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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001119 
 
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, AUGUST 3, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Milliyet Examines Viewpoints on The AKP's 'Kurdish Initiative' 
Mainstream Milliyet carries a front-page feature regarding the 
different views towards the AKP's "Kurdish Initiative." Sonmez 
Koksal, former undersecretary of intelligence service MIT, says "The 
PKK must be expelled from northern Iraq," and, "The PKK leadership 
must be given asylum in northern European countries."  Koksal also 
warned against the involvement of the PKK's imprisoned leader Ocalan 
in the talks.  DTP lawmaker Aysel Tugluk, however, says that Ocalan 
"plays a critical role in the process for resolving the Kurdish 
question."  Tugluk stresses that "a ceasefire is needed to prevent 
provocations."  Labor union DISK leader Suleyman Celebi says that 
instead of opting for violence, the state should "display 
determination to find a democratic settlement to the problem." 
However, Celebi added no one should be allowed to debate Turkey's 
integrity, democracy, secularism and its respect for law, reports 
Milliyet. 
 
'Kurdish Workshop' Held at the Police Academy in Ankara 
Turkey's interior minister met with a group of journalists at a 
workshop titled "Solution of the Kurdish Issue: Towards a Turkey 
Model" at the Police Academy in capital Ankara on Saturday. Interior 
Minister Besir Atalay, head of the Police Academy Zuhtu Arslan, as 
well as journalists Deniz Ulke Aribogan, Hasan Cemal, Oral Calislar, 
Cengiz Candar, Fehmi Koru, Ibrahim Kalin, Mustafa Karaalioglu, Rusen 
Cakir, Mithat Sancar, Muharrem Sarikaya, Okan Muderrisoglu, Nasuhi 
Gungor, Ali Bayramoglu, M|mtaz'er Turkone and Ihsan Dag attended the 
workshop. Police Academy Director Arslan said after the meeting, 
"Participants have emphasized that the basic problems in Turkey can 
be solved through democratization." 
 
Mainstream Milliyet says that most of the journalists who attended 
the workshop were the representatives of the newspapers standing 
close to the AKP government.  Mainstream Vatan columnist Rusen Cakir 
says the participants agreed that the initiative would be useful for 
Turkey.  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports Atalay would travel to 
Diyarbakir soon to meet with prominent Kurdish intellectuals 
including novelist Yasar Kemal and other names such as Altan Tan, 
Muhsin Kizilkaya, Tarik Ziya Ekinci and Serafettin Elci. 
 
Domestic and International Reactions to the AKP's 'Kurdish 
Initiative' 
MHP leader Devlet Bahceli harshly criticized the AKP government's 
Kurdish Initiative, saying that the government has begun to define 
"separatist terror" as the "Kurdish issue."  Bahceli also lashed out 
at the participants of Kurdish Workshop at the Ankara Police 
Academy, saying the twelve journalists who attended were "The 12 Bad 
Men," report papers.  The PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan 
said he would "pull out of the process" after announcing August 15 
his "roadmap" for a settlement regarding Turkey's Kurdish question. 
Ocalan said no one should expect him to resolve this problem on his 
own.  In response to Bahceli, Ocalan said the MHP wanted to finish 
off the leftists in 1970s, and now it wants to finish off the Kurds. 
 "You must understand that if Kurds are finished, Turks will also be 
finished," said Ocalan through his lawyers in response to Bahceli. 
 
 
EU term president Sweden's Ambassador Christopher Asp told 
mainstream Aksam over the weekend that in the past, Turkey failed to 
make commitments for dealing with the Kurdish issue, and that it 
also failed to meet its pledges.  "We expect CHP, MHP and DTP to 
contribute to the process," said Asp. 
 
Editorials on Turkey's Kurdish Question 
 
Okay Gonensin wrote in mainstream Vatan:  Whenever someone expresses 
an opinion that differs with that of MHP leader Bahceli, he accuses 
them of treachery.  Every individual in Turkey should ask whether or 
not they want the bloodshed to stop, whether they want a peaceful 
Turkey or a place where people kill each other every day.  Bahceli's 
 
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rhetoric indicates that he wants the continuation of the bloodshed. 
 
Mehmet Barlas commented in the mainstream Sabah:    I fully agree 
with Milliyet columnist Hasan Cemal's road map for the Kurdish 
issue.  In the process towards a solution, the ties should be cut 
between violence and the Kurdish issue.  The PKK should silence 
their weapons and the state should halt their military operations. 
Then, we should look for the reason behind why people move to the 
mountains and join the PKK.  We should not ignore the facts.  The 
Kurdish language, culture, and identity have been ignored throughout 
the history of the Turkish Republic.  This is the main reason for 
all the pain both sides have suffered for years.  We should advance 
this process without imposing any time limits and by taking time to 
find the solution." 
 
Kadri Gursel wrote in mainstream Milliyet:  In order to find a 
solution to the Kurdish issue, first of all, the Turkish people 
should be convinced that the political solution will not divide 
Turkey, on the contrary, it will strengthen the unity of the 
country.  Of course, before that, the AKP government should pass the 
sincerity test.  Polarization should be eliminated.  The path to the 
solution goes through supremacy of law, pluralism, freedom and 
respect of life styles. 
 
Ali Bulac wrote in Islamist-oriented/intellectual Zaman:  In its 
research for a solution for the Kurdish issue, the government should 
free itself from mistaken alliances and from misleading advice. 
Moreover, the government should be modest enough to get the opinions 
of the others than the ones who keep telling them what they want to 
hear. 
 
