VZCZCXRO9779
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #1593/01 3091148
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051148Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1148
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0118
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 6467
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 4247
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 7623
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 7527
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4122
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001593 
 
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 
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009 
 
Media Highlights:  Commentary Pelts Back on Israeli Ambassador Egg 
Protest; Sudan's Bashir to Visit Turkey; Turkish 
Take on Iran Demonstrations; 'Border Patrol' System for Turkey; EU 
Warns Turkey on Judiciary, Iran; Turkish Poems 
into Armenian; US Election Results Rattle 
 
"Egg Protest Against the Israeli Ambassador" (Yeni Safak) 
All Media outlets report on the Trabzon University "egg" protest 
against Israeli Ambassador Gaby Levy with commentators continuing to 
pelt Black Sea 
politicians for their anti-Semitic behavior.  According to liberal 
Radikal, which provides footage of the protest on its website, about 
25-30 students shouted "Child Killer Israel, Out!" at Ambassador 
Levy and pelted his car with eggs.  Papers report Prime Minister 
Erdogan phoned Rize Mayor Halil Bakirci regarding the mayor's 
previous day's tense dialogue with the Israeli ambassador.*  Bakirci 
is widely quoted today as saying his warnings for the Israeli 
ambassador had not been planned in advance.  Turkish tour operators 
told mainstream Sabah around 400,000 Israeli tourists visited Turkey 
every year, of which 15,000 tour the Black Sea region, and warned 
that Bakirci's comments would lower the number of Israeli visitors. 
(*see Media Reaction, November 4, 2009) 
 
Commentary Warns of "The Risk of Slipping Towards Anti-Semitism:" 
Following yesterday's negative media reaction to the Rize Mayor's 
behavior, mainstream Vatan columnist  Okay Gonensin provides level 
commentary on the Trabzon protest:  "It is only natural for the 
conservative sector in Turkey to support PM Erdogan's "One Minute" 
show in Davos.  The policies of Israel's radical right has always 
been criticized globally.  Naturally, the majority of Turkish public 
also are opposing these policies.  However, it is so easy to go over 
the board and pass that fine line between showing reaction and 
slipping towards anti-Semitism.  The latest example of this is Rize 
AKP Mayor's harsh comments to the Israeli Ambassador.  Anti-Semitism 
has a strong place in Turkey's political Islam traditions.  While 
criticizing Israel's state policies, if the AKP government is not 
careful about the triggering effect of each mistake they make, 
incidents like throwing eggs to the Israeli Ambassador, will be 
repeated commonly." 
 
"Go Home Beshir" -  Sudanese Leader Beshir's Upcoming Visit to 
Turkey 
In "Knock Knock Beshir," liberal Radikal outlines ramifications from 
Sudananese President al-Beshir's visit to Turkey for an OIC 
Conference in Istanbul November 5-8.  The paper notes that Beshir 
will visit Turkey for the third time "although an international 
court asked for his arrest on charges of crimes against humanity," 
and notes that the court's decisions are not binding in Turkey. 
Mainstream Vatan's columnist Gungor Mengi protests Beshir's upcoming 
visit in his column under the headline "Go Home Beshir."  Mengi said 
"Beshir's visit to Turkey last year had a very negative impact in 
the world. The biggest advantage for Beshir in Turkey is to benefit 
from the AKP government's weaknesses.  In order to be in the good 
books of the Islamic world, the AKP is increasingly contradicting 
with the Western world.  Reuters already commented that this visit 
will be a test for Ankara to show its respect to the international 
law.  Moreover, this visit will strengthen the hands of the ones 
accusing Turkey for committing genocide and they will say "of 
course, as the crow flies with crow, the two countries will 
understand each other well!"  When Beshir wanted to go to Uganda, 
people of Uganda did not allow him to enter the country.  Here, 
also, the responsibility not to allow him in belongs to the civil 
public.  Aren't we capable of acting like the Ugandan people?" 
 
"People Flood the Streets in Tehran" (Cumhuriyet) 
All media outlets report that on the 30th anniversary of the raid on 
the US Tehran Embassy, Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard forces 
cracked down Wednesday on opposition-reformist demonstrations in 
Tehran, beating the protesters. Turkish TV carried video from 
protestors beginning in the early afternoon.  In "Down with 
Dictators -- People Flood the Streets in Tehran," 
 
ANKARA 00001593  002 OF 003 
 
 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports opposition leader Mehdi 
Karroubi, who was among the protesters, was also beaten.  Mainstream 
Hurriyet reports "Moderates took to the streets in Tehran." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman says Iranian opposition held demonstrations 
on 'Student Day.'  In "US Strains in Iran Again After 30 Years," 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak says thousands of protestors rallied 
outside the former US Embassy complex, chanting slogans such as 
"Death to America" and "Death to Israel."  In "Double Protests in 
Iran," mainstream Sabah says Iranian opposition protested against 
President Ahmadinejad and the regime on the anniversary of the US 
Embassy raid.  In "Two Poles in Iran," mainstream Milliyet says the 
conservatives' "Death to the Dictator" slogans mixed with the 
reformists' "Death to the US" slogans in the streets of Tehran. 
 
