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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001505 
 
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 19, 2009 
 
Media Highlights:  PKK Returns to Turkey; Iran Attacks; US-Turkey 
Presidents Talk PKK as Well?; Turkey-Azerbaijan Rift Grows; 
Turkey-Israel Tensions; Kazakstan President to Visit; President 
Gul's Offer to Opposition; Another Penalty for Dogan; H1N1 in 
Turkey 
 
PKK Groups to Return to Turkey Monday 
Papers report over the weekend and Monday that acting on the PKK's 
imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan's instructions, three groups of 
PKK militants will come to Turkey to surrender.  On Monday, two 
groups will come from the Kandil Mountains and from the Makhmur Camp 
in northern Iraq, and another group will come from Europe.  Islamist 
and mainstream alike, papers strike a straightforward tone in 
reporting "The return of the PKK militants from northern Iraq was 
about to begin."  Monday's Milliyet says the groups' return would be 
a demonstration of "goodwill" in line with the call of Ocalan. 
Sunday's Taraf says the first group of the PKK militants to return 
would include only militants who did not participate in attacks 
against Turkey.  The paper expects them to be released in a couple 
hours after a brief questioning at the border.  Taraf says Monday 
that the young Kurds might leave the mountains if Turkish officials 
decide to set free the 34 people who surrender.  Sunday's Radikal 
expects the returns to continue, unless the process is "sabotaged." 
All Monday papers report Kurdish party DTP was preparing a "grand 
welcome" for the PKK groups at the border, and also preparing to 
stage big celebrations in Diyarbakir. 
 
Revolutionary Guard Commanders Killed in Iran Attack 
The suicidal attack on Iran's Revolutionary Guards dominates 
international news headlines.  Media focus on Iran's claims that the 
US and Britain were involved in the attack. In "Heavy Blow on 
Revolutionary Guards," mainstream Milliyet says "a suicide bomber 
killed seven senior commanders and 42 members of the Revolutionary 
Guards," adding, "Iranian officials accused foreign enemies of 
supporting the attack."  Liberal Radikal headlines "Suicide to 
Iran's Guards," and observes that " the Revolutionary Guards are hit 
badly just before Iran is set to meet for another round of talks on 
its nuclear program with several Western countries."  Mainstream 
Hurriyet writes "Bomb to the Guard," and speculates on "how the 
attack will affect critical nuclear talks."  In "Attack in Iran," 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet notes "the State Department denied 
Iran's accusation." 
 
US and Turkish Presidents Talk PKK as Well? 
On Sunday, mainstream Hurriyet and other outlets fronted stories on 
the phone call between the Turkish and American presidents noting 
that  "President Gul asked President Obama for his help and more 
engagement on the two important pending issues; namely the Minsk 
Group for the Nagorno Karabakh and the solution to Cyprus issue. 
Mentioning the recent normalization effort with Armenia, President 
Gul told Obama that a solution for the Karabakh issue will play a 
vital role in future developments so President Obama should be more 
engaging in Minsk group's effort."  The Hurriyet report also notes 
that President Obama said "Your points are well taken and I will 
continue to do my best" in return. 
 
PKK Discussion? In a follow up story on Monday, Hurriyet columnist 
Fatih Cekirge believes there were more than the two mentioned issues 
between Obama and Gul phone call: "The U.S. also gave a tangible 
start regarding the dissolving of PKK.  The designation of PKK 
leadership as part of the Kingpin Act provided a new impetus on 
bilateral ties between Washington and Ankara.  And with Gul's phone 
call, Turkey also wanted to enhance an image as strongly peace 
seeking country.  There is another important chain in bilateral 
ties:  PM Erdogan's upcoming visit to the US.  Washington wants to 
host him as early as possible which indicates that there are some 
important messages to come, such as recent tension with Israel, PM 
Erdogan's trip to Iraq and Iran.  Given the timing of Erdogan's 
visit to Iran which will happen right before Washington trip, there 
is a strong possibility of Turkey assuming an important role between 
the US and Iran." 
 
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Rift Grows Between Turkey and Azerbaijan 
Weekend papers continued reporting the growing rift between Turkey 
and Azerbaijan over the Turkey-Armenia rapprochement.  Following the 
ban of Azeri flags during the soccer game between Turkish and 
Armenian national soccer teams, Azerbaijan, in retaliation, removed 
all Turkish flags from the monument of Turkish martyrs in Baku. 
Mainstream Vatan notes that even though Azeri officials said that 
the Turkish flags at the monument violated Azeri laws, Vatan 
reminded that the flags have been there for ten years.  At the 
weekend also, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev signaled an increase on 
the natural gas sold to Turkey by saying "Turkey is paying one-third 
of the market value for Azerbaijani gas, and this makes no sense." 
Today's mainstream Hurriyet headline reads "One Nation is 
Separating" and reports that the rapprochement between Turkey and 
Armenia damaged the 'Two states, one nation' belief between Turkey 
and Azerbaijan.  The paper quotes Aliyev as saying "Turkey is 
creating problems in the shipment of Shahdeniz gas to Europe,that is 
why we are looking for alternative routes and working on a 
Georgia-Bulgaria-Romania route for the shipment of gas to Europe." 
 
