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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000976 
 
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, JULY 9, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
 President Abdullah G|l Approves Bill Allowing Prosecution of 
Military Officers in Civilian Courts 
All papers:  Today's papers give extensive front-page coverage to 
the President's approval of the controversial draft bill. 
Mainstream Milliyet's headline reads "A Conditional Approval for The 
Civilian Judiciary" and reports that President Gul approved the 
amendments in the Criminal Procedures Law that allows the trial of 
the military officers at civilian courts.  However, Gul asked the 
government to make further arrangements to eliminate the concerns of 
the military.  The Presidential Palace said that the legislation was 
in line with the EU Accession Partnership Document.  Opposition 
Parties CHP and MHP criticized Gul's approval of the bill and 
announced that they would appeal to the Constitutional Court. 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says, "The President approves a law 
that opens the path to prosecuting military in civilian courts and 
at the same time makes demands for new regulations."  Leftist Taraf 
headlines, "Approval from Gul for A Civilian Revolution." 
Mainstream pro-government Sabah headlines, "A Conditional Approval 
to A Critical Law," while Islamist-oriented Zaman headlines, "The 
President Approves Judicial Reform." 
 
Editorial Commentaries on the President's Approval of the 
Controversial Draft 
Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "President Gul 
considered both EU and EHRC regulations when he decided to approve 
the bill. It looks like we'll be European too. But the controversy 
is, the 'EU' is used like a magic word for the AKP government. 
Sometimes they use EU regulations, sometimes they don't.  They don't 
use EU regulations when they try children for throwing stones at 
police, when charging people with being a member of a terrorist 
organization and when they're damaging our historic heritage by 
building bridges and dams. They remember the EU regulations only 
when it gives them t he opportunity to corner the military. How 
sincere is such a government regarding EU reforms?" 
 
Ismail Kucukkaya wrote in mainstream Aksam: "President Gul's 
decision to approve the bill for the trial of army officials by 
civilian courts is no surprise.  The opposite would have been a 
surprise. While giving a nod to the reforms, President Gul demanded 
extra adjustments to address the objections of the military. He used 
this formula for the second time. Earlier he had demanded additional 
regulations to tackle the controversy about headscarf reforms. Now 
all eyes are turned to the Constitutional Court." 
 
 
Erhan Basyurt wrote in conservative Bugun: "This decision is a 
significant step for Turkey's democracy. Even a general will be 
tried in a civilian court. Now there's less possibility to see 
'action plans' and 'piece of papers'. And it's a positive 
contribution to the EU accession period. We'll see what's next with 
the Constitutional Court's decision." 
 
Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan: "With this latest approval, 
President Gul once again proved that he is not objective. Asking the 
government to make additional adjustments to address the concerns of 
the military carries no importance. The constitution gives the 
President the right to veto draft laws or to send them to the 
Constitutional Court to recall. President Gul couldn't do what an 
objective president needs to do. Now, the Constitutional Court will 
take charge." 
 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal Radikal: "Political and military 
relations will move into a different direction with the President's 
approval of this law. Most probably this will be a stressful period 
for relations between the military and the political circles. After 
the stress test has passed, things will settle down. " 
 
Sedat Ergin wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "In a real democracy, a PM 
has no right to criticize the media for taking a closer look at 
 
ANKARA 00000976  002 OF 003 
 
 
tensions observed at party conventions. If the Prime Minister tells 
journalists not to meddle in AKP conventions, then the regime in 
Turkey should be branded as 'a fake democracy' or as 'an autocracy.' 
This is an expression of his desire to control the media.  The ones 
who limit the authority of the military under the guise of 
democratization should first respect the freedom of the press. Then 
we could believe in them." 
 
Somali Pirates Hijack Turkish Ship 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet and Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak 
report that pirates hijacked a Turkish cargo ship on route from 
Saudi Arabia to Jordan in the Gulf of Aden.  The ship has 23 crew 
members.  Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said that two 
Turkish frigates "Gediz" and "Gaziantep" were following the ship. 
 
