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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001013 
 
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 15, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Two Separate Accidents Kill Five Turkish Soldiers in Hakkari, 
Gumushane 
Media outlets report four Turkish soldiers were killed in an 
"accidental munitions explosion" at the Commando Brigade barracks in 
Yuksekova in the border province of Hakkari in southeast Turkey.  In 
the eastern Black Sea province of Gumushane, a military vehicle 
overturned, killing a soldier and wounding 15 others, according to 
reports. 
 
Turkish Colonel, Sergeant Killed in Traffic Accident in Afghanistan 
Mainstream Sabah reports President Gul, prior to flying to Egypt on 
Tuesday, announced the commander of the Turkish unit in ISAF in 
Afghanistan, Colonel Faruk Sungur and an unidentified sergeant were 
killed in a traffic accident on their way back from a visit to the 
Turkish unit in Mazar-i Sharif.  Another military officer travelling 
with them was seriously injured.  Colonel Sungur had earlier served 
in the Turkish battalion in Kosovo.  Gul paid condolences to the 
families of the martyred soldiers, reports Sabah. 
 
High Court of Appeals (Yargitay) President Gerceker: "Civilian 
Trials are Against the Constitution" 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that Yargitay President Hasan Gerceker, 
responding to journalists' questions regarding the law allowing 
military personnel to be tried in civilian courts at a Turkish Bar 
Association reception, said "These kinds of amendments could be made 
after long and comprehensive discussions and evaluations.  Formally, 
this law is against article 145 of the Constitution.  Laws should be 
drafted after long evaluations.  There are determined rules for this 
procedure.  If those rules were obeyed, such problems would not 
occur." 
 
Ambassador Jeffrey: "In Our Country Everyone Can Be Tried" 
Mainstream Milliyet reports that Ambassador Jeffrey hosted a lunch 
at his residence yesterday for CHP Istanbul Deputy Ilhan Kesici, CHP 
Yalova Deputy Muharrem Ince, DTP Diyarbakir Deputy Akin Birdal, and 
Istanbul Independent Deputy Ahmet Tan.  Regarding the recently 
approved law allowing military personnel to be tried at civilian 
courts, Ambassador Jeffrey reportedly said, "In our country everyone 
can be tried.  We don't have such problems." 
 
Aliyev: "Armenian Issue Will Not Affect Our Ties with Turkey" 
Mainstream Sabah reports that Azeri leader Aliyev sent a message to 
Turkey from England during his official visit there, saying "The 
Armenian issue will not affect our relationship with Turkey.  I was 
more comfortable after hearing PM Erdogan's comments saying that the 
border would not open up until the Karabakh issue is resolved." 
President Aliyev added, "We are ready to give autonomy at the 
highest level under the roof of Azerbaijan to the people living in 
the region.  Karabakh will never be recognized as an independent 
state, even the thought of it is immensely ridiculous." 
 
Nabucco's Hopes Lay in Iraq (Cumhuriyet) 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports that despite the fact that 
Baghdad earlier announced it could not contribute natural gas to the 
Nabucco Pipeline Project, recent gas agreements between Turkey and 
Iraq, plus the agreement between Turkish state companies TPAO and 
BOTAS and the British Royal Dutch Shell company, have renewed hopes 
for exploring for natural gas in Iraq, dubbed by some as Nabucco's 
"most rational source country."  Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have 
backed down on guaranteeing gas for the Nabucco pipeline. Baku 
struck a gas deal with Moscow recently and Turkmenistan continues to 
experience problems with the trans-Caspian pipeline.  TPAO and BOTAS 
are to make approximately USD 2 billion of "gas investments" in the 
Akgaz natural gas basin in the middle of the Mosul, Kirkuk and Tal 
Afar region in northern Iraq.  The natural gas reserves in Iraq are 
enough to fill the Nabucco pipeline and meet the internal demand, 
says Cumhuriyet. 
 
