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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000151 
 
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, JANUARY 29, 2010 
 
Media Highlights: Barzani in USA Supports Democratic Initiative; New 
Claims of US Ergenekon Ties; Obama "Doesn't Quit;" US Appropriates 
Climate; Camp Makhmur Discussions; New Tensions in Turkey-Armenia 
Protocols; Afghan London Conference More Carrot Than Stick; Arab 
League to Open Representation in Ankara; TV Spotlight 
 
US Embassy Ankara - Turkey Media Reaction - January 29, 2010 as 
prepared by the Public Affairs Information Office 
 
How the US is Playing 
 
Barzani in USA:  Supports Turkey's 'Democratic Initiative' (Sabah) 
Pro-government Turkish media play up reports that Iraqi Kurdish 
leader Massoud Barzani voiced support for the GOT's democratic 
initiative in a speech at the Brookings Institute on 1/28.  In "I 
Won't Support Military Operations against the PKK," Taraf reports 
Barzani said in response to a question that "the Iraqi Kurds would 
not be part of a military solution effort against the PKK." Today's 
Zaman, like Sabah, headlines "Barzani Urges Turkey's Kurds to 
Support Government Initiative" and reports that Barzani expressed 
"strong support" for resolving the Kurdish issue through peaceful 
means, and stated "We have all been convinced that military means or 
political pressures never bring solutions, but if this option is 
preferred we will not be a part of it."  In addition, Today's Zaman 
says Barzani claimed Turkey no longer perceived the regional 
administration in northern Iraq as a threat against itself.  Sabah 
and NTVMSNBC report that Barzani also noted the Turkish 
Constitutional Court's ruling for closing the pro-Kurdish DTP was 
"not appropriate."  Today's Zaman opines that Barzani's talks with 
President Obama and Secretary Clinton came ahead of key 
parliamentary elections to be held in Iraq in March. Reports on the 
speech were also included on the semi official Anatolian News 
Agency, NTV, as well as the Turkish service of VOA. 
 
New Claims for US Involvement in 'Ergenekon' (Aksam) 
Mainstream Aksam gives front-page coverage to fresh allegations of 
US involvement in the Ergenekon network.  The paper says that two of 
the suspects mentioned in the 'Poyrazkoy' indictment were 
interrogated for possible links with Americans.  According to the 
indictment, Rescue and Submarine Commander Colonel Orhan Yucel 
interrogated Lt. Col. Ercan Kirectepe and Major Eren Gunay in 
connection with the charges that they took weapons from Americans 
and buried them.  The indictment charges Kirectepe and Gunay with 
membership in the Ergenekon network, which have attempted to 
dissolve the parliament.  Aksam reports that a vehicle "belonging to 
the US Istanbul Consulate" allegedly entered the military 
'Poyrazkoy' zone, with someone in the car taking photographs. 
 
Obama Doesn't Quit 
Turkish media highlight President Obama's first State of the Union 
address and emphasize that "he won't quit on pushing his agenda." 
Liberal Radikal headlines "People are Jobless and Suffering, 
Decreasing Unemployment is Our Main Priority," and says "Obama 
declared jobs must be the number one focus in 2010."  In "Barack 
Obama: Increasing Employment Will Be Our Priority," mainstream 
Milliyet notes "Obama emphasized employment has to be the main 
priority" and that "he'll hang tough on health care reform." 
Mainstream Hurriyet headlines "Obama Tells People of Immense Debts 
and Says Main Goal Are Jobs," and opines, "stressing he won't quit, 
Obama promised to increase employment."  In "He Seeks Support of 
Republicans for Unemployment," leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says 
"Obama asked Republicans for their support to work together on 
employment issues." Meanwhile, mainstream Sabah in "World Leader 
Obama 'Forgets' the World This Time" focuses on the "content of the 
speech" saying "Obama mainly touched on the domestic agenda 
including the US economy, and almost forgot foreign policy in his 
first State of the Union speech." 
 
US-Turkey-Iraq to Discuss Camp Makhmur (Yeni Safak) 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak reports the US-Turkey-Iraq "three-party 
mechanism" will meet in Ankara on February 3 to discuss the 
 
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evacuation of Camp Makhmur as well as the PKK members expected to 
come down from the mountains, the infiltration of terrorists from 
northern Iraq, and drugs and arms trafficking. 
 
US Appropriates Copenhagen Climate Accord (CNN Turk online) 
CNN Turk online reports the US has "appropriated" the Copenhagen 
Climate Accord which has set "non-binding goals with regard to 
reducing green gas emissions."  Todd Stern, the Obama 
Administration's chief climate negotiator, said the US would target 
reducing carbon dioxide and other gas emissions by 17 percent until 
¶2020. 
 
