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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001437 
 
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, OCTOBER 5, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Armenia- Azerbaijan: "The Ice is Melting" 
Taha Akyol writes in mainstream Milliyet:  "President Gul and FM 
Davutoglu met with Azeri leader Aliyev and FM Mehmetyarov for one 
and half hour in Nahcivan the other day.  Both, Gul and Davutoglu 
came out of the meeting looking very pleased.   We asked President 
Gul whether Azerbaijan was convinced and whether the protocol with 
Armenia would progress?  Here is President Gul's answer "Azerbaijan 
trusts Turkey and Turkey's efforts.  In Kishnev Aliyev and Sargsian 
will meet as well.  We advanced so much in resolving this issue in 
the Caucasus.  We are advancing in our meetings and in the Upper 
Karabakh issue gradually, by deleting the problems one by one.  We 
are melting an iceberg with our warm breath.  We believe that the 
water should start running soon."  At the end of his remarks, 
President Gul highlighted the fact that, in order to resolve issues, 
the public should not be provoked during the process." 
 
Turning Point Over Iran.  Media continue to digest the outcome of 
the talks between P5+1 officials and Iran on its nuclear program. 
In "Cooperation and Transparency Period with Iran," liberal Radikal 
says, "After talks in Tehran, UN nuclear agency head Mohamed El 
Baradei announced that IAEA will inspect Iran's new uranium 
enrichment plant on October 25." The paper quotes Baradei as saying 
"there is a 'shifting of gears' in Iran's confrontation with the 
West to more cooperation and transparency."   Islamist oriented Yeni 
Safak writes, "Baradei said there is no concrete proof of an ongoing 
weapons program in Iran."  Meanwhile, mainstream Sabah pays 
attention to New York Times report indicating IAEA's report that 
says Iran "has sufficient information to be able to design and 
produce an atom bomb."  Ali Aslan in Islamist-oriented Zaman, says 
America is crafting a containment policy for Iran as a back-up plan 
and that Turkey's role in it - as well as the development of 
Turkey's nuclear program, will zoom.  Aslan predicts that PM Erdogan 
will go to Washington during the upcoming months to meet President 
Obama and that the main agenda will be the Iran issue.  In fact, 
because of regional developments, the development of Turkey's own 
nuclear program is more often on the agenda.  It is to Turkey's 
advantage, Aslan notes, that the new administration in the US 
doesn't carry out the previous administration's "you are either with 
us or against us" policies and  that "Turkey should be able to 
explain to Washington and to Western capitals that some of our 
policies, including the Iran issue, don't form up due to strategic 
reasons but for tactical reasons.  This is a must, because, when the 
issue is Turkey, even the most informed Americans still need further 
education." 
 
Iraq-PKK: "Critical Summit in Erbil" 
Fatih Cekirge predicts an acceleration in the PKK arms issue 
following next week's "critical" three country summit meeting in 
Erbil and that four countries will benefit when the PKK lays down 
its arms.  Writing in mainstream Hurriyet:  "Turkey, the US and Iraq 
will hold a three-party security summit.  Turkey, the US, Iraq and 
Syria attach importance to the summit.  The US wants to leave a 
peaceful oil region after its withdrawal from Iraq.  The US doesn't 
want Turkish interventions in Northern Iraq any longer because it 
might interrupt the petroleum production.  That is why, the US wants 
to disarm the PKK.  Iraq doesn't want Turkish military presence in 
Northern Iraq any longer and therefore, Iraq also wants to disarm 
the PKK.  Following improved relations between Turkey and Syria, 
Syrian leader Assad recently announced that Syria is ready to accept 
PKK militants of Syrian origin, if they lay their arms.  On this 
issue, Turkish interests are parallel to the US interests.  The US 
supports Turkey's democratic opening in order to boost 
democratization.  The aim here is to prevent PKK efforts to recruit 
new militants.  Turkey pursues the same goal.  This is why 
Ambassador Jeffrey visited the main opposition party CHP leader 
Baykal and indirectly mentioned the US support for the government's 
democratic opening.  A new process might start after the security 
summit in Erbil which will be a process for the PKK to lay down its 
arms." 
 