Pressure Comes from China to PM Erdogan to Retract His 
 
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Characterization of the Uighur Crackdown as 'Genocide' 
The top international story on the front pages today concerns the 
calls from media in China to PM Erdogan to retract his statements 
calling the crackdown on the Uighurs in Urumqi 'a type of genocide.' 
 Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines, "The Chinese Are Angry at 
Erdogan."  Mainstream Hurriyet reports, "Chinese state media reacted 
harshly to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan who described riots in 
Xinjiang as "almost genocide."  Hurriyet notes China Daily told 
Erdogan to "take back his words,"  in an editorial headlined "Don't 
Twist The Facts". According to Hurriyet, another Chinese newspaper, 
People's Daily, asserted that, "The Chinese people are angry at the 
Turkish prime minister for using such an expression."  Mainstream 
Sabah reports Murat Salim Esenli, Turkey's ambassador to Beijing, 
"explained Turkey's red lines to China," by saying, "We are looking 
into the human rights dimension of the incidents. There should not 
be human rights violations. Be fair. Perpetrators should be arrested 
and tried. Don't let Turkish-Chinese relations be disrupted, 
otherwise it hurts both countries."   Mainstream Vatan reports 
Erdogan's words "stirred China," and "The Chinese press said 
Erdogan's remarks were a display of irresponsibility," and in 
retaliation, "Chinese hackers angered at Erdogan caused the web site 
of the Turkish Embassy (in Beijing) to crash." Liberal Radikal 
reports, "As ethnic tension in east Turkistan continues, the Chinese 
administration is gradually raising its voice against Erdogan's 
characterization of the crackdown on the Uighurs as "a type of 
genocide." Radikal says China Daily "openly targeted Erdogan." 
 
Editorial Commentary on Uighur Tensions 
 
Bulent Aras wrote in mainstream Sabah, "The Uighur opposition 
movement is a nonviolent movement, despite continuous efforts by 
Chinese authorities to label it an "al Qaeda-like terrorist 
fundamentalist group."  There is no other way to end this conflict 
and tension without China developing a new concept of citizenship 
that embraces multi ethnic diversity." 
 
Cengiz Candar wrote in liberal Radikal, "The Prime Minister used 
strong language to react to the Xinjiang events which has caused 
problems between Beijing and Ankara.  Using such strong rhetoric 
only shows Turkey's foreign policy is shaped according to domestic 
concerns and it is not helpful to end tensions in any way." 
 
Sami Kohen wrote in mainstream Milliyet, "What is happening in 
Urumqi, Xinjiang certainly deserves a reaction.  On the other hand, 
it was interesting to note Ankara's harsh reaction against China 
while the international community does not even agree on boycotting 
China or filing a complaint to the UNSC.  The Turkish government 
should be able to pursue a balanced and well measured attitude when 
it comes to international matters that are of everybody's concern." 
 
 
Ibrahim Karagul wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak, "It comes as 
no surprise to see the game attached to the Uighur people's struggle 
with Al Qaeda.  The Western powers are trying to create a conflict 
with Islam in the Far East.  There are also rumors of tensions 
between Muslims and Hindus in India, so it will be no surprise at 
all if a Hindu-Muslim conflict erupts there.  Turkish foreign policy 
must take into account all of these potential elements and must 
ensure that Turkey does not become anybody's Trojan Horse in this 
ongoing big game." 
 
Arabs Back Turkey's EU Bid 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that a survey on "reflections of 
Turkey-EU relations in the Muslim world," made by the Open Society 
Foundation (Acik Toplum Vakfi), revealed that "Arab media, who once 
accused Turkey of chasing after the EU, now back Turkey's bid to 
join the EU." 
 
A Trillion-Dollar Hole in the U.S. Budget (Cumhuriyet) 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports on its front page the budget 
deficit in the U.S. has reached a record high of USD 1.8 trillion 
 
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due to the American Government's increase in public expenditures as 
well as the rise in unemployment pay and the drop in tax revenues. 
 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- The Court of Appeals (Yargitay) president Hasan Gerceker says the 
bill envisioning the trial of soldiers by civilian courts runs 
contrary to the constitution, but adds all must wait for the 
decision of the Constitutional Court in this issue. 
 
- Shiego Katsu, the World Bank's Regional Vice President for Europe 
and Central Asia, says Turkey needs to make investments in "health 
and education" to help its young population cope with the economic 
crisis. 
 
- On July 19, new smoking restrictions covering all closed public 
spaces in Turkey will enter into effect. 
 
- Turkey's fundamentalist daily Vakit's columnist Huseyin Uzmez, 77, 
has been arrested over the sexual molestation of a 14-year old girl. 
 
 
World 
 
- Greek Cypriots criticized calls for a referendum by the year's end 
from Turkish Cyprus leader Mehmet Ali Talat and President Gul and 
said  they did not expect a settlement in Cyprus this year. 
 
- Farouq al-Qadoumi, general secretary of the Fatah Party, says 
Mahmoud Abbas was involved in a plot against his late predecessor 
Yasser Arafat. 
 
- A helicopter operated by a contractor working for NATO's ISAF in 
Afghanistan crashes in the Helmand province, killing all six 
civilians aboard. 
 
- Hamas accuses Israel of distributing "libido-increasing chewing 
gums" in Gaza. 
 
JEFFREY