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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001105 
 
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 
FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey Wants to Mediate at Hamas-Fatah Talks 
Mainstreams Milliyet and Sabah, citing Al-Jazeera TV, report that 
Turkey has asked Egypt to relinquish its mediation role in the 
reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fatah.  Ankara made the 
formal request to Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman. 
Reportedly, the Turkish government also sent a message indicating 
Turkey was ready to mediate Palestinian dialogue to Palestinian 
President Abbas.  Reconciliatory talks between Hamas and Fatah were 
planned for August 25.  But, due the increased tensions between 
Hamas and Fatah recently, it remains unclear whether the talks will 
take place or not.  Milliyet adds that Palestinian daily Al Kuds 
recently said that the Palestinian Administration requested Turkish 
Foreign Minister Davutoglu intervene directly and convince Hamas to 
come to the table for dialogue. 
 
MHP Opposes The AKP Government's Kurdish Initiative 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Vatan, Tercuman:  Opposition party MHP leader 
Devlet Bahceli yesterday strongly criticized the the government's 
democratic initiative to resolve the Kurdish problem.  He said "The 
agenda of ethnic separatism targeting Turkey's national existence, 
is step by step being pursued by the AKP government.  The Prime 
Minister, who shows no will to fight terrorism, is preparing to 
surrender to terror by acting as a subcontractor of separatist 
demands.  The project of separatism and division, introduced as a 
democratic opening package, is a new phase of this submissive 
policy.  The government's announcement shows that the PKK's demands 
will gradually be met in the short, medium and long terms." 
 
Editorial Opinion on Government's Kurdish Initiative 
 
Oktay Eksi wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "The only way to achieve a 
success is to advance individual democratic rights for the entire 
nation.  If this initiative limits itself to a specific ethnic group 
then it is doomed to fail in the end." 
 
Mehmet Barlas wrote in mainstream Sabah: "There is a positive 
climate regarding the search for a solution to the Kurdish issue, 
however the benchmark for success is harmony between the 
expectations of the military and the government.  Otherwise this 
effort, like those in the past, will only be in vain." 
 
Fikret Bila wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "When questions arise 
about the military's view regarding the recent government 
initiative, military sources refer to the Chief of General Staff 
Basbug's April 14 speech at the War Academy.  In that speech, 
General Basbug emphasized the need for the enhancement of the 
nation-state structure and the advancement of individual freedoms. 
He referred to 'Turkish citizenship' as a primary identity for 
Turkey's citizens and said that different individual cultural 
identities reflect Turkey's richness, but ethnic identities should 
be secondary to that so there are no efforts to create new 
minorities." 
 
Akin Ozcer wrote in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak: "The best remedy 
to the Kurdish problem is to work toward more democracy and freedoms 
as well as a new constitution.  That is what Turkey is in need of 
urgently." 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "There is an 
ongoing mistrust between the army and the government due to two 
major controversies disagreement over the government's attitude 
toward an alleged coup document and disagreements regarding the 
trial of military personnel in civilian courts.  The very last 
meeting between General Basbug and PM Erdogan was held to discuss 
these topics.  Tomorrow Basbug and Erdogan will be present at the 
Higher Military Council session, which may prove to be interesting 
in terms of predicting their future relationship." 
 
 
 
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Urbancic Warns Cypriots against 'Provocations' (Cumhuriyet) 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports the U.S. Ambassador to 
Cyprus, Frank Urbancic, warned the Greek and the Turkish sides on 
the island to refrain from provocative actions which might disrupt 
the negotiations process regarding oil exploration activities in the 
Mediterranean.  Urbancic told the Woodrow Wilson Center in 
Washington that no matter what agreement the leaders of both sides 
strike, the U.S. would support it.  Urbancic also said Turkey was in 
close cooperation with the Turks in the island, but added the 
Turkish Cypriots do not feel as if they themselves are Turks. 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports Urbancic made a mistake by saying Turkey 
has "borders with Russia." 
 
