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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001320 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey's Media Mogul Slammed with Record-High Tax Fine 
All media outlets report on their front pages that the Ministry of 
Finance has issued a "record-breaking" tax evasion fine against the 
media giant Dogan Media Group.  Dogan Holding is the publisher of 
some of the country's leading newspapers such as Hurriyet, Milliyet, 
Radikal, Vatan and Posta.  The media group also owns three leading 
television stations - Kanal D, CNNTurk and Star, along with other 
periodicals.   Papers owned by Dogan Media Group sharply criticize 
the fine.  Mainstream Posta headlines, "A Terrible Punishment," 
while mainstream Hurriyet calls it, "The World's Most Unprecedented 
Fine."  Mainstream Milliyet also headlines, "A Punishment Unlike 
Anything the World Has Seen Before."  Liberal Radikal headlines, 
"Unprecedented Punishment."  Meanwhile, pro-government papers carry 
less sensational headlines that specifically target the man behind 
the Dogan Media Group, media mogul Aydin Dogan.  Islamist-oriented 
Zaman headlines, "A Record High Penalty for (Aydin) Dogan," and 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak headlines, "Aydin Dogan Gets a 
Record-High Fine."  Mainstream pro-government Sabah headlines, "An 
Historic fine for Dogan. 
 
Dogan Holding announced the Finance Ministry has fined the Dogan 
Media Group 3.75 billion TL (2.52 billion USD) for "tax 
irregularities" dating between the years 2005 and 2007.  The Dogan 
company denied the charges and said they would use all legal means 
possible in order to challenge the decision.  Nevertheless, 
mainstream Sabah reports, "Dogan stock went down twenty percent at 
market closing yesterday after the announcement of the fine." 
Milliyet and Vatan carried immediate reactions to this decision from 
the International Press Institute and the main opposition party CHP. 
 "Although IPI can make no comment on the substance of the penalty, 
events in the early part of this year, which saw Prime Minister 
Erdogan wage a war of words against the media, leave in doubt the 
intent behind this fine", said IPI Director David Dadge in a press 
release. "IPI has a genuine concern that the impetus behind the 
original tax investigation was more motivated by political and 
personal calculations rather than a genuine desire to carry out a 
full and fair investigation of the Dogan media group's financial 
circumstances."  Opposition party CHP leaders Onur Oymen, Ahmet 
Ersin and Akif Hamzacelebi described the fine as "a pressuring 
mechanism" against Dogan Media and called the government to "respect 
the EU's press freedom criteria" instead of engaging in "efforts to 
eliminate non pro-government voices." 
 
Cumhuriyet notes "The magnitude of the fine is such that the entire 
market value of Dogan Holding will not cover the cost of the 
penalty."  Cumhuriyet also notes the Dogan Publishing group received 
another tax-related fine last year and has already turned over a 
percentage of its shares to the Finance Ministry as 'credit 
insurance.' 
 
Meral Tamer noted in mainstream Milliyet: "The Finance Ministry's 
decision comes with a clear message.  Any media organs are doomed to 
be destroyed if they continue to pursue a non pro-government tone. 
In addition, Erdogan has proven that he is not afraid to use state 
resources to force the country to submit to his power.  No business 
concern in Turkey is safe anymore.  The PM's goal is to force media 
baron Aydin Dogan out of the media and to create a media environment 
in which no one questions him." 
 
Metin Munir of mainstream Milliyet wrote: "With a few small 
exceptions, the outlets owned by Dogan Media are the only press 
actors who criticize the government.  The Prime Minister wants to 
take control over Dogan Media by the time the next elections come 
around. This fine is an attempt to silence opposition to the 
government in the media.  The PM knows that opposition voices in the 
parliament pose no threat to him, but he seeks to silence all 
opposition voices, including those in the media." 
 
Oray Egin wrote in mainstream Aksam: "This is an indication of 
 
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psychological warfare initiated by the government against opposition 
voices.  The latest is an effort to hit the last nail into Dogan 
Media Group's coffin and take full control over the media.  The 
government's understanding of the concept of free and democratic 
media is a single-voiced media." 
 
Ahmet Altan wrote in Taraf: "According to economists in my 
newspaper, Dogan Holding has committed violations.  However, Prime 
Minister Erdogan is also violating the law by making a selective 
punishment without punishing all the others who commit tax fraud." 
 
 
Seven Turkish Soldiers Killed in Fighting with the PKK 
Media outlets report that on Tuesday, six Turkish soldiers were 
killed in clashes with the PKK terrorists near Eruh town in the 
province of Siirt, and another soldier was killed in fighting near 
Cukurca town in the province of Hakkari on the border with Iraq. 
Papers comment the attacks came as the ruling AKP government was 
working on a plan to resolve Turkey's Kurdish question.  Prime 
Minister Erdogan told reporters late Tuesday the killings would not 
block the Kurdish 'democratic initiative' launched by his 
government.  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines, "The PKK 
Listens to No Initiative as Terrorist Attacks Kill More Soldiers." 
 