Editorials on Turkey-Azerbaijan 
 
"Aliyev is right, but...": Semih Idiz notes "this is the time to 
test Azerbaijan's true friendship."  In mainstream Milliyet, he 
wrote: "Aliyev's reaction to Turkey and his reprisal attitude will 
not bring any solution to the main problem, i.e. Karabakh.  He has 
to realize the fact that Azerbaijan's close friend Russia is behind 
the Karabakh problem." 
 
"Empty Rhetoric": In mainstream Sabah, Mehmet Barlas wonders if the 
"two states one nation" rhetoric was an empty one: "Azerbaijan's 
reaction does not make any sense."  If Turkey's normalization with 
Armenia is now a reason to get upset, he writes, then why Baku 
hasn't been upset over long-term Russian and Iranian ties with 
Armenia. 
 
"Emotional Reaction": Mehmet Yilmaz is worried about Azerbaijan 
leadership's emotional reaction.  In mainstream Hurriyet he says: 
"Emotionalism is not a good method for statesmen.  Azerbaijan leader 
Aliyev should put emotionalism aside and see the protocol between 
turkey and Armenia as an opportunity to provide settlement to the 
Karabakh problem." 
 
Israel Continues to React to Anatolian Eagle's Clipped Wings 
Mainstream Milliyet cites Israeli daily Haaretz's reporting that 
Israeli PM Netanyahu commented that "Turkey cannot be a honest 
moderator" when it comes to mediating with Syria.  The paper 
comments that following the incident in Davos, the cancellation of 
Anatolian Eagle exercises and finally the airing of a highly 
critical Turkish TV series, the tension between Israel and Turkey is 
growing deeper. 
 
In a related story, mainstream Sabah reports that Turkey is 
participating in "Bright Star 2009" military exercises in Egypt with 
three F-16s and 59 personnel.  Egypt, the US, Pakistan, Germany, and 
France are participating at the exercises.  Even though, Israel is a 
member of the exercises, they are not participating in the exercises 
this year. 
 
Editorials on Turkey-Israel Tension 
 
"The Israel Crisis" Columnist Nuray Mert draws attention to the 
potential ramifications of populism.  In mainstream Hurriyet she 
writes: "Neither reacting to Israel nor empathy with Palestine 
justifies populism.  In a Muslim country such populism inevitably 
provokes anti-Semitism.  And the worst of all, anti-Semitism in this 
nature eventually turns into full scale discrimination on 
everything." 
 
"Reasons for the Crisis with Israel" Liberal daily Radikal's Ceyda 
 
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Karan however thinks there is a lesson for Israel to take: "Turkey's 
new position vis-`-vis Israel can be interpreted as 'I am your true 
friend and I should be able to pronounce your mistakes.'  Keeping a 
blind eye on serious mistakes does not work between real friends." 
 
Nazarbayev to visit Turkey October 21 
Prior to his official visit to Turkey on Wednesday, Kazakhstan's 
President Nursultan Nazarbayev made remarks to Turkish dailies. 
Islamist-oriented Zaman quotes Nazarbayev as supportive of the 
"positive developments" between Turkey and Armenia.  Nazarbayev 
stated that in five years, Azerbaijani oil would dwindle, and that 
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline would need Kazakh oil. 
Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan was willing to "contribute more" to the 
BTC pipeline. 
 
Main opposition party opening from President Gul 
Mainstreams Sabah and Hurriyet report that participating in TRT1's 
"Political Opening" program live from the Presidential Palace, 
President Gul said "the National Security Council should also 
include members of the main opposition party.  The most important 
issues of Turkey are discussed at the NSC meetings and it will help 
the opposition to understand the issues fully."  President Gul urged 
that political differences should not ruin the atmosphere of working 
together for Turkey and said "It is very important.  In this 
respect, I follow the ongoing tensions in politics with concern." 
 
Dogan Group's broadcasting license may be cancelled 
Monday papers report "irregularities" in the transfer of Dogan Media 
Group shares to its partner, German media group Axel Springer. 
According to existing regulations in Turkey, the Dogan Group had the 
right to sell only a 25 percent stake of his shares, but made a 
transaction for the sale of 28 companies to Axel Springer.  Papers 
report Turkey's media watchdog RTUK has given the DG three months to 
correct the irregularities with its German partner; otherwise, the 
DG's broadcasting license would be cancelled. 
 
'Swine Flu' cases on the rise in Turkey 
Media outlets report over 30 "swine flu" cases were seen in Ankara, 
seven in Diyarbakir, including six students, and one in Erzurum. 
Two schools were closed in Diyarbakir for five days.  The first 
patch of swine flu vaccines would arrive in Istanbul and Ankara 
today, report papers and televisions. 
 
 
Upcoming events: 
 
Q Today: Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Iranian Expediency Council, 
will be received by President Gul. 
Q Today: Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout visits Turkey 
Q October 21: Kazakhstan's President Nazarbayev visits Turkey. 
Q October 22-23: Turkish Investment Summit in London. 
Q October 24: President Gul visits Serbia. 
Q October 24-25: Central and Eastern Europe Energy Forum in 
Istanbul. 
 
JEFFREY