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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001788 
 
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, DECEMBER 16, 2009 
 
US Embassy Ankara Media Reaction 
Prepared by Public Affairs Information Office on a daily basis 
 
Media Highlights: Turkey Reluctant on Missiles; US Aid to Karabakh; 
Guantanamo; Scuffle Mars American Corner Opening; Trade with Turkey; 
DTP Tensions; Barzani Angry on DTP; Iran Mediation in Karabakh; 
Davutoglu on EU vs Middle East; Climate Change.  Blogger Debates: 
GMOs; DTP Closure 
 
How the US is Playing 
Missile Shield and Turkey's Reluctance:  Milliyet columnist Asli 
Aydintasbas comments on Ankara's reluctance at joining a new NATO 
Missile Shield project.  Despite ongoing Ankara-Washington bilateral 
discussions, Turkish government and military sources are reluctant, 
noting that "Turkish officials do not want to be in a cold war-alike 
atmosphere."  A Turkish military official is quoted as saying 
"Russia and Iran will perceive this as threatening" and one 
government source says "what happens if the missile is blown over 
Turkey?"  Noting concerns that a future missile shield could be 
directed at Iran, Aydintasbas describes Turkey's approach as 
follows: "President Obama brought up the Missile Shield project 
during his meeting with PM Erdogan.  Ankara, in return, asked for 
more information and a bilateral mechanism was established.  At this 
point, Ankara awaits an official request from Washington and also 
looks for clarification on who will be the target for this 
project." 
 
US Aid to Karabakh Stirs Debate:  Mainstream Hurriyet's Moscow 
reporter writes about "the tiff over fiscal aid" between Washington 
and Baku. Azeri administration expresses anger over a Congressional 
mandate for 8 million dollars in aid to Karabakh because "Baku 
considers this decision as an indication of Washington's intention 
to recognize the Karabakh government."  The report adds that the 
Azeri parliament also decided to protest the US over this issue, 
despite  Washington's claims that the fiscal aid is for "supporting 
programs and activities in Karabakh." 
 
Guantanamo Detainees in the US:  Mainstream Sabah headline reads, 
"Guantanamo Detainees' New Home, Illinois," saying, "Thomson 
Correctional Center, a prison in Illinois will become a new home of 
approximately 100 detainees that now are imprisoned at Guantanamo, 
Cuba."  Islamist- oriented Zamanwrites, "Guantanamo Moves to the 
US," and notes, "US is having hard time for housing Gitmo detainees 
in other countries."  In "Gitmo Prisoners Will Be Thomson 
Prisoners," liberal Radikal speculates "Obama who couldn't develop a 
formula to prosecute the prisoners in the US, won't be able to meet 
the Jan 2010 deadline for closing the Guantanamo." 
 
Scuffle Mars American Corner Opening:  Online stories from local 
websites in Turkey's southeast highlight the opening of a new 
American Corner at Gaziantep University and mention a small group 
protesting the event, describing the protests as provocation.  Most 
coverage is positive, focusing on the opening of the American 
Corner; the rector's positive reception and the DCM's opening 
remarks and comments on nuclear issues, Israel and Palestine 
relations, and President Obama's Nobel Peace prize.  Meanwhile, 
Milliyet online and local "guncelgazete" website highlight the 
intense security measures taken after the scuffle between police and 
students, as well as the types of anti-American slogans ("Go Home 
Yankees") displayed. 
 
Turkish Businessmen Hopeful About More Trade with US:  Commenting on 
Turkish PM's visit to Washington, Chairman of the Turkish American 
Businessman Association Ugur Terzioglu expressed optimism for more 
trade in 2010.  "There is a model partnership between the two 
countries which will pave the way to double the trade volume." The 
TABA Chairman also mentioned that American firms are interested in 
co-partnership model with Turkey in order to engage trade in Eurasia 
and the Middle East. 
 
