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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000155 
 
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, FEBRUARY 2, 2010 
 
Media Highlights 
 
US Embassy Ankara - Turkey Media Reaction - February 1, 2010 as 
prepared by the Public Affairs Information Office 
 
How the US is Playing 
 
"US Encircles Iran with Weapons" (Yeni Safak) 
All media outlets carry in detail a Washington Post story which says 
the Obama Administration was quietly working with Saudi Arabia and 
other Persian Gulf states to speed up arms sales and upgrade 
defenses for oil terminals and other key infrastructure in a bid to 
thwart military attacks by Iran.  "The US Arms the Gulf," reads a 
headline in mainstream Hurriyet; "Intimidation Aimed at Iran," 
reports all-news broadcaster NTV; "The US Speeds up Arms Sales to 
Gulf against Iran Threat," says a headline in Islamist-oriented 
Zaman.  Zaman also points out that according to the story, regional 
countries, including Yemen, UAE, Kuwait, Jordan and Turkey, were all 
seeking nuclear energy for peaceful purposes but that "if Iran were 
to test a weapon, those countries might reassess their options." 
 
In "Remorseless Kidnap of Quake-Stricken Orphans," 
conservative-nationalist Bugun expresses concern over the growing 
fear of human trafficking in Haiti reporting the story of "ten 
American Baptists arrested for kidnapping 33 children from the 
earthquake-hit country."  There is broad media coverage of the child 
trafficking arrests of the 10 Americans "after they tried to cross 
the border with more than 30 children who did not have proper 
paperwork."   Islamist oriented Yeni Safak carries the headline, 
"Americans Kidnapped Those Kids," and says they were arrested for 
kidnapping children "who were being searched for, for days." 
Mainstream Sabah calls it "Ten Americans Were Going to Kidnap 31 
Haitian Orphans," while leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headline 
says, "Ten Child Trafficker Americans Arrested in Haiti." 
Mainstream Milliyet says, "Haiti's Social Affairs Minister Yves 
Christallin called the operation an abduction, not adoption." 
 
"Mysterious American Vehicle in Poyrazkoy" (Vatan) 
Mainstream Vatan claimed Sunday that a car belonging to the US 
Consulate in Istanbul was used to take pictures of a military zone 
in Poyrazkoy on April 7, 2009, 17 days before security forces 
unearthed weapons, allegedly buried by the illegal 'Ergenekon' 
group, in the area.  According to mainstream Aksam columnist Mustafa 
Mutlu, the US vehicle entered the military zone and took photos "by 
mistake" but he still opines that foreign powers had a role in the 
allegations about a military coup in Turkey.  Aksam did report 
Sunday that the US Embassy has voiced strong reactions to the 
reports claiming US involvement in the weapons unearthed in 
Poyrazkoy, calling the charges "absurd." 
 
"Jewish Security Teams" Claims (Sabah) 
Sunday papers report the Islamist-oriented Saadet Party (SP) leader 
Numan Kurtulmus said that the US Consulate in Istanbul was giving 
"general security training" to religious minority groups in 
Istanbul.  Kurtulmus added that the US State Department's 2009 
religious freedom report contained information about this training. 
Mainstream Sabah repeats the story on Monday, adding that a 
businessman, Dogan Kasadolu, confirmed what Kurtulmus reported, 
saying high-school graduate volunteers were used to guard Jewish 
organizations, foundations and institutions after being trained 
abroad. 
 
In the Headlines 
 
Erdogan on New Constitution, Israel, Armenia 
All media outlets carry excerpts from Prime Minister Erdogan's 
Sunday meeting with reporters on state broadcaster TRT, in which the 
PM said his government was going to remove a controversial protocol 
on Security, Public Order and Assistance, known as the Emasya 
Protocol.  The protocol, which authorizes the military to conduct 
operations and intelligence gathering in cities without the approval 
 
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of the governor's office or police, was signed by the police and the 
military in 1997, and now the military General Staff (TGS) and the 
Interior Ministry are working to annul the protocol.  Erdogan also 
vowed to change the constitution.  "We want a constitution in EU 
standards, which must be a civilian constitution, and the ideal way 
for accomplishing this would be holding a referendum," said Erdogan. 
 Liberal Radikal says Erdogan's remarks would be a turning point in 
the debate over a military tutelage regime in Turkey. 
 
Erdogan said Israel should give some thought to what it would be 
like to lose a friend like Turkey.  "The way they recently treated 
our ambassador has no place in international politics.  We have done 
our best for Israel-Syria relations.  But now we see Prime Minister 
Netanyahu saying, 'I do not trust Erdogan, but I trust Sarkozy.'" 
He also commented on the Israeli foreign ministry's recent 
accusation of causing tensions between Turkey and Israel by saying: 
"I am telling the truth, and I will keep telling the truth.  When 
innocent civilians are ruthlessly killed, struck by phosphorus 
bombs, infrastructure is demolished in bombings and people are 
forced to live in an open-air prison, we cannot see this as 
compatible with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." 
 
On the Armenian Constitutional Court's interpretation of the recent 
Turkish-Armenian protocols, Erdogan said: "We appear to have gotten 
off to an unhealthy start.  What are we negotiating about?  What are 
we going to do?  Armenia should once again take this into 
consideration because we fulfilled our protocol commitments." 
Erdogan also said both sides had road maps, and that the process 
would continue. 
 