Torrential Rains Kill Dozens 
Media outlets report heavy floods hit Turkey's Marmara region, 
killing six people in Tekirdag province and one in Istanbul, with 
several people missing.  Floods carried away thousands of vehicles 
into the sea.  Papers say torrential rains turned the places near 
Istanbul into a disaster zone, causing destruction in Silivri, 
Catalca and Golen by flooding hundreds of houses and business 
places. 
 
CNN-Turk television reported on Wednesday morning that flash floods 
killed eight people in the suburbs of Istanbul.  Meteorology 
officials said thunderstorms were expected to continue until 
Saturday, adding that the rains will be heavier Wednesday. 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak daily points out that no one was hurt 
by torrential rains which continued in Europe for weeks, but 
Turkey's "infrastructure" has yielded to a one-night shower. 
Leftist Taraf and business daily Referans say the catastrophe had 
been a result of the failure of state authorities to pay attention 
to meteorology warnings for flash floods. 
 
Karzai Is Winning, But... (NTV) 
Media outlets note that the first round of vote counting indicates 
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is winning, despite widespread claims 
of voter fraud and the invalidation of thousands of votes at 
hundreds of polling stations.  Islamist-oriented Zaman reports, "As 
the controversy over the presidential elections continues, President 
Karzai has won the first round of results."  Mainstream Milliyet 
reports, "As the controversy continues around the presidential 
elections, it was announced that 200,000 votes were invalidated due 
to fraud."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports, "The Votes Will 
Be Recounted, But Karzai is in the Lead."  Liberal Radikal reports 
"Karzai Wins In the First Round Counting in the Flawed Elections." 
Mainstream NTV reports, "Karzai Is Winning, But..." and the network 
notes, "votes from 600 polling stations are being invalidated." 
 
Kunduz Aftermath 
Media outlets note the Taliban has responded to the NATO airstrikes 
in Kunduz by appealing to the UN and international human rights 
groups at the same time they launched a revenge attack on the Kabul 
airport.  In, "The Taliban Is Taking Refuge under International 
Law," mainstream Milliyet asks "Is the Taliban changing its policy?" 
 as,  "The Taliban has requested that international human rights 
organizations and the UN investigate the NATO airstrike in Kunduz 
against two fuel tankers in which civilians were killed." 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports in "The Taliban Take Revenge on 
the Airport," that Taliban Spokesperson Zabiullah Mucahid said the 
attack on the Kabul airport "targeted a NATO convoy" following what 
 
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the paper calls, "A NATO airstrike that killed 90 people." 
Meanwhile, in a related article, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
reminds of the Taliban's terror tactics in, "A Taliban Lesson on the 
Way to School," and the paper notes, "The Taliban shot children on 
the way to school which killed four and injured six in northwestern 
Pakistan." 
 
Obama's Speech to Schoolchildren 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports in "He Didn't Make Marxist 
Propaganda," that "Republicans are accusing President Obama of 
espousing Marxist propaganda during his speech to American 
schoolchildren this week," but, "Obama's messages are that students 
should stay in school, do their homework, work hard, and keep their 
hands clean." Mainstream Milliyet jokes in the headline, "U.S. 
President Barack Obama's Frightening Speech: Wash Your Hands, Do 
Your Homework." 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- A 14-year old boy is sentenced to three years in prison for 
throwing stones at the police during an illegal rally in the 
southeastern city of Siirt. 
 
- Health Minister Recep Akdag has warned that Turkey should be 
prepared for a rapid spread of swine flu over the coming months. 
 
- International credit rating company JCR says Turkey needs to 
strike a new deal with the IMF. 
 
- Industrial output figures show that recovery in Turkey's economy 
will be slow, but industrialists are optimistic about the coming 
months. 
 
World 
 
- The Czech Republic and Liechtenstein have established diplomatic 
relations for the first time since World War II. 
 
- A captain of a Turkish-operated cargo vessel, detained while 
trying to deliver fuel to Abkhazia, has been released by the 
Georgian court following the intervention of Foreign Minister 
Davutoglu. 
 
- An article in the U.S. magazine GQ, which alleges that the Russian 
government was behind a series of apartment bombings that led to the 
second Chechen war of 1999-2001, will not be distributed in Russia. 
 
 
- A female Sudanese journalist, jailed for a month after being 
convicted of "dressing indecently" by wearing trousers, has been 
freed. 
 
- A U.S. drone aircraft fires missiles into Pakistan's North 
Waziristan on the Afghan border, killing at least three militants. 
 
 
SILLIMAN