Turkey to Implement 'Border Patrol' System (Aksam) 
Mainstream Aksam reports Turkey, in an effort to catch up to 
European standards regarding border security, would deploy 50,000 
"border patrols" along its borders to fight terror, drug smuggling 
and illegal migration.  The border patrols will not be affiliated 
with the military or the police and will be an "independent 
military" force controlled by the Interior Ministry.   Turkey's 
chief EU negotiator Egemen Bagis said an agreement would be signed 
with the EU on the extradition of illegal migrants, reports Aksam. 
 
 
EU Warns Turkey on Judicial Reforms, Iran 
Papers report European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur Ria 
Oomen-Ruijten warned that many problems in Turkey stemmed from the 
troubles in the functioning of the judiciary.  Oomen-Ruijten urged 
the Turkish government to implement its judicial reform strategy 
without delay.  The EU's draft report calls on Turkey to coordinate 
its foreign policy with the EU, to fulfill its obligations in the 
customs union protocol and to make active contribution to moves for 
solving the Cyprus issue.  It also urges the Turkish parliament to 
approve the normalization protocols signed last month in Zurich. 
Mainstream Milliyet says that Ruijten criticized Turkey for 
deviating from the EU values in dealings with Iran, saying that "she 
noted Turkey had to clarify its views about Iran's nuclear program." 
 The European Parliament has sent a warning about Iran to Turkey, 
comments Milliyet whereas leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet criticizes 
the European Parliament for "meddling" in Turkey's ties with Iran. 
In a related story, papers report that addressing the French Senate 
on Thursday, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn defended Turkey's 
EU entry bid and also stressed that the Turkish government's Kurdish 
"democratic initative" was a "noteworthy effort." 
 
Turkish Literature to be Translated into Armenian (Zaman) 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports Armenia has applied to Turkey for 
the translation into Armenian of 200 poems from 15 noted Turkish 
poets.  The translation of Turkish stories and novels will come 
next.  The Turkish Tourism Ministry supports the project, which is 
to be wrapped up in 2010, says Zaman. 
 
US Election Results Rattle the Democrats 
Media interpret a democratic defeat in two states on the anniversary 
of Obama's triumphant election is a warning to the President.  In 
"Election Grief to Obama on the First Anniversary," liberal Radikal 
notes, "Republicans presented these elections as a 'referendum on 
Obama's performance' who's in trouble with the economic crisis and 
health reforms."  Mainstream Sabah headlines, "Election Shock to 
Obama on His First Year," and characterizes the Republican victory 
as "a warning shot to Democrats looking ahead to the 2010 
congressional elections."  Mainstream Hurriyet writes "Obama's First 
Election Defeat," alerting that "next year will be very difficult 
for Democrats."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet pursues a 
pessimistic line, saying "the election results in two states are a 
disappointment for Obama," while the mainstream Milliyet headline 
reads, "Referendum Shock to Obama."  The paper notes: "Republicans 
claim Americans gave the message that they're fed up with Obama's 
liberal policies." 
 
 
ANKARA 00001593  003 OF 003 
 
 
Upcoming events: 
 
Q November 5: Visiting British Foreign Secretary David Miliband will 
be received by Prime Minister Erdogan and meet with his Turkish 
counterpart Davutoglu. 
Q November 5: Prime Minister Erdogan will hold separate meetings 
with European Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot and Swedish 
Migration Minister Tobias Billstrom. 
Q November 5: Prime Minister Erdogan will hold his weekly meeting 
with army chief General Basbug. 
Q November 5: Turkey's Chief EU negotiator Egemen Bagis visits 
Greece. Bagis will be received by Prime Minister Papandreou. 
Q November 5-9: The 25th session of the Standing Committee for 
Economic and Commercial Cooperation of OIC (COMCEC) will be held in 
Istanbul. 
Q November 8: Iranian President Ahmadinejad will come to Istanbul 
for the COMCEC meeting. 
Q November 6: Foreign Minister Davutoglu will go to Paris on an 
official visit. 
Q November 10: The government plans to take Kurdish "democratic 
initiative" to the parliament for debates. 
 
TV News (NTV) 
 
Domestic 
 
Q Following the announcement of Prime Minister Erdogan that he will 
not get the swine flu shot, President Gul also said he does not want 
to receive the vaccine.  The death toll in the swine flu outbreak 
climbs to 15, with four patients dying of the virus yesterday. 
Q On Thursday, President Gul will visit the eastern Alevi-Kurdish 
majority city of Tunceli, and join the opening of the new academic 
year in Tunceli University. 
Q Environment and health associations will apply to the Council of 
State (Danistay) to demand the annulment of a controversial 
regulation permitting the sale of genetically modified food. 
 
World 
 
Q President Obama has urged the Iranian government to "open the 
door," saying the US wanted a relationship based on mutual interests 
and respect. 
Q A Milan court sentences 23 US citizens in absentia to several-year 
prison terms for the daylight kidnapping of a Muslim cleric six 
years earlier. 
Q New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is elected to his third 
four-year term. 
JEFFREY