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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 
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2009 
 
Media Highlights:  Erdogan-Basbug Discuss Secret 'Military Action 
Plan'; DTP at Republic Day Celebrations; Davutoglu to Northern Iraq; 
US Praises Turkey on Middle East; Turkey to Open Ports to Greek 
Cyprus 
 
Erdogan-Basbug Discuss Secret 'Military Action Plan' against 
Fundamentalism 
Media outlets report Prime Minister Erdogan and the Chief of the 
General Staff (TGS) General Ilker Basbug met twice yesterday -- at 
the Republic Day celebrations and later at a reception.  Yesterday's 
meeting was the first one between Erdogan and Basbug since the 
revelation of a "secret military action plan" for fighting 
fundamentalism.  In a statement posted on its website, the Prime 
Ministry said the "procedures regarding the action plan" are with 
the military prosecutor and that the process was expected to reveal 
the truth as soon as possible.  The statement also warned that 
institutions should not be targeted.  Mainstream Milliyet sees the 
statement released as an indication of "softening." 
 
Editorials on Secret Military "Action Plan" 
 
Hasan Cemal commented  in mainstream Milliyet: " If the Turkish 
military doesn't want to wear itself out any longer, then it needs 
to change itself to fit within the framework of democracy and the 
rule of law." 
 
Cengiz Candar wrote in liberal Radikal:  "If the Turkish General 
Staff (TGS) resists being open to review, Turkey will never reach 
full democracy.  The TGS has lost its credibility and the day has 
come for an investigation by a civil court.  This is a must for 
Turkey's future." 
 
Mehmet Ali Kislali questioned in Radikal whether protecting the 
republic against religious fundamentalism is the Turkish military's 
main duty or not.  If it is, shouldn't everyone be careful in 
accusing the TGS of committing a crime by preparing an "action 
plan?" 
 
Huseyin Gulerce wrote in Islamist-oriented Zaman:  "The Turkish 
military has a junta support staff in its structure, a betrayal of 
democracy.  The TGS, which is the Turkish public's most trusted 
institution, should definitely clear out junta members.  Turkey will 
never manage to resolve its problems until this lot is kicked out of 
the TGS." 
 
Kurdish DTP Joins Republic Day Celebrations 
Mainstream Sabah says Republic Day celebrations became a platform 
for a "softening" with the DTP officials participating in the 
celebrations held yesterday.  Lawmakers from DTP, CHP and AK Party 
celebrated the Republican Day in Kurdish, says Sabah.  Papers report 
Diyarbakir's Kurdish Mayor Osman Baydemir shook hands with generals 
in the city.  Sabah says that Turkey has been longing for this for a 
long time, whereas mainstream Aksam says army commanders have 
recognized the DTP.  Mainstream Vatan comments the DTP members who 
incurred fierce criticism over their greeting of the PKK groups 
returning to Turkey sent the message that they were respecting 
national values. 
 
First Turkish Ministerial Visit to Northern Iraq 
Papers report that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and State 
Minister Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan, accompanied by 70 
businessmen, will travel to northern Iraq to meet the 
representatives of the Kurdish regional administration and open a 
Turkish consulate in the cities of Basra and Mosul.  Papers note the 
visit would be the first at the ministerial level to northern Iraq. 
The Turkish delegation will also visit Erbil and meet with the KRG 
President Massoud Barzani.  Islamist-oriented Zaman quotes Barham 
Saleh, the PM of the regional administration of northern Iraq, as 
saying that the visit of the Turkish ministers would be an "historic 
event."  Mainstream Sabah and leftist Taraf say that in Erbil 
Davutoglu is going to raise with Barzani the return of the PKK 
 
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members to Turkey. 
 
"US Praises Turkey on Middle East" (Cumhuriyet) 
Islamist-oriented Zaman, leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet, mainstream 
Milliyet and other papers report that Assistant Secretary of State 
Jeffrey Feltman told a US House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing 
that "Turkey plays a very positive role in contributing to stability 
in Iraq."  Feltman noted that Turkey has "encouraged dialogue 
between Israel and Syria."  "We are concerned about the reasons that 
led to the cancellation of the Anatolian Eagle military exercises," 
Feltman is quoted as saying.  "The US Praises Turkey on the Middle 
East," and "The US Praises Turkey's Role in the Region," read two 
headlines in Cumhuriyet and Zaman respectively. 
 
Turkey to Open Its Ports and Airports to Greek Cyprus (Milliyet) 
Mainstream Milliyet carries a report broadcast by the all-news 
television NTV that Turkey, preparing for a new move on Cyprus, 
would open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot vessels and 
planes in exchange for approval of direct trade between the EU and 
Turkish Cyprus and direct international flights to the Turkish north 
of the divided island. 
 
Editorials on Nukes in Incirlik Airbase, Iran 
 
Sedat Ergin in mainstream Hurriyet questions whether PM Erdogan is 
against the nukes at Incirlik airbase.  Ergin writes "there is an 
important point we should not forget.  When Erdogan says "countries 
against Iran's nuclear program should not have nuclear weapons 
themselves", he challenges not only the US and Israel, but also 
NATO's nuclear policies.  Turkey always defended NATO's defense 
doctrine based on nuclear weapons.  Within this framework, Turkey 
always considered US nuclear power an important part of NATO's and 
therefore Turkey's national security.  For these reasons, Turkey has 
allowed the US for many years to have nuclear warheads at Incirlik 
air base.  Erdogan's words contradict NATO policies.  In the long 
run, this might have an impact on Western perceptions of Erdogan." 
 
Erdal Safak in mainstream Sabah accompanied the PM to Pakistan and 
Iran and he assesses his visit to Iran by saying "hopefully, the 
Western world will stop their threats against Iran and leave them 
alone.  Iran may not have a revolution but is advancing speedily 
towards evolution.  Trust me, a modern, powerful, proud and wealthy 
Iran is about to be born." 
 
Upcoming events: 
 
Q October 30: President Gul and Turkish Cyprus leader Talat will 
meet, to be followed by a joint press conference. 
Q October 30: Erdogan-Talat hold talks. 
Q October 31: Civic organizations will rally in Istanbul to protest 
plots for toppling the AKP government. 
Q October 31: Center-right parties Anavatan and DP will merge at a 
joint convention. 
Q November 8: CHP leader Deniz Baykal will visit Iraq and meet with 
President Talabani. 
 
TV News  (NTV) 
 
Domestic 
Q President Gul approves a bill for holding parliamentary elections 
every four years. 
Q MHP leader Devlet Bahceli said in a circular sent to party 
branches the AKP government's democratic initiative was a "PKK 
initiative." 
Q "Swine flu" kills two women in the cities of Diyarbakir and Konya. 
 
Q Central Bank, in preparation for a possible swine flu pandemic, 
prints new banknotes. 
 
World 
 
 
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Q Zubeyir Aydar of the PKK leadership sends a letter to President 
Obama protesting the placement of the PKK leaders in the list of 
drug traffickers. 
Q Greek Cypriot leader Christofias warns that any concessions to 
keep Turkey on a pro-European path could backfire and likens the 
EU's concessions to Ankara to the appeasement of Adolf Hitler in the 
1930s. 
Q Israeli Trade and Labor Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer will visit 
Turkey on November 24. 
Q US National Security Adviser James Jones met with Russian Foreign 
Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss reducing the nuclear arsenals of 
the two countries. 
 
 
JEFFREY