Critical Day in Cyprus (Radikal, Milliyet) 
Hurriyet and other papers reported on Sunday the Greek Cypriots have 
accepted a package prepared by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots that 
includes the right of visa-free entry, free travel, free settlement 
and the right for Turkish nationals to obtain property.  In "72 
Million Turks Will Enjoy EU Rights In Cyprus" Hurriyet reports Greek 
Cypriot leader Christofias said the" nod of Greece and the EU is 
needed for the package."  Hurriyet sees the acceptance of the 
Turkish package as "big progress in Cyprus talks." 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon 
arrived in Cyprus on Sunday to boost the "slow-moving talks." 
Liberal Radikal notes that with the participation of Ban Ki-Moon in 
Monday's meetings, the parties are expected to make the first 
concrete progress in the long lasting Cyprus talks.  Zaman notes the 
two Cypriot leaders have achieved only "marginal progress" in 17 
months of negotiations and reports that PM Erdogan commented 
yesterday in a live broadcast that "In my opinion, Christofias is 
not able to move comfortably, and we have also entered a difficult 
period."  Erdogan said he appreciated Talat's determination to 
continue negotiations without any interruption due to the election 
process. 
 
In "Why Did UN Secretary General Come to Cyprus?" Ferai Tinc opines 
in mainstream Hurriyet:  "Ban Ki-Moon is the third UN Secretary 
General, paying a visit to Cyprus.  As it is alleged, the reason for 
his visit is not to give support to Turkey only, but to support the 
process, which has been going on between the two leaders for months. 
 It is obvious that this visit has a big role in reviving a nearly 
collapsed process.  Even though, Moon doesn't offer a new approach 
for a solution, he will still show that he is there to revive the 
process and to explain that the talks will continue in February 
also.  This visit reminds everyone of the UN's involvement in Cyprus 
and this the only platform which gives equal bases to Turkey and 
Turkish Cyprus.  And again, bringing this platform to the agenda is 
very important at a period when the EU reports and European Justice 
Commission decisions, obstruct a fair solution." 
 
Editorial Commentary on the New Arms Draft Law 
Riza Turmen criticizes the draft for the new weapons law in "Under 
the Shadow of the Weapons" in mainstream Milliyet:  "As a nation, we 
Turks love weapons and we have a habit of expressing our happiness 
 
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and sorrow by firing weapons.  In Turkey, most of the time, weapons 
are used by the civilians and by the officials, in unintended ways. 
It is an important human rights issue in Turkey if the police fire 
before the necessary conditions occur.  Allowing the police force 
and the MIT to import military weapons has been discussed in the 
Parliament's Internal issues sub commission reviewing the 'Arms Law' 
draft.  With this law, police and the MIT will be able to import and 
use weapons which should only be used for military goals.  The 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has a 
document which was agreed to by all member countries, including 
Turkey, which outlines a code for the military and civilian sides of 
security.  This document and the code has a binding role.  According 
to article 26 of this document, ' under the international 
guarantees, each OSCE state, will control its paramilitary forces so 
they do not exceed its founding intensions.'  Police are accepted as 
a paramilitary force.  Therefore, Turkey is responsible for the 
police force not to own weapons exceeding its founding intensions." 
Turmen concludes that "while a peace and democracy atmosphere is 
pursued in Turkey, it will not serve any purpose, for the police and 
the MIT to have heavy weapons and the civil public should be the 
main follower of this important issue." 
 
'Alevism' Will be Taught in Religious Classes (Zaman) 
All Sunday papers report that at the end of a three-day workshop 
with government officials held in Kizilcahamam near Ankara, Turkey's 
religious Alevi minority has asked the government to lift compulsory 
religious lessons or amend the content.  They want to avoid going to 
court to get a child out of these mandatory classes.  Mainstream 
Haberturk notes that the decisions adopted at the workshop were 
"revolutionary" and were important not only for the Alevis, but also 
for representatives of other religious groups.  Mainstream Milliyet 
says religious instruction will remain compulsory, but students will 
be free to decide whether to receive instruction about religious 
practices. 
 
Afghanistan Wants Turkish Imam-Hatip High Schools (Hurriyet online) 
Mainstream Hurriyet online reports the Afghanistan government wants 
Turkey to build religious vocational high schools (Imam-Hatip) in 
the country, with Education Minister Faruk Wardak saying they wanted 
a "modernization" of Islamic education.  Wardak highlighted the 
importance of fighting illiteracy, of women's education, and the 
need for technical schools, and added Afghanistan could make use of 
Turkey's experience in this regard. 
 
TV Spotlight (CNN Turk) 
 
People will gather in Istanbul to honor Abdi Ipekci, the late chief 
editor of daily Milliyet, who was assassinated in 1979, on the 31st 
anniversary of his death.  Ipekci was murdered by Mehmet Ali Agca 
who has recently been released after 30 years. 
 
NATO defense ministers will meet in Istanbul on February 4-5. 
 
President Gul will visit India and Bangladesh from February 7-13. 
 
Russian President Medvedev will pay an official visit to Turkey in 
May as the guest of President Gul. 
 
On Monday, UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon will come together with the Greek and 
Turkish Cyprus leaders in the divided island to boost peace talks. 
 
 
The ruling AK Party is working to remove the restrictions on 
political propaganda in Kurdish during elections. 
 
The seventh Alevi workshop has ended Sunday; the government and 
Alevi participants reached compromise on several issues. 
 
Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin said the "constitutional reforms 
package"  might contain a provision for curbing the 10 percent 
election threshold. 
 
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Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) says Turkey needs more than one 
nuclear plant to meet its energy needs. 
 
At a news conference in Kabul, President Karzai has renewed calls 
for the Taliban to lay down their arms and recognize the laws of 
Afghanistan. 
 
 
JEFFREY