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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU PREL KPAO
SUBJECT: TURKISH MEDIA REACTION 
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2009 
 
Media Highlights:  Iraq: Bloodshed in  Baghdad;  Amb. Jeffrey's 
Outreach on PKK, Afghanistan; Basbug and Barzani Enter 
Debate Over PKK Returnees; Op/Ed's on PKK And Applause for US 
Approach;  PM Erdogan says "Iran is a friend;" 
IAEA Inspects Iran Nukes; President Gul in Serbia; PM Erdogan Visits 
Pakistan; 
 
Blood Shed Again In Baghdad (Sabah) 
The bombings in Baghdad continues to make headlines in all papers. 
In "The Bloodiest Attack," mainstream Milliyet says, "Two suicide 
car bombs targeting Iraqi Justice Ministry and the Baghdad 
provincial administration is the bloodiest attack since August 
2007."  Mainstream Hurriyet headlines, "A Bomb to Justice," and 
characterizes the bombings as "a serious blow" against Maliki in a 
critical period.  Mainstream Sabah opines, "the attacks came just 
before Iraq's top leadership is set to meet for a compromise on the 
disputed election law ahead of a crucial parliamentary vote in 
January."  Liberal Radikal carries the headline, "Iraqi Capital All 
in Blood," saying, "Iraqi officials pointed al Qaeda for the 
attacks." 
 
Jeffrey: The PKK Question Must be Resolved before the US Withdraws 
from Iraq 
Sabah, Taraf, Yeni Safak and Zaman carried front page coverage of 
Saturday's roundtable interview with Ambassador Jeffrey.  Mainstream 
Sabah gives extensive front-page coverage to his comments that the 
PKK should be "brought to an end" before the withdrawal of US troops 
from Iraq.  "The sooner Turkey solves this problem, the better," 
noted Jeffrey.  Jeffrey underlined that the democratic initiative 
was a plan shaped by Turkey, and not the US.  "We support the 
Turkish military operations against the PKK.  We also support 
Turkey's democratic initiative.  This is a matter of sensitive 
internal political debate, therefore we do not speak on it," 
emphasized Jaffrey.  Jeffrey said the US was "making sacrifices," 
and in line with the requests of Turkey, was keeping in Iraq the air 
platforms needed in Afghanistan.  Islamist-oriented Zaman quotes 
Jeffrey regarding Treasury's sanctions against three PKK leaders as 
drug kindpins.  "We have suggested the European countries  do the 
same," said Jeffrey.  On Israel and Syria, Jeffrey said if Turkey 
wants to be an effective mediator between Israel and Syria, it must 
keep an equal distance to both sides. 
 
Basbug Enters Debate Over PKK Returnees - Joint Decision With 
Erdogan 
The GoT's decision to postpone more PKK returnees and the Turkish 
military's reaction is the main news in Monday's print and TV. 
Milliyet headlined that the decision to postpone PKK returnees was a 
 "Joint Decision" that was made during a critical telephone 
conversation between PM Erdogan and TGS Chief General Basbug. 
Saturday's Sabah reports that the DTP officials were determined to 
hold celebrations for the new returnees as well, while Istanbul 
Mayor Muammer Guler stressed that they definitely would not permit 
such shows.  Turkish General Staff (TGS) also announced on Friday 
that such celebrations were "unacceptable."  Leftist-nationalist 
Cumhuriyet reports that TGS Chief General Basbug said "it is not 
possible to accept recent developments.  I share the feelings of 
relatives of martyrs and veterans."  Mainstream Hurriyet reports 
that in protest against the AKP's democratic initiative and the PKK 
returnees, around 300 drivers and riders visited the Edirnekapi 
Martyrdom memorial in Istanbul yesterday with their cars and 
motorbikes, draped in Turkish flags and anti-PKK slogans.  Today's 
Milliyet reports that, speaking to the journalists in Antalya, main 
opposition party CHP leader Deniz Baykal criticized the AKP 
government's democratic opening and said "The bases of the process 
was wrong and the mistakes was blocked by Turkish people." 
Mainstream Vatan quotes Baykal as saying "The Government had to take 
a back step after seeing the public reaction to the celebrations." 
 
Barzani Says Celebrations Provocative:  In a related story, 
mainstreams Vatan and Hurriyet report that KRG Prime Minister 
Necirvan Barzani also criticized ceremonies held to celebrate the 
 
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PKK 's return, saying  "it is an important step for the PKK to send 
Turkey a peace group, however, this should not be done in a 
provocative way.  The PKK should not adopt provocative ways which 
could be violated by the enemies of the Kurds and could block the 
process."  Barzani added that he was pleased with Turkey's gesture 
and he hopes that this project will continue in order to resolve the 
Kurdish issue. 
 
Op/Ed's on PKK and Applause for US Approach;.  In "Regional 
Dynamics" Kadri Gursel in mainstream Milliyet calls the government 
not to defer the Kurdish initiative process by making reference to 
Ambassador Jeffrey's comments.  He observes: "The current 
circumstances are forcing the continuation of this process, just 
like Ambassador Jeffrey was emphasizing the other day that the US 
wants to finish the PKK issue before the completion of the 
withdrawal from Iraq." 
 