Other News 
 
ANKARA 00001788  002 OF 003 
 
 
Tension Over DTP Closure - "Time to Show Common Sense" (Cumhuriyet): 
All papers and TV channels report on the escalating tensions all 
over Turkey following the closure of the DTP by the Constitutional 
Court.  Mainstream Vatan headline reads "Growing Danger" and reports 
that two people were gunned down by a shopkeeper during a 
demonstration in the eastern province of Mus yesterday.  D 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines the incident as "Time to 
Show Commonsense" and says that calls were voiced to avoid tensions 
and violent street protests right after the court ruling on DTP 
closure and after two people died during demonstrations in Mus. 
President of Workers' Union DISK Celebi said "we need commonsense 
today more than any other time.  The parliament is the only platform 
to find solutions to problems.  The government and the opposition 
parties should exert joint efforts."  Mainstream Sabah says that 
civil activists are calling on DTP to return to the parliament and 
defuse the tensions on the streets.  Mainstreams Hurriyet and Sabah 
report that PM Erdogan will discuss the latest incidents and growing 
tensions with his Ministers today at his office. 
 
Barzani Voices Anger Over Turkish Ban on DTP (Milliyet): KRG leader 
Massoud Barzani on Tuesday slammed the Constitutional Court decision 
to ban main Kurdish party DTP and said he hoped the decision would 
not derail Ankara's efforts to solve the Kurdish issue.  A statement 
released by the office of the President of Iraq's Regional Kurdish 
Administration reads: "The President's office expresses anger at the 
Turkish Constitutional Court's outlawing of the DTP and hopes that 
the Constitutional Court verdict will not halt the opening 
process." 
 
Azerbaijan: "Iran can Mediate to Resolve Karabakh Issue" (Hurriyet): 
Azerbaijani FM Elmar Memmedyarov paid an official visit to Tehran 
the other day and met with his Iranian counterpart Muttaki.  At a 
joint press conference following the meeting, the both ministers 
indicated that other than the Minsk group, Iran can mediate to find 
a solution to Karabakh issue.  Muttaki quoted as saying "Iran is 
ready to extend necessary assistance in order to resolve the 
Karabakh issue."  In response to Muttaki, Memmedyarov said "Iran is 
a stable country in the region.  Stability has a great importance in 
order to establish dialog regarding the Karabakh issue.  During our 
meeting we discussed many bilateral and regional issues.  Of course, 
Karabakh issue had the top priority on our agenda.  Our neighbor and 
brother Iran, on Karabakh issue, always stood by Azerbaijan with the 
statements it delivered in the international platforms at every 
opportunity.  We know that in the future also, Iran will exert great 
efforts to establish peace in the region." 
 
Davutoglu: "EU and Arab Countries are not Alternative to Each Other" 
(Sabah): Speaking at Turk-Arab Forum in Damascus, FM Davutoglu said 
"We are aiming to contribute to develop security, stability and 
prosperity in the region and in the larger scale with our 
multi-dimensional, proactive and constructive foreign policy." 
Reminding at the forum that Turkey's relations continue with the EU 
as well, Davutoglu said "EU and Arab countries are not alternative 
to each other."  In his speech, Davutoglu also called the Arab 
countries to improve their ties with the Turkish Republic of 
Northern Cyprus. 
 
Climate Conference: In "Climate Summit Reaches Life and Death 
Point," liberal Radikal highlights "as Friday's summit finale 
arrives, the outcome is unclear," noting that "large-scale protests 
are expected" when ministers begin their discussions at the 
conference in Copenhagen on Dec 16.  Aksam's senior columnist Utku 
Cakirozer says in, "Deals in Copenhagen But No Guarantees," that the 
actual climate change process will start after Copenhagen and that 
"all countries including Turkey will have hard bargaining to reduce 
their responsibilities until 2012 - when the agreement goes into 
effect." 
 
Blogger Debates (friendfeed.com) 
Turkish politics: "There is no way to resolve problems by closing 
political parties.  They continue to exist only under different name 
 
ANKARA 00001788  003 OF 003 
 
 
tags and the mentality remains the same." 
 
GMO: "There is an incredible amount of disinformation about GMO in 
Turkish media.  Along with fanatical stories, editorial columns are 
also carrying wrong or distorted information.  Maybe now is the time 
to fight against disinformation.  Let's put a separate webpage to 
explain why GMOs are not bad at all." 
 
SILLIMAN