DTP Statement on the Incidents in Sincan 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that the mainly Kurdish party DTP issued 
a written statement and deplored the massacre of the Uighurs in 
Xinxiang.  The DTP noted that Turkey also faced similar problems in 
conflicts regarding the rights of Kurdish people.  The DTP's 
statement asked Turkey "to draw the necessary lessons from the 
incidents in the Uighur Autonomous Region." 
 
Streams of Turkish Blood Are Flowing  (Ortadogu) 
Media continue to feature flashy, front-page stories condemning the 
Chinese government and sympathizing with the Uighurs in Xinxiang's 
continuing ethnic clashes.  Far right Ortadogu's headline "Streams 
of Turkish Blood Are Flowing," brings the tragedy in Xinxiang home 
by reminding its readers the Uighurs are ethnically Turkish. 
Liberal Radikal notes in its banner headline, "Lynching Everywhere," 
that "Young Uighurs are being beaten to death and the police just 
watch."  In, "Guts And Sticks Against the Chinese Military," 
mainstream Hurriyet notes the Uighurs don't stand a chance in 
defending themselves against the Chinese military as they are 
outnumbered "three hundred to one" by the Chinese troops that have 
been deployed to the region.   Leftist Taraf quotes the secretary of 
the Chinese Communist Party in the front-page banner headline, "We 
Will Execute the Demonstrators," and the paper notes, "20,000 
Chinese soldiers and military will institute martial law." 
Mainstream Sabah carries the front-page headline, "Here Are the 
Uygur Executioners," next to a photo of a group of Han Chinese men 
armed with sticks.  The article says, "After murdering hundreds of 
Uighurs, the Chinese announce they will begin executions." 
 
Mainstream Vatan says "The world is not reacting to the massacre 
because of the fear of China's economic and nuclear power."  Liberal 
Radikal headlines, "The World Condemned Iran, But Is Silent Toward 
China."  Meanwhile, Islamist-oriented Zaman quotes Prime Minister 
Erdogan in the headline, "End The Brutality in Xinxiang," and the PM 
said, "Turkey will bring this issue to the attention of the U.N. 
Security Council."  Thus, Zaman concludes, "Reactions from Turkey 
are snowballing." 
 
Al Qaeda Plans Europe Attacks 
Media pay close attention to reports that Al Qaeda terrorists may 
have entered countries in the Middle East and Europe in order to 
carry out terrorist attacks.  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports 
in "Al Qaeda Is Preparing For Attacks," that "the DEBKAfile website, 
which is known to be close to Israeli intelligence, has reported 
that between 15 to 20 Al Qaeda trained in Pakistan and Algeria have 
secretly entered countries in the Middle East and Europe." 
Mainstream Haberturk reports in "Al Qaeda Is Planning to Attack THY 
(Turkish Airlines) Flights," that "Intelligence sources indicate the 
terrorists were bound for England, Turkey, Germany, France, Italy, 
and Egypt," and "The first warning came in Turkey on July 3rd when a 
red alert was issued for THY flights to the U.S. and to Tel Aviv." 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak notes in "The CIA Warns" that "Al Qaeda 
was planning to carry out attacks like 9/11 by blowing up planes in 
midair in countries including Turkey." 
 
 
 
ANKARA 00000976  003 OF 003 
 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
Q One worker died in a Tuzla Shipyard fire. As many as 126 workers 
have died in recent years due to hazardous working conditions at the 
shipyard. 
Q According to the Turkish Board of Statistics, Industrial 
production fell by 17.4 percent in May 2009 
 
Q TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said now is the time to 
encourage production rather than investments in Turkey 
 
 
World 
 
Q Greek Cypriot FM Kyprianous says Turkey will have to face 
political consequences for its failure to meet its obligations 
towards the Greek Cypriots by the end of the year. 
 
Q A strong earthquake with a 6.1 magnitude on the Richter scale has 
jolted a sparsely populated region in northwestern Greenland. 
 
Q A Saudi Arabian court issued verdicts against 330 members of 
Al-Qaeda in the Kingdom's first known terrorism trials."JEFFREY