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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000114 
 
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 
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2010 
 
Media Highlights: 
 
How the US is Playing 
 
The US/Turkey-Armenia.  "The US Happy with Armenian Court Decision 
on Protocols" (Taraf); "Armenia: US is on Our Side" (Hurriyet) 
Online reports as well as mainstream Hurriyet and Milliyet carry a 
follow up story on Turkey-Armenia normalization following Ankara's 
uneasiness about Armenian Constitutional Court ruling about process. 
 Hurriyet cites Novosti Armenia wire service that A/S Phil Gordon 
said the "Armenian court's decision does not have anything to 
prevent protocols from ratification process."  Leftist Taraf reports 
Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon told Radio Liberty that 
unlike Ankara, the US "welcomed" the Armenian Constitutional Court 
decision on the protocols with Turkey.  "We see the Armenian court 
decision as a positive step in the ratification process of the 
protocols envisaging a settlement between Turkey and Armenia.  The 
court decision allows for the parliamentary ratification of the 
protocols approved by both governments.  The court decision in no 
way gives the impression it restricts or legally binds the 
protocols," said Gordon. 
 
Editorials on Turkey-Armenia/The US 
Pundits urge the Turkish government not to hesitate on moving 
forward with the ratification process and mention that Washington 
"considers recent uneasiness in Ankara as creating excuses."  In 
"Crisis Foretold" mainstream Sabah's Omer Taspinar warns against an 
upcoming serious crisis with Washington: "Washington believes that 
Turkey is using the Armenian court decision as a pretext not to 
process the ratification.  A high level American diplomat says that 
the ball is in Ankara's courtyard.   In addition to that, the 
Armenian lobby in the US is very active and eager.  The Jewish lobby 
on the other hand is furious about Turkey.  Bearing in mind all of 
these factors, Ankara better be prepared for an upcoming April 24 
genocide resolution crisis with Washington."  Mainstream Milliyet's 
Semih Idiz observes "insincerity" in both Armenia and Turkey: "There 
is a lack of will as well as insincerity about the realization of 
protocol process.  Each capital is trying to send the ball to each 
other in order to avoid responsibility.  The normalization process 
cannot go anywhere as long as this insincere attitude and the lack 
of will continues."  Liberal Radikal's Ceyda Karan has some advice: 
"Ankara should be proactive and should take steps toward concluding 
the ratification process.  By doing that Ankara will really force 
Armenia to act responsibly." 
 
New Bin Laden Tape.  In "Bin Laden's New 9/11 Threat," liberal 
Radikal warns that "Osama bin Laden hailed Dec 25 airline bomb plot 
and threatened new upcoming attacks -like 9/11- against the US in an 
audio message broadcast by al-Jazeera."  Radikal highlights Bin 
Laden's statement that the "US will never be safe unless Palestine 
is safe."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet's headline reads, "Bin 
Laden's New Message," and says, "Al-Qaeda leader claimed 
responsibility for the attack on Dec 25 Amsterdam-Detroit flight in 
a new audiotape broadcasted by Al Jazeera.  Bin Laden said the 
attack was a message just like 9/11."  In "Female Suicide Bombers 
Coming," mainstream Milliyet sounds an alert that "Bin Laden 
threatens more attacks, female suicide bombers who look like Western 
women are being prepared to carry out similar attacks.  Islamist 
oriented Yeni Safak in "I've Sent Hero Omar," says "Bin Laden took 
responsibility for the Christmas attack and said that the bombing 
attempt was a heroic act." Yeni Safak quotes Bin Laden as saying: 
"if it was possible to send our messages by words, we wouldn't have 
sent them by planes." 
 
NSC Hammer: The US Want to Deepen Turkey-the US Strategic 
Partnership (Taraf) 
Leftist Taraf carries a VOA report which says the US National 
Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer told reporters at the Foreign 
Press Center in Washington President Obama appreciated the 
importance of the Turkish-American strategic partnership.  Hammer 
said the US wanted to "deepen" its strategic partnership with 
 
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Turkey, and that more progress would be seen over the course of this 
year.  Hammer noted although differences of opinion were possible, 
there was no strain in ties between Turkey and the US, which have 
been "excellent."  Hammer also stressed Turkey and the US had been 
in close cooperation over the reestablishment of ties between Turkey 
and Armenia, reports Taraf. 
 
Secretary's Internet Speech: "Clinton Wants Informers" (HaberTurk) 
Columnist Ayse Ozek Karasu commented about Secretary Clinton's 
recent speech on internet freedom in mainstream daily HaberTurk 
(1/24): "Secretary Clinton's speech came after China's treatment of 
'google' and she clearly indicated internet freedom as major foreign 
policy indicator for the United States.  It paves the way for the US 
to open a new freedom page all over the world based on the level of 
internet freedom.  Secretary Clinton asked for denunciation of 
countries which limit free access of information.  As seeing her 
very sensitive about internet freedom, I'd like to put myself in an 
informer position as well: Turkish courts are very leisurely 
blocking internet access, and YouTube is still banned."  Mainstream 
Hurriyet and Islamist-oriented Zaman both reported the story of Ms. 
Ceren Kenar of the NGO "Young Civilians" who  attended Secretary 
Clinton's Internet Freedom speech on January 21 and after the speech 
posed for a photo with the Secretary holding a placard that read 
"Release YouTube." 
 
