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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001288 
 
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 
MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Victory Day Celebrated All Over Turkey 
All papers:  The 87th anniversary of the August 30 Victory Day was 
celebrated throughout Turkey.  Both top government officials and 
Turkish Armed Forces senior staff attended events. The Turkish 
General Staff (TGS) organized this year's celebrations under the 
theme "Powerful Army, Powerful Turkey."  The celebrations began with 
a visit to Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Ataturk by Chief of General 
Staff General Ilker Basbug and his delegation.  A parade was later 
held in Ankara and observed by President Gul, Parliament Speaker 
Sahin, PM Erdogan, opposition CHP leader Baykal and other state 
officials at the Ataturk Cultural Center.  Basbug also hosted an 
evening reception marking the 1922 victory.  Basbug called for 
integrity and unity in his remarks at the reception that brought 
governing and opposition parties together.  Mainstream Milliyet 
reports that during the reception PM Erdogan signaled that he wanted 
to discuss government's Kurdish opening with CHP leader Baykal. 
Earlier Deputy PM Bulent Arinc said they were ready to kiss the hand 
of CHP leader Deniz Baykal if this would help solve the problems. 
 
Four Martyrs in Hakkari 
All papers:  Mainstream Hurriyet reports that a statement was posted 
on the TGS web site yesterday saying that four soldiers including a 
non-commissioned officer were killed Sunday in a clash with PKK 
terrorists in the southern province of Hakkari.  Mainstream Milliyet 
says that PKK terrorists attacked the soldiers - who were on their 
way to an operation - with hand grenades in Semdinli.  Liberal 
Radikal notes that Prime Minister Erdogan described the attack as an 
attempt to hamper Turkey's recent Kurdish opening and said that the 
attack will not undermine our determination.  MHP leader Bahceli 
said "terrorism was encouraged.  Attacks will continue."  CHP leader 
Baykal said "those who say that 'nothing happens even if PKK does 
not lay down arms' should think again.  In a related story, Sabah 
reported that the TGS website announced that security forces 
discovered a two-story cave where PKK's ammunition was hidden in a 
rural section of Sirnak's Beytussebap district.  An anti-aircraft 
missile was among the weapons and ammunition found. 
 
Erdogan:  Kurdish 'Democratic Move' Will Be Completed Regardless Of 
Cost 
Media outlets report Prime Minister Erdogan said on Sunday his 
government's Kurdish initiative ("democratic move") would be 
completed "regardless of its cost."  Erdogan noted that NGOs, 
academics, media, universities, foundations and associations were 
extending support to the project.  The PM said Turkey's economy and 
democracy would be stronger when the project was completed. 
 
In "Critical Week Regarding the Kurdish Initiative," 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports that Interior Minister Besir 
Atalay will hold a press conference Monday to explain the 
"democratic move" process and what will follow next. 
 
Papers report that on September 1, 'World Peace Day,' some one 
million people are expected to turn up in a mass rally in the 
southeastern city of Diyarbakir to acknowledge the government's 
recent efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue.  "The rally in 
Diyarbakir will be the voice of peace from our people," said DTP 
leader Ahmet Turk over the weekend.  Papers also expect the rally 
may coincide with an announcement by Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned 
leader of the outlawed PKK, of his 'roadmap' to peace. 
 
Editorial Debate on Kurdish Initiative 
 
Omer Taspinar wrote in mainstream Sabah: "It is disappointing to see 
Turkey constantly driven by conspiracy theories.  Regarding the 
latest Kurdish initiative, politicians are now telling the public 
that this is an American plan by citing a meeting at Atlantic 
Council as proof.  How hard it is to figure out that there are 
numerous NGOs in the U.S. and regardless of their political tendency 
they are not the voice of administration?" 
 
ANKARA 00001288  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
Tamer Korkmaz wrote in Islamist oriented Yeni Safak: "There is no 
basis to claim that the government is adapting a plan designed by 
the U.S. and other foreign powers.  First of all, the government 
managed to free itself from U.S. influence over the last three 
years.  This is a period in which the U.S. lost the war in Iraq and 
Turkey on the other hand gained more clout and power in the region. 
Thus this is the very time for Ankara to move ahead on a Kurdish 
initiative action plan and implement it independently." 
 
