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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001666 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2009 
 
Media Highlights: 
 
FBI Director Makes Surprise Visit to Turkey 
Following online reports on his "surprise visit" to Turkey last 
night, mainstreams Aksam and Hurriyet report that FBI director 
Robert Mueller is visiting Ankara today.  Quoting an "unnamed senior 
Turkish MFA official,"  Aksam gives sensationalist play to Mueller's 
schedule, noting that he will discuss Iran's nuclear program,  the 
withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, US support for the evacuation of 
the Makhmur refugee camp and meet with an array of officials, 
including one currently visiting Russia.  Hurriyet, in turn, says 
that the issues of US troop withdrawal from Iraq, PKK and the 
democratic opening will be in "Mueller's briefcase."   Turkish 
television and online websites began reporting late morning 
Mueller's corrected schedule with meetings planned with Deputy Prime 
Minister Cicek, Justice Minister Ergin and the Director General of 
the Turkish National Police Koksal.   (Mueller was in Ankara for 
just one day and no media availabilities were planned) 
 
IRAN: Baradei's Efforts and Turkey's Proposal.  Turkish headlines 
report a secret Baradei proposal, while Turkish pundits comment on 
Ankara's getting "credit" for offering to store Iranian uranium.  In 
"Baradei Secret Bargain to Iran," liberal Radikal says "El Baradei 
has offered a secret agreement to Iran, just before he leaves office 
at the end of this month" to lift sanctions and "allow Tehran to 
continue with most of its nuclear program in return for cooperation 
with UN inspectors."  In "Pressure on Iran Via Peking," 
leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines that "President Obama 
called on Peking to Put Pressure on Iran," noting that President 
Obama said Iran should show more effort to demonstrate that its 
nuclear program was peaceful.  Questioning Iran's long term goals, 
columnist Sami Kohen of mainstream Milliyet doubts that the storage 
of uranium will be good enough to solve the issue: "Transfer of 
uranium to Turkey solves only one aspect of the problem.  Tehran 
still owes an explanation about other undisclosed nuclear 
facilities."  Kohen concludes that "Iran obviously is after the 
establishment of a new world order," and "does everything to 
increase its power as well as its influence."  Meanwhile, liberal 
Radikal columnist Murat Yetkin comments "if a decision is made 
regarding Turkey's storage of Iranian uranium, that will be a 
significant credit for Turkish foreign policy."  Mainstream Aksam's 
Utku Cakirozer indirectly quotes Turkish president Gul as saying 
"Turkey has historic neighborly ties with Iran and it serves Western 
interests that Ankara maintains a dialog with Iran." 
 
ATC in Ankara:  Iran's Response is Just "Rope-a-Dope" 
Mainstream Aksam and English language daily Hurriyet Daily News 
highlight the Ankara visit of Brent Scowcroft, chairman of 
American-Turkish Council (ATC) and ATC Chair-elect Richard Armitage 
and their meetings with President Gul and Foreign Minister 
Davutoglu.  Armitage told press that "It is possible for Turkey to 
be a friend of both the US and Iran" by adding "The US is not trying 
to destroy Iran, but to integrate it into the international 
community."  Armitage likened Iran's response to the international 
community's various offers as playing "rope-a-dope" ala boxer 
Mohammed Ali.  Aksam daily comments that both Armitage and Scowcroft 
are very influential names vis-`-vis lobbying in the U.S.  During 
their contacts in Ankara, Aksam says the main highlight was "a vast 
variety of common issues between Turkey and the US" which makes the 
current "model partnership more important than ever." 
 
Ankara's Surprise Moves on Sudan (Sabah) 
Sabah reports today "a surprise move from Ankara" regarding Sudan 
President Al Bashir, noting that Ankara has withdrawn its earlier 
decision to be a part of the ICC's genocide ruling.  Citing a 
Turkish Foreign Ministry 2010 budget report, Sabah says the Foreign 
Ministry plans to follow a "new procedure" after the ICC's reviewing 
conference that is scheduled for next year. Meanwhile mainstream 
Milliyet reports "Another Crisis Were About to Happen" because Al 
Bashir was invited to the 5th International Turkey-Africa Congress 
to be held in Istanbul November 19-21.  However Milliyet says Al 
 
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Bashir prevented another crisis by declining the invitation and 
notified that Sudan's Agriculture Minister will represent. 
 
"Recognition of Genocide Homework" (Hurriyet) 
Mainstream Hurriyet banner headline fronts story of a 13 year old 
Turkish student in Nancy, France who was forced to recognize 
Armenian genocide when he expressed his counter opinion.  His 
teacher instructed him to go home and come back with finished home 
work that, instead, admitted genocide. Later, the school principal 
told Hurriyet's Paris reporter that the "Turkish student will 
continue in class and he will not be forced to accept anything," 
adding that the earlier practice was only a "pedagogical exercise." 
 
 
We Were on Board the USS Bataan (Sabah) 
Mainstream Sabah reporters visited USS Bataan and asked few 
questions to the commander of the vessel Colonel Samuel Charles 
Henry Howard.  Howard said 'they've been sailing for seven months 
and came to Izmir to boost their morals.  When asked about the 
allegations that prisoners were tortured in the Bataan, Colonel 
Howard said "I am not authorized to comment on this issue. 
Meanwhile, web-sites report that there was a protest at the port of 
Izmir last night by the Communist Party of Turkey from approximately 
1900-2000hrs.  They were protesting the presence of the USS Bataan. 
There we no incidents and TNP kept all protesters away from the main 
port entrance. 
 