The Turkish Parliament to Elect Its New Speaker August 4-5 
Monday papers report the Turkish Parliament will hold its first 
round of elections tomorrow for picking a new speaker to replace the 
outgoing Koksal Toptan.  If no one is picked in the first round, the 
second round will be held August 5.  Papers speculate that Koksal 
Toptan, Mehmet Ali Sahin, Burhan Kuzu or Murat Basesgioglu may be 
nominated by the ruling AKP.  Papers speculate PM Erdogan has also 
in mind Cemil Cicek, Nimet Cubukcu or Murat Basesgioglu.  Opposition 
CHP has earlier said it would back Toptan if re-nominated; and if 
not, it would nominate Onur Oymen. 
 
Bryza on Turkey's Kurdish Question, Turkey-Armenia Ties 
(Cumhuriyet) 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Matt Bryza, gave Sunday an 
exclusive interview to the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet.  The 
following are excerpts from what Bryza said: 
 
"The basic relationship between Turkey and Iraq is carried through 
Baghdad, but we welcome Turkey's launch of direct talks with the KRG 
under the umbrella of the government in Baghdad.  Turkey, being a 
very large country and a vibrant economy, has lots to offer to Iraq 
as a partner.  It is, financially and geographically, a natural 
passage for Iraq toward Europe.  There are, of course, thorny issues 
such as Kirkuk. 
 
"The ideal way in the eyes of the U.S. to handle Turkey's Kurdish 
question would be the Kurdish population feeling itself integrated 
into the Turkish society while preserving its cultural norms under 
Turkey's territorial integrity.  The same is true for other 
minorities as well.  Today's definition of Turkey is a merger of 
diverse ethnic origins.  An ideal solution would be the 
consideration of the Kurds, and for them to feel as hundred percent 
Turkish citizens.  For this to happen, we need economic development, 
a desire in the Kurds for integration, tolerance in the Turks to 
accept Kurds, and of course, the resolution of the PKK terror as 
well as the problems of Kurdish separatism.  Both sides of the 
equation must move forward simultaneously." 
 
"It's not up to the U.S. how Turkey will solve the difficult issue 
of amnesty for the PKK members.  We are not included in this process 
 
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and we are not pushing for anything --- we just want Turkey to 
accomplish its goals." 
 
"Compared with the common goal set by Ankara and Yerevan, the 
normalization process between Turkey and Armenia move forward very 
slowly.  I hope this process will speed up.  Our open policy for 
years has been the opening of the border between the two countries, 
and I hope this will happen soon.  And we must not forget that the 
normalization process covers much more than only the opening of the 
border; and this will not happen at the immediate beginning of the 
process.  We want to see this process moving forward." 
 
"If we see progress in one of the two processes of normalization and 
the Nagorno Karabakh, the other will move forward easily.  These two 
processes will proceed at equal speeds." 
 
Maliki's First Visit to Northern Iraq Since 2006 (Sabah) 
Media report today Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited 
northern Iraq for the first time since 2006 when he met with Kurdish 
Regional Government President Massoud Barzani in the town of 
Suleymaniye on Sunday.   Mainstream Hurriyet writes in, "Maliki Is 
in Northern Iraq," that, "Iraqi PM Maliki visited northern Iraq to 
lessen the tensions over the disputed city of Kirkuk." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman headlines, "A Joint Committee Eases the 
Tension," and reports, "Both sides agreed on the establishment of a 
joint committee to resolve the disputes over land and oil that have 
threatened to escalate into fighting." 
 
In a related story, liberal Radikal writes in, "Barzani's War Hint 
over Kirkuk," that, "Barzani implied that war was an option on the 
table during a Newsweek interview on August 1 when he said, 'If the 
Kurdish people's rights are taken away, we'll claim our right to 
defend ourselves.'  Barzani also warned that efforts to work out a 
military solution to the problem would lead to more bloodshed. 
 
Mass Trial of Protestors Stirs Up Iran 
Media draw attention to the mass prosecution of political activists 
in Iran that began over the weekend on the eve of Ahmadinejad's 
inauguration. Mainstream Sabah reports in, "They are Accused of 
Being God's Enemies," that "The defendants, including some reformist 
politicians, are charged with treason and rebellion."  Liberal 
Radikal reports "Reactions were polarized regarding the 100 detained 
opposition members," as "Some raised questions about whether their 
confessions were coerced by torture."  Mainstream Milliyet notes, 
"Some of the politicians who are charged are high ranking figures in 
the administration."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "The 
reformists who were taken to court in Iran made statements blaming 
their leaders," for the post-election violence. 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- Semdin Sakik, formerly from the PKK's leadership, said that 
differences in Turkey should not be manipulated for political goals, 
stressing that Turkey should not be divided. 
 
- Turkish tourism revenues dove by 9.6 percent in the second quarter 
of the year. 
 
- Auto-parts supplier Federal-Mogul calls back 135 of the 224 
workers fired in a crisis in its plants in Turkey. 
 
- A restaurant owner in Bursa has been shot to death by a smoker who 
was angered by the smoking restrictions in the restaurant. 
 
World 
 
- Greece is preparing for oil exploration in the Aegean by the end 
of this year, probably in an effort to stoke more tensions with 
Turkey. 
 
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- NATO's new Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says that he 
wants to pay his first official visit to Turkey. 
 
- Press reports say that the Myanmar junta was secretly building a 
nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction facility with North Korea's 
help, with the aim of acquiring its first nuclear bomb in five 
years. 
 
JEFFREY