipeline Agreement 
 
Fikret Ertan wrote in Islamist oriented Zaman: "Nabucco is an 
extremely important project for both Turkey and the for the EU. 
Equally important is to make sure that Turkmenistan is involved in 
this initiative.  There are legal issues related to territory in the 
Caspian Sea and Turkey has to deal with that through the EU and 
through negotiating with the concerned parties." 
 
Erdal Saglam wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Even though Azerbaijan 
played a key role in realizing the Nabucco project, Azerbaijan was 
not properly represented during the signing ceremony yesterday. 
President Aliyev preferred to be in London instead of Ankara which 
once again demonstrates Ankara's mismanagement of the 
Armenia-Azerbaijan crisis." 
 
Gungor Uras wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Turkey must make sure not 
to look like the country is completely tied to U.S. interests 
regarding the future of the Nabucco project.  Russia is still an 
important player in the energy game and eventually the success of 
 
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Nabucco will be related to Moscow's attitude toward former Soviet 
Union countries, including Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan." 
 
Hakan Albayrak wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "In the 
Nabucco pipeline project, Turkey acts as a bridge between the East 
and West energy corridors.  But there is more to this idea since 
Nabucco will eventually become an East to East bridge.  At the end 
of the day, economic interests will bring in the current Gulf and 
Arab nations and also Iran as well." 
 
Erdal Safak wrote in mainstream Sabah: "This is not only about a 
natural gas pipeline route.  Turkey has become a key player in a 
giant economic integration project which also brings stability and 
security." 
 
Turkey Calls for Cyprus Referendum by End of 2009 
Hurriyet, Sabah, Vatan, Turkiye, Cumhuriyet, Zaman and others: 
Turkish Cypriot Leader Mehmet Ali Talat said Monday he wanted to 
conclude talks with the Greek Cypriot Leader and reach a settlement 
by the end of this year. "We have no solid agreement as to when to 
conclude the talks but the goal is to devise a comprehensive 
solution," Talat told a joint press conference with Turkish Cypriot 
President Abdullah Gul in Ankara.  President Gul, in turn, said "Our 
sincere wish is that the leaders would reach a lasting settlement in 
their talks, and as part of this settlement, a referendum would be 
held by the end of this year.  Our ultimate goal is to reach a 
lasting settlement on the island and to devise a separate area of 
cooperation in the European Union with Turkey, Greece and the entire 
island." 
 
Semdinli Case Lawyers Officially Request File on Buyukanit 
Mainstreams Sabah and Vatan report that following the Presidential 
approval of the law which allows military personnel to be tried in 
civilian courts, the first important application has come against 9 
high-ranked commanders, including former TGS Chief Buyukanit. 
Lawyers representing the victims who died in the Semdinli case 
applied to the Van prosecutor's office -to be sent to the TGS 
Military Prosecutor - to consider charges against former Chief of 
the General Staff Yasar Buyukanit in connection with the incidents 
in Semdinli. Earlier requests were rejected by the military 
prosecutor.  In November 2005, a book-shop owned by a former PKK 
member was bombed and one person died.  The car allegedly involved 
in the bomb attack was stopped by a mob and the three people in the 
car were taken to the police after been beaten by the crowd.  One of 
the suspects, a non-commissioned officer named Ali Kaya, was 
defended by then-TGS Chief Buyukanit who said, "I know him, he is a 
good boy."  Following this incident, the Van Public Prosecutor 
accused Buyukanit of interfering in the trial. 
 
Gulen Community Supports 'Party for Change' in Northern Iraq 
(Cumhuriyet) 
The leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports the northern Iraqi Kurds 
claim Ankara, through the Fettullah Gulen community, is backing the 
'Party for Change' which broke from President Talabani's Patriotic 
Union of Kurdistan (PUK) prior to the elections for the northern 
Iraqi Kurdish Parliament to be held July 25.  Chaired by Nosirvan 
Mustafa, the 'Party for Change' is estimated to win 15 seats in the 
111 seat parliament.  The PKK-affiliated 'Party for Democratic 
Solution Party in Kurdistan,' or PCDK, had earlier been banned from 
entering the elections in northern Iraq, over allegations that the 
PCDK was an 'armed organization,' says Cumhuriyet. 
 
Obama Orders An Investigation into an Afghan General Who Escaped to 
Turkey 
Media pay close attention to President Obama's call to investigate 
General Rashid Dostum, an Afghan general who fled to Turkey from 
Afghanistan after accusations surfaced linking him to war crimes. 
CNN Turk reports, "The U.S. president says he is examining an 
alleged massacre in Afghanistan amid allegations the Bush 
administration resisted efforts to investigate it," and the network 
also notes, "General Dostum, who was a U.S. ally, is accused of 
 
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having overseen the killings of up to 2000 Taliban."  In "An Order 
from Obama," for "A U.S. Investigation Into Dostum," 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "Obama has stated that the 
investigation (into Dostum) which began under the Bush 
administration into the mass execution of 2000 Taliban has been 
reopened."  Mainstream Vatan reports, "The U.S. sent a warning to 
Turkey regarding sending the Uzbek General to Afghanistan," after 
President Karzai reinstated Dostum as his military chief of staff. 
In addition, the paper points out, "Dostum fled to Turkey after 
being charged with war crimes in Afghanstan," and "he has been 
living in Ankara for the past two years."  Mainstream Sabah notes 
"Dostum was being investigated during the Bush administration for 
the killings, but Bush stopped the investigation when he said 'This 
is a very sensitive topic.'" 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- The main opposition CHP has applied to the Constitutional Court 
for the annulment of a controversial bill allowing the trial of 
military officers by civilian courts. 
 
- On July 16, the Palestinian head of state, Mahmoud Abbas, will 
visit Turkey to meet President Gul, PM Erdogan and FM Davutoglu. 
 
- Russian PM Putin is expected to pay a state visit to Turkey on 
August 6. 
 
- The controversial head of Turkey's radio-television watchdog RTUK, 
Zahid Akman is leaving his office because his term in office expires 
today. 
 
- On Tuesday, President Abdullah Gul will travel to Sharm el Sheikh, 
Egypt, to participate in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit 
meetings. 
 
- The Turkish Parliament will elect a new speaker August 4. 
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan says the AKP administration and PM 
Erdogan would decide whether he will run for another term in office. 
 
 
World 
 
- The Turkish Parliament's Human Rights Committee decided Monday to 
send a letter to the EU countries regarding the developments in 
Xinjiang instead of sending an inspection delegation to Xinxiang. 
 
- Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman lashed out at Mahmoud 
Abbas after the Palestinian leader suggested appointing Tzipi Livni 
as Israel's foreign minister. 
 
- The British Foreign Office rejects claims that a partial arms 
embargo had been placed on Israel following Operation Cast Lead. 
 
- A roadside bomb went off Sunday near a convoy carrying the U.S. 
Iraq Ambassador Christopher Hill in southern Iraq.  The U.S. embassy 
announced Hill's convoy escaped the attack and no one was injured. 
 
- A television commercial for an Israeli cell phone company showing 
soldiers playing soccer over the West Bank barrier sparks criticism 
both in Israel and Palestine. 
 
"JEFFREY