In the Headlines 
 
Turkey-Armenia Protocols Enter Difficult Phase (Radikal) 
Media continue their in-depth coverage of the "protocol 
disagreement" between Ankara and Yerevan with headlines such as 
"Armenia Drafts Bill to Withdraw Protocols," (Hurriyet), "Yerevan 
Puts Another Blockade on Protocols Process" (Yeni Safak), and 
"Armenia Pushes the Button to Withdraw Protocols," (Aksam).  Media 
report that the Armenian presidential advisor Vigen Sargsyan told 
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that a bill which would authorize the 
Armenian President withdrawing his signature from the "normalization 
protocols" with Turkey is being readied.  Turkish papers underscore 
that the Armenian Constitutional Court had earlier linked the 
implementation of the protocols to the recognition of Armenian 
'genocide' claims.  In "Washington Distanced to Ankara's Protocol 
Concerns," Zaman reports Foreign Minister Davutoglu conveyed 
Turkey's uneasiness to Secretary Clinton during a brief meeting on 
the sidelines of the Afghanistan conference in London, and comments 
that Washington believes Turkey should not pay too much attention to 
the Armenian court's justification. 
 
In "High Armenia Tension in London," mainstream Hurriyet says 
yesterday's heavy diplomatic traffic among Turkey, Armenia, 
Azerbaijan and Russia in London failed to defuse the tensions 
between Ankara and Yerevan.  The paper reports that FM Davutoglu 
told FM Nalbandian that the Armenian Constitutional Court decision 
was against the spirit of the protocols and demanded guarantees that 
Armenia would abide by the blueprint.  Nalbandian reportedly said 
the court decision was not contradicting the protocols.  The two 
ministers, however, agreed to discuss the issue again at a security 
conference to be held in Munich next month, says Hurriyet. 
 
Commentaries on Turkey-Armenia 
Sami Kohen of mainstream Milliyet advises a comprehensive win-win 
approach on the protocol process and does not quite agree with 
"Armenia will suffer more if the protocols are put on shelf" 
argument:  "Not only Armenia, Turkey also will face problems in 
international platforms.  Additionally the issue itself will 
continue to become one of the key factors before the advancement of 
Turkish-American ties.  Therefore, we should think about the 
benefits for both sides when the protocols are fully ratified." 
Erdal Safak of pro-government/mainstream Sabah thinks a bit 
differently: "Armenia is trying to kill the protocols.  Unless 
Armenia is put international pressure on the Karabakh issue and 
until a result is achieved, there seems no way to see protocol 
ratification."   Ferai Tinc in mainstream Hurriyet calls the 
protocols "at stake" but notes that responsibility is distributed 
among Turkey and Armenia: "Turkey put out a clear Karabakh condition 
while Armenia tried to insert a genocide interpretation.  There were 
efforts on both sides to force an impasse on protocol ratification. 
Given Yerevan's latest try to undo the signature, realization of the 
protocols is headed toward an impossible end." 
 
Afghanistan London Conference: Carrot and Sticks 
In "Carrot Instead of Stick" mainstream Sabah reports that the 
international committee, which had previously been "collecting 
soldiers against the Taliban," this time met in London to collect 
money to convince the Taliban "to lay down their arms."  In 
"Conditional Support for the Taliban," Islamist-oriented Zaman, as 
 
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well as Sabah, notes that by day's end only $140 million had been 
collected out of a targeted $500 million.  Meanwhile, mainstream 
Milliyet headlines "Karzai Invites Taliban to Parliament" and 
reports that the Afghan Government plans to invite Taliban members 
to the "Loya Jirga" assembly to discuss the reintegration plan.  In 
a related story, under the headline "Ankara is Playing a Unique 
Role"  Sabah reports that State Department spokesman Philip Crowley 
praised Turkey "as a key member of NATO and ISAF, Turkey plays a 
unique and important role in Afghanistan."  All media prominently 
report that Afghan President Karzai in opening remarks thanked 
Turkey for hosting an Afghan-Pakistan conference in Istanbul and 
urged Saudi Arabia to increase their contribution for Afghanistan 
projects. 
 
Arab League to Open Representation in Ankara (Zaman) 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports following a recent acceleration of 
ties with Turkey, the Arab League has decided to open a 
representation office in Ankara.  Moroccan diplomat Muhammad Fatih 
al-Nasiri has been appointed to head the office, which is expected 
to open next week in Ankara. 
 
TV Spotlight (CNN Turk) 
 
Prime Minister Erdogan met Thursday with labor union Turk-Is to 
discuss the problems of workers who have been on strike for 46 days 
in protest of the privatization of former state tobacco and liquor 
monopoly Tekel. 
 
On January 29-30, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov will visit 
Turkey for talks with President Gul and PM Erdogan. 
 
Prime Minister Erdogan will deliver his monthly address to the 
nation in a televised speech Friday evening. 
 
NATO defense ministers will meet in Istanbul on February 4-5. 
 
President Gul will visit India and Bangladesh from February 7-13. 
 
A draft bill for the establishment of Human Rights Institution has 
been submitted to the parliament for approval. 
 
The IMF's First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky said they were 
holding productive talks with Turkey. 
 
Greek PM Papandreou said it was time to seek better ties with Turkey 
and other neighbors. 
 
The UN Disaster Risk Reduction said the situation in Haiti would 
deteriorate when storms season starts in May. 
 
Denmark said Thursday it would limit the use in public of the burka 
and veils worn by some Muslim women, but stopped short of 
introducing a law banning the garments. 
 
JEFFREY