Turkish General Staff's Statement to Denounce Anonymous Letter 
Today's papers widely cover the TGS statement, placed on its 
web-site, saying that the third letter sent to Ergenekon case 
prosecutors, which is attributed to the General Staff Legal 
Advisor's office, is fake.  The statement said, "It does not exist 
in our records and the timing of the letter is rather strange."  The 
statement also expressed Turkish military's determination to fight 
against similar attacks. 
 
Iraqi Shiite Leader in Turkey 
NTV, CNNTurk as well as web sites report the visit of Islamic 
Supreme Council of Iraq Shiite leader Ammar El Hekim to Turkey.  El 
Hekim meets with President Gul and Foreign Minister Davutoglu today. 
Upcoming Iraq general elections will be one of the major topics, 
reports note.  In a press event upon his arrival, El Hekim 
emphasized the deep- rooted ties between Turkey and Iraq, and added: 
"We are working toward ensuring all ethnic groups' rights.  We don't 
expect a security issue after the withdrawal of American forces." 
El Hekim mentioned that they will support the 'National Coalition' 
in the Iraq's upcoming elections. 
 
Survey on Religious Trends 
Mainstreams Hurriyet and Milliyet report that Prominent political 
scientists Ersin Kalaycioglu and Ali Carkoglu from Sabanci 
University reported research findings on religiosity in Turkey under 
the framework of the International Social Survey Program, or ISSP, 
which measures religious values from 43 different countries. 
International research was conducted three times in the past; the 
last available data was from 1998. International data from the 2008 
research is expected to be available in 2010. Turkey first 
participated in the survey in 2008 and is the first and only country 
surveyed with a Muslim majority population.  Eighty-three percent of 
Turks identify themselves as religious, with 16 percent saying they 
are extremely religious, 39 percent saying they are highly religious 
and 32 percent saying they are somewhat religious.  Of the 43 
countries surveyed, Turkey, Poland, the Philippines and the United 
States are among the most religious. Almost half of Turks say they 
practice religious prayers and also identify themselves as 
religious. Twenty-eight percent say they pray, but do not regard 
themselves as highly religious. According to Carkoglu, there has 
been a significant increase since 1999 in the number of people who 
identify as religious. "This is the most striking conclusion of this 
survey, though it is not alarming," he said. He added that the 
change could be related to peoples' attitudes toward behaving in 
 
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accordance with the current political climate. Another striking 
discovery made by the survey was that 60 percent of Turks said there 
is only one true religion, while 34 percent said most religions hold 
basic truths.  The findings on tolerance toward religions are 
remarkable as well. Ninety percent of the Turkish population 
reported having a positive view toward Muslims, but this ratio 
dropped to 13 percent for Christians and around 10 percent for Jews. 
Those who said they have highly positive views about non-believers 
of any religion totaled 7 percent. 
 
Ocalan is No Longer Alone 
All papers:  Today's papers widely cover the news on jailed PKK 
leader Ocalan having five new neighbors at Imrali prison. 
Mainstream Milliyet says five convicts, four of them PKK members and 
one of them a member of the TIKKO organization, were transferred 
early yesterday morning to a new prison that has recently been 
constructed on the island.  Ocalan also was taken from the place 
he's been staying for the last ten years and sent to his new room in 
this same prison.  The paper notes that Ocalan will be able to meet 
with the other convicts for 10 hours a week.  Mainstream Vatan 
believes that the five convicts were sent to Imrali upon the 
decision of Europe to end his lonely imprisonment.  Justice Ministry 
decision of transferring the convicts to Imrali was taken because of 
the reports of European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and 
because of the cases opened at European Court of Human Rights, adds 
Vatan. 
 
Article on FM Davutoglu: Scholar in a Political World 
Hurriyet Daily News editor Serkan Demirtas profiles Turkey's Foreign 
Minister Davutoglu, noting that:  "An academic more than a minister, 
an intellectual more than a politician, Foreign Minister Ahmet 
Davutoglu simply introduces a new age in diplomacy. 
 
Upcoming events 
 
- November 18: Italian President Napolitano meets with CHP leader 
Deniz Baykal 
 
- November 18: FM Davutoglu visits Afghanistan 
 
- November 21-22: AKP deputies will have a party gathering in a spa 
resort, Kizilcahamam. 
 
 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
-  MHP leader Bahceli said transferring of five inmates to Imrali 
was preposterous 
 
- DTP leader Turk said the transfer of inmates to Imrali was a 
positive move but would not solve any problems 
 
- Economist Steve Hanke said PM Erdogan's decision to avoid a deal 
with the IMF was very wise 
 
 
World 
 
-  French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless People 
(OFPRA)says that Turkey, Armenia and Serbia were safe for living and 
France will no more take refugees from these states 
 
- China and the United States pledge to step up military exchanges 
and safeguard the peaceful use of outer space following the meetings 
between President Obama and President Hu Jintao 
 
- The European Union's Swedish Presidency says that it is premature 
to recognize a Palestinian state. 
 
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JEFFREY