Conservative daily Turkiye's writer Yilmaz Oztuna believes that the 
PKK was being used by both the US and the KRG, "but those times are 
over" he concludes.  He says: "The US is determined to leave a 
stable Iraq so that it will not pose any headache in the aftermath 
of pullout.  In this context, there is no room for PKK and Turkey is 
expected to develop better ties with the KRG." 
 
In "From Opening to Dissolving" Islamist-oriented Zaman's columnist 
Ali Bulac blames the DTP for working toward a divided society "as 
oppsed to helping for unity."  Similarly, Islamist oriented Yeni 
Safak writer Yasin Aktay suggests empathy: "The DTP has to 
understand the sentiment in other parts of society. Even a little 
bit of empathy will be helpful if the genuine goal is peace." 
 
Mainstream Vatan's columnist Okay Gonensin thinks there is a 
responsibility for DTP as well as for the main opposition.  In 
"Reactions" he says: "Both opposition parties are trying to work 
more on the tension-building while the DTP presents an irresponsible 
attitude.  This process is meant to be an overall peace and 
democracy not an overall conflict seeking." 
 
"Iran is Our Friend" Says PM Erdogan 
TV outlets are reporting this morning on The Guardian's exclusive 
interview with Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan. The interview highlights 
PM Erdogan saying "Ahmadinejad is Turkey's friend and they have not 
experienced any problems with Iran."  PM Erdogan warned Europe not 
to ignore Turkey's strengths, emphasizing that "being in the EU, 
Turkey would be building bridges between the people of Muslim world 
and the non-Muslim world." 
 
UN Experts in Iran for Nuclear Inspection 
Turkish media carry straightforward coverage on the report that UN 
nuclear experts inspected a uranium enrichment site in the city of 
Qum whose existence was announced by Iran last month.  Mainstream 
Hurriyet headline reads, "First UN Inspection in Iran's Site," 
pointing "while world powers pressure Iran to put its uranium 
enrichment activities, they also want to get much of its enriched 
uranium reserve."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines, "IAEA 
Inspection Starts in Iran," while in "Uranium Inspection," 
mainstream Sabah says, "Iran's nuclear site is inspected by IAEA 
officials."  Islamist-oriented Zaman carries the headline, "First 
Visit to Iran's New Site." 
 
A Significant Visit to Serbia 
Mainstreams Sabah and Milliyet report that President Gul went to 
Serbia on an official visit together with a 115 member delegation. 
Sabah quotes the President saying "I strongly believe that my visit 
to Serbia will contribute to our efforts to establish stability and 
security in the Balkans and to improve our relations with Serbia." 
Milliyet notes that Gul is first Turkish President since 1986 to 
visit Serbia.  President Gul noted that our relations with Serbia 
recently came to a point that it could be counted as the strategic 
cooperation and added that Serbia's responsible stance has a vital 
importance for the region's stability. 
 
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Erdogan Visits Pakistan to Avert Military Takeover (Radikal) 
All papers report Turkey was intermediating to end the tensions 
between Iran and Pakistan.  Iran accuses Pakistan together with the 
US and the UK for harboring Jundallah, the "Army of God," which 
claimed responsibility over the October 18 suicide bomb attack in 
the southern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan.  More than 40 
people including seven commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards 
were killed in the attacks.  In a joint press conference with his 
Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, Erdogan said he was going 
to discuss the attack with Iranian President Ahmadinejad.  Erdogan 
stressed that joint action was needed for peace in the region. 
Papers report Turkey and Pakistan established a high-level 
cooperation council. 
 
Monday's liberal Radikal warns a military coup was imminent in 
Pakistan, and comments that Turkey was working to convince the 
Pakistani military to abandon plans for a military takeover and 
support the establishment of a national unity government in the 
country.  Erdogan is currently visiting Pakistan after Turkish army 
chief General Ilker Basbug called on the Swat valley from October 
12-15.  Radikal claims Pakistani army chief General Ashfaq Kayani 
was expected to seize control of the country, and stresses that the 
government of Gilani could not do anything to avert a coup. 
 
Upcoming events: 
 
Q October 26-November 8: Turkey and Britain will carry out joint 
military exercises in Salisbury. 
Q October 30: Foreign Minister Davutoglu and Foreign Trade Minister 
Caglayan will visit the city of Erbil in northern Iraq. 
Q November 8: CHP leader Baykal will go to Iraq to meet Iraqi 
President Talabani. 
 
TV News (NTV) 
 
Domestic 
 
Q Demonstrators rallied Sunday in the cities of Ankara, Istanbul, 
Konya, Afyonkarahisar, Mus, Konya, Yalova, Edirne and Canakkale to 
protest the celebrations organized at the return of the PKK 
militants to Turkey. 
Q In addition to a reception to be hosted by President Gul, the 
military will hold a separate reception to mark the Republican Day 
on October 29. 
Q Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said IMF funds could trigger 
growth in Turkey, and signaled that a deal with the IMF was 
possible. 
Q Turkey's Privatization Administration prepares plans for the sale 
of 56 state-owned power plants. 
 
World 
 
Q Former Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said the 
celebrations organized by DTP to welcome the PKK groups in Turkey 
had been "provocation." 
Q Pakistan removes visa requirements for Turkish businessmen. 
 
JEFFREY