A Massacre at a Mosque Against The "Nigerian Taliban" 
Media note the brutality with which Nigerian government forces 
suppressed an Islamist movement that allegedly had ties to the 
Taliban and advocated the use of Sharia law.  In "Massacre at a 
Mosque," Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports, "The Boko Haram 
group, which is tied to the Taliban, was attacked in a mosque in 
Nigeria by military forces," and, "The Taliban's Number Two, 
Ebubekir Shekau, was found dead among the 200 who were killed." 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines, "Bloody Force Used Against 
a Mosque in Nigeria." Leftist Taraf reports, "Nigeria Closes in on 
the Taliban."  Liberal Radikal reports, "Boko Haram had begun a 
Sharia revolution," which was "put down with force," as "the group's 
leader died in military custody." 
 
Iranian Reformists Mark the 40th Day After Neda's Death With Protest 
(Radikal) 
Media pay close attention to clashes that broke out between police 
and demonstrators in Iran yesterday after thousands turned out to 
mark the 40th day after a young woman was killed by security forces. 
 Mainstream Haberturk headlines, "The Police Block the Reformists' 
Memorial to Neda," who was a bystander killed by security forces 
during the crackdown following the disputed June 12th elections. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports, "Iranian Police used gas bombs 
against demonstrators," who were "mourning the death of Neda." 
Leftist Taraf headlines, "The Opposition Mourns Its Martyrs in 
Iran."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "Thousands clashed 
with police as they paid their respects to the opposition's symbol, 
Neda."  Mainstream Sabah headlines, "A Beating for the Gathering To 
Remember Neda." 
 
An Election Under a Burka (Sabah) 
Media note the tense atmosphere in Afghanistan prior to elections on 
August 20th.  Mainstream Sabah notes the Taliban issued a statement 
"calling for jihad against U.S. bases in Afghanistan."  Sabah says 
the Taliban also threatened people by saying "Those who vote will be 
declared enemies and collaborators. Sabah adds that female 
candidates are "suffering" due to the high number of death threats 
against them.  In addition, female candidates' posters are being 
removed from the stands and the ones who are not wearing a burka are 
being beaten. 
 
Russia and Cuba Cooperate in Oil Exploration in Gulf of Mexico 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet cites Cuban papers reporting that 
Russia and Cuba will begin oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. 
Cumhuriyet calls the move "an effort to enhance cooperation, which 
has diminished following the collapse of the Soviet Union."  Havana 
estimates there are 20 billion barrels of oil reserves in its region 
while the U.S. puts the figure at 5 billion barrels, says 
Cumhuriyet. 
 
Obama: We Are Seeing an End to Recession (Cumhuriyet) 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports President Obama, in an 
address in North Carolina where unemployment rate stands at 11 
percent, said the beginning of the end to recession might be in 
sight.  Obama said markets were rising, and the financial system was 
not at the brink of collapse.  The President also defended the 
bailout of car producers such as Chrysler and General Motors, and 
stressed that a collapse of these companies would be crushing for 
 
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the economy. 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- The Association of Automotive Distributors says Turkey charges the 
second highest taxes in Europe after Denmark. 
 
- Independent MP Kamer Genc is the first candidate for the post of 
parliament speaker to be elected August 4. 
 
- On August 1, a "Kurdish workshop" will be held at the Police 
Academy with the participation of Interior Minister Besir Atalay. 
 
- Labor Minister Omer Dincer says the government was planning to 
make legal regulations to reduce bureaucratic red tape. 
 
World 
 
- FM Davutoglu met in Beirut with the PM-designate Saad Hariri and 
Education Minister Bahia Hariri. 
 
- NATO spokesman James Appathurai says there were no nuclear weapons 
kept in NATO's arsenal; only some member countries did. 
 
- The Zimbabwean government has lifted a ban on the BBC reporting 
freely from the former British colony, ending restrictions that were 
in place for eight years. 
 
- French President Sarkozy returns to work after his collapse while 
jogging but says he had been hit by fatigue and must rest. 
 
JEFFREY