Kadri Gursel wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "We have seen nothing but 
political rhetoric so far on the Kurdish or democratic initiative. 
It is interesting to see remarks from government officials as they 
claim to be taking a big risk even though there is no plan put 
forward publicly.  If things go as they have so far we can expect 
two outcomes:  the government will not take any concrete action and 
will blame the military for preventing it or it will call for an 
early election." 
 
Ankara Wants Damascus to Allow Return of Syrian-Origin PKK Militants 
(Taraf) 
Sunday's Taraf reports that Ankara is pressing Damascus to clear the 
way for the return of Syrian PKK militants to Syria.  Ankara also 
wants Damascus to grant Syrian nationality to 75,000 Kurds who have 
no identity papers.  In doing so, Ankara believes that the 
settlement of the nationality problem in Syria would encourage 2,000 
PKK militants of Syrian origin to lay down their weapons.  Taraf 
expects Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to discuss the issue during 
his visit to Damascus on Monday. 
 
FM Shoots Down Turkey Missile Shield Claims 
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu paid an official visit to 
the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana on Saturday and responded to a 
reporter's question regarding media claims that the Obama 
administration could install a missile defense shield in Turkey. 
Davutoglu said, "The news report is not accurate and we have not 
received such a demand from the USA or NATO."  Meanwhile, columnist 
Ismail Kuccukaya of Aksam writes, "Prime Minister Erdogan is 
expected to go to Washington soon to discuss missile shield plans 
with U.S. officials."  In a related story, NTV reports that, "After 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Davutoglu, he decided to 
travel to Baghdad and Damascus today in order to assist with 
resolving border disputes between the two countries."  Also, CNN 
Turk reports Davutoglu will travel to Egypt September 1-3, and some 
reports indicate Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal will be in Cairo at the 
same time. 
Aksam Claims the U.S. Will Move Troops through Incirlik 
Mainstream Aksam claims that they have obtained a document from the 
Incirlik Base 39th Air Wing Command indicating that 100,000 US 
troops will begin transiting Incirlik from Iraq to the U.S. by the 
end of December 2009. The paper reports the base is "on the alert" 
as the Pentagon "is preparing to complete the exit of U.S. troops 
from Iraq by the end of the year," and, "100,000 of the 142,000 US 
troops in Iraq will be transported through Incirlik." They will go 
back to the U.S. after a ten-day stay in Incirlik, Aksam notes. 
Aksam says that there was "busy activity" to make preparations for 
meeting the logistical needs of the U.S. soldiers. The capacity of 
the base has been expanded to prepare the ground for the huge 
operation. Aksam says that the first dispatch of U.S. troops from 
Incirlik to the US was expected before Christmas. 
 
US Offered Bribe to Scotland on the Lockerbie Bomber (Cumhuriyet) 
 
                        "The US Administration offered a bribe to 
Scottish authorities in order not to release the Lockerbie bomber," 
wrote leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet.  The U.S. offered to finance 
house arrest for Megrahi but Scotland did not accept it.  Meanwhile 
a BBC survey indicates that more than half of the Scottish people 
consider Megrahi's release a bad decision, the paper added. 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) Domestic 
 
ANKARA 00001288  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
- MHP's Mehmet Sandir warns that an ethnic approach to Turkey's 
problems would pave the way for the division of the country. 
 
- Alevi groups have staged protests in Istanbul to protest 
compulsory religious instruction in elementary and secondary 
schools. 
 
- 'Turkey Party' leader Abdullatif Sener says that Turkey's Kurdish 
initiative has coincided with a time when American troops were 
leaving Iraq. 
 
- A police officer is arrested in Gaziantep for firing his gun in 
the air and killing a 41-year old street vendor. 
 
- The Revenue Administration has launched a tax investigation 
against liquor producers and exporters. 
 
- This year, Turkish grain production is expected to increase by 4 
million tons. 
 
World 
 
- About 1,000 homes have been evacuated as a wildfire rages in the 
mountains above Los Angeles. 
 
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas starts a five-day visit to 
Arab and European countries. 
 
- Israel bombs a tunnel in Gaza allegedly used to smuggle 
Palestinian terrorists from Gaza into Israel. 
 
- Following a bitter defeat in elections, Japanese Prime Minister 
Taro Aso has announced his resignation as head of the party that has 
governed Japan for decades. 
 
JEFFREY