 
In the Headlines 
 
Erdogan: Civilian Dictatorship Has Ended with Us (Yeni Safak) 
Media outlets report Monday on Prime Minister Erdogan's address 
Sunday to supporters in the province of Sakarya.  "They will create 
chaos and treachery scenarios, but we will emphasize democracy and 
national unity.  We will not allow the realization of these illegal 
plans," said Erdogan, and challenged the military and supporters of 
alleged coup plans, referring to ongoing discussions about the 
alleged "Sledgehammer" coup plan recently reported by daily Taraf. 
"Look at the recent developments in the newspapers.  You can't be on 
the side of different searches.  Do you want a coup or democracy?" 
asked Erdogan.  Erdogan said his government was fighting for the 
civilianization of Turkey. 
 
In an exclusive interview with Monday's Milliyet, opposition CHP 
leader Deniz Baykal said the AKP was posing a "serious threat" to 
democracy and Turkey's national integrity.  Baykal said the best way 
to overcome the AK Party would be "people's votes."  "I haven't felt 
the threat of a military takeover over the past eight years.  I 
cannot imagine the Turkish military planning to bomb mosques or down 
a fighter jet of our own," emphasized Baykal.  The CHP leader also 
said if he saw the allegations as firm, the PM should remove from 
office the chief of the military General Staff (TGS) or the force 
commanders. 
 
Turkey Will Train Afghan Military and Police (Sabah) 
Mainstream Sabah reports that Prime Minister Erdogan met with 
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan President Asif Ali 
Zerdari in Istanbul yesterday.  During Erdogan's meeting with 
Karzai, it was decided that Turkey will train Afghan police and 
military in 500 people groups, in Turkey and Afghanistan, for three 
month periods.  Following the meeting between the three countries' 
education ministers, a joint declaration was released saying that 
cooperation on education between the three countries will be 
increased and the books highlighting the historic ties between the 
three countries, will be translated in all three languages.  PM 
Erdogan will go to Afghanistan in the spring to attend the opening 
ceremonies of 68 schools constructed by Turkish Cooperation and 
Development Agency (TIKA).  The declaration also highlighted the 
necessity of the projects to educate the female population and their 
social transformation.  Meanwhile, today President Gul will host a 
three-party meeting with the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan to 
focus on the countering terrorism issues.  This will be the fourth 
meeting in the process of tripartite meetings initiated in 2007, 
 
ANKARA 00000114  003 OF 004 
 
 
Sabah notes.  President Gul will host the "Friendship and 
Cooperation Summit in Asia's Heart" summit for Afghanistan's 
neighbors on Tuesday. 
 
Turkish and British Police Seize 159 Kg. of Heroin (Hurriyet) 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that on January 20, Turkish and British 
police launched simultaneous operations in Manchester, Istanbul and 
Mersin.  During the operations in Manchester 159 kg heroin were 
seized and six people were detained.  Another five suspects were 
detained during the operations in Istanbul and Mersin. 
 
Ahmadinejad is in Preparation for Nuclear Surprise (Milliyet) 
Following his speech on next year's budget bill at the parliament, 
Iranian President Ahmadinejad, referring to the period marking the 
1979 Islamic revolution, said "regarding nuclear energy activities, 
we have news to make Iranians and other free nations happy.  During 
'the ten days of dawn' we will announce good news regarding the 
production of 20 percent enriched fuel in our country." 
 
Poll: 'Confidence in Military' at Lowest Level (Taraf) 
Leftist Taraf carries a public opinion survey conducted by the 
prestigious A&G polling company.  If general elections were held 
today, the distribution of the votes would be as follows: AKP 32 
percent, CHP 21, MHP 19, BDP (DTP) 7, and SP 5.  The survey shows 
that the "confidence in military," which has always been around 90 
percent, has eroded to 63,4 percent over recent coup and conspiracy 
allegations.  It also says the ruling AKP votes was 38,4 percent in 
2009 local elections."  The poll was conducted on December 26-27 and 
in the first week of January. 
 
TV Spotlight (CNN Turk) 
 
MP Mevlut Cavusoglu from AKP has been given the post of the 
president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 
(PACE). 
 
Mehmet Nuri Gunes, the Kurdish BDP Mayor of Igdir and seven party 
officials have been arrested on charges of membership to the PKK. 
 
The Turkish Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz will travel to Davos 
to participate in the World Economic Forum  meetings. 
 
Leading Turkish businessman and cultural benefactor, Sakir 
Eczacibasi, passed away over the weekend at the age of 81. 
 
Life in Istanbul is paralyzed by heavy snowfall.  Intense snowfall 
affects most of Turkey. 
 
Twin sisters have committed suicide in Diyarbakir when one of them 
is forced to marry a relative. 
 
Prime Minister Erdogan phoned his British counterpart Gordon Brown, 
expressing his disappointment with a British court ruling against a 
British couple that built a holiday home in Turkish Cyprus. 
 
Genel Enerji, a company owned by Cukurova Group head Mehmet Emin 
Karamehmet, has built an oil refinery in Iraq's Kurdish region. 
Karamehmet's company needs USD 510 million of loan for the refinery. 
 
 
The government statistics agency said Monday Turkey's population in 
2009 had been 72.6 million, an increase of 1.5 percent from the year 
before. 
 
A plane carrying 170 people in Iran caught fire on landing, injuring 
about 46 passengers. 
 
Afghanistan elections, scheduled for May 22, had been put off to 
September 18 due to lack of funds and security concerns. 
Afghanistan needs USD 120 million in order to hold elections. 
 
 
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JEFFREY