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DOMESTIC NEWS:  AKP and DTP Hold Annual Congresses 
 
Erdogan: "We will not sacrifice democracy, secularism and the rule 
of law" 
Media outlets report that at the ruling AK Party's congress held 
Saturday, Prime Minister Erdogan said the government intended to 
serve the country without sacrificing democracy, secularism and the 
rule of law.  In his speech to the congress, Erdogan said the 
opposition MHP had already rejected the Kurdish initiative, and that 
there was no need to talk to the party.  Erdogan said the main 
opposition CHP had yet to officially make its stance clear.  "I will 
send to Deniz Baykal a written request for a meeting," said Erdogan. 
 A statement released during the convention said, "Our main aim is 
for all citizens, no matter where they live or to which ethnicity 
they belong, to feel free and equal members of this country." 
Erdogan said the government would continue to work to guarantee that 
Turkey becomes a member of the EU.  He complained the EU was trying 
to change the rules of the game despite the fact that the game had 
already been started.  Mainstream Milliyet says that after the AK 
Party congress, Erdogan is expected to give top posts to Kurds in 
line with his government's democratic initiative.  There are 
speculations that following the general elections in 2011, Erdogan 
will run for presidency in 2012, says Milliyet. 
 
Kurdish DTP Holds Party Congress 
Papers report Turkey's main Kurdish party DTP has held on Sunday its 
third extraordinary congress with the participation of foreign 
observers and thousands of members.  Tensions rose when a group 
holding posters of the PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan and 
the PKK flags stormed into the hall.  "The state has finally seen 
that pressure policies cannot solve the Kurdish problem," said 
chairman Ahmet Turk, claiming "20 million of the Kurdish population 
is deprived of equal rights and freedoms."  "In order to cease armed 
conflicts, the PKK should not be excluded from the solution 
process."  Turk said the government's Kurdish move would not be 
successful unless the Constitution was amended.  "We expect Mr. 
Prime Minister to be bold and decisive; this process should not turn 
into a process of delay.  The PKK should not be excluded from the 
solution process," said Turk.  Turk said the ongoing military 
operations should be ceased, and criticized a possible extension of 
the parliamentary permit for cross-border military operations into 
northern Iraq.  Turk referred to the examples of Ireland, Spain, 
Belgium and South Africa: "They succeeded in getting rid of their 
authoritarian past and raised their welfare remarkably.  None of 
them were divided." 
 
Liberal Radikal says some PKK supporters were blocked from taking 
the podium during the gathering.  Mainstream Vatan highlights Turk's 
speech, the part where he said, "No one has a magic wand to solve 
the problem, but the key to open the lock is in the hands of 
Ocalan."  In "We won't be the side which blocks a solution," 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says some party supporters in the 
congress hall protested some masked pro-PKK members who tried to 
take the podium.  Mainstream Hurriyet says the DTP congress called 
on Erdogan to be "courageous" regarding the Kurdish initiative. 
Nationalistic-conservative Tercuman comments that at the convention 
while Turk was talking about living together like brothers, the 
separatist showed their real intentions of dividing Turkey. 
 
Celik: Halki Seminary can be reopened 
The ruling AK Party's newly elected board member, former education 
minister Huseyin Celik told mainstream Aksam the Halki Seminary 
could be "easily reopened" without making legal changes.  "The 
Seminary can be affiliated to the Education Ministry, or it can be 
tied to a foundation as a two-year college," said Celik. 
 
Towards A New EU. (Milliyet) Media note the importance of Ireland's 
approval for the EU's Lisbon Treaty with 67.1 percent 'Yes.' 
Mainstream Milliyet notes, "The Irish were the only member 
subjecting the EU plans for reshaping its institutions and 
 
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decision-making to a nationwide referendum."  Mainstream Vatan 
writes in, "EU Reaches its Desired Constitution," that, "the 
approved Lisbon Treaty foresees a presidency representing the EU and 
UK's former Prime Minister Tony Blair is the strongest candidate." 
In "The EU will Awaken," Cengiz Aktar of mainstream Vatan is 
optimistic that because the need for consensus is over -- the votes 
of 15 of 27 EU states will be enough." 
 
Attack in Afghan Village Kills 8 US Troops.  Media outlets carry 
straightforward coverage on the attack on remote Afghan outposts 
killing eight US soldiers.  Mainstream Milliyet says, "the deadliest 
attack for coalition forces since a similar raid in July 2008 which 
killed nine American soldiers in the same mountainous region."  In 
"Shock to the US Forces in Afghanistan," Islamist oriented Yeni 
Safak writes, "Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in 
Nuristan province which is known as an al-Qaeda base." 
 
Upcoming Events: 
 
Q On Tuesday, the Turkish Parliament will discuss a motion 
authorizing cross-border military operations into northern Iraq. 
Q On October 13, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Syrian 
counterpart Walid al-Mouallem will sign an agreement on visa 
exemption. 
Q On Monday, Turkey-Iran joint business council will hold a meeting 
in Istanbul. 
Q On October 10, the Foreign Ministers of Turkey and Armenia will 
sign in Zurich a protocol for the normalization of bilateral ties. 
 
JEFFREY