VZCZCXRO4795
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0168/01 0340537
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 030537Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1970
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0280
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 6892
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 4462
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 7767
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 7682
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4281
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/39OS INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 523 IZMIR TU
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEUITH/AFLO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000168 
 
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 
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2010 
 
US Embassy Ankara - Turkey Media Reaction - February 2, 2010 as 
prepared by the Public Affairs Information Office 
 
How the US is Playing 
 
A/S Phil Gordon calls on Turkey and Armenia To Ratify Protocols 
In early reporting, Hurriyet On-Line in "US calls on Turkey and 
Armenia to Ratify the Protocols" reports that A/S Gordon told a 
press conference that Turkey and Armenia need to move forward in 
ratifying and implementing protocols signed last October on 
establishing diplomatic relations.  "We believe this is an 
opportunity to overcome really historic differences between the two 
countries in a way that would benefit both," Gordon said.  "To 
establish normalized relations between the two countries and open 
the border would contribute to peace and stability in the region, 
and we think that is true regardless of other issues -- that it 
needs to move forward independently of other issues, simply because 
it is in the interest of the two countries," he said.  Gordon said 
that US government was in touch with both government and that Obama 
administration encouraged them to move forward.  "Turkey-Armenia 
normalization is a good thing in and of itself and it should move 
forward because of that," he added. 
 
Summit to Discuss Makhmur Camp (Sabah) 
In twin stories from a leaked source, mainstreams Aksam and Sabah 
both report that Iraq commander General Odierno will make a 3 day 
visit to Ankara starting February 2.  In  "Hood Incident General is 
Coming for Makhmur," Aksam describes General Odierno as the person 
who was responsible for the hood incident when Turkish military 
officers were detained in northern Iraq by American troops on July 
4, 2003.  According to Aksam, the US and Iraq will submit a report 
on the number of refugees in the camp, their ages and their 
expectations.  In addition, an offer by Odierno to deploy US troops 
in some critical areas in Northern Iraq, tabled in a meeting with 
journalists in Iraq last August, will be considered, adds Aksam. 
Mainstream Sabah reports that the meeting will be between General 
Ray Odierno and Turkish and Iraqi Foreign Ministry Officials with 
Interior Ministry bureaucrats, Security Department terror and 
intelligence officials, Gendarmerie, MIT and TGS officials also 
attending.  The Sabah report says the meetings will focus on how to 
evacuate the camp and how and where in Turkey to bring the refugees. 
 
 
US Embassy: "It's Absurd to Link the US to Ergenekon Investigation" 
(Sabah and others) 
All papers today report that the spokesperson described the 
allegation of US involvement in the Ergenekon case as "absurd" and 
in a press release Monday said the embassy "could not comment on an 
ongoing case in a Turkish court."  Aksam and Sabah earlier reported 
that a part of the Ergenekon indictment alleged that a car 
registered to the US Consulate in Istanbul had entered a military 
zone to take photographs of an excavation scene in the Poyrazkoy 
district where weapons and explosives were unearthed last April. 
 
 
US Defense Strategy.  In "Nobel Prize Winner Obama Allocates $160 
Billion for War," mainstream Milliyet reports that "Obama allocates 
$708 billion for the military budget with $160 billion for Iraq and 
Afghanistan" while noting that "President Obama proposed a $3.8 
trillion budget to the Congress" which "targets economic recovery 
with plans to double exports in five years and create employment for 
2 million people."  Islamist-oriented Zaman "In "US Budget Deficit 
$1.3 Trillion," says "Obama's budget proposal forecasts a $1.56 
trillion deficit in 2010." Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet focuses on 
the "Fight Against Terror Everywhere" and highlights that the 
"Pentagon shifts its 25 year strategy to focus on preparing for a 
range of threats in various regions rather than being prepared to 
fight two wars at the same time."  Liberal Radikal follows up on the 
war theme, headlining "Obama Follows Bush," and thinks, "Nobel prize 
winner Obama, who is called the 'president of war', follows in the 
 
ANKARA 00000168  002 OF 004 
 
 
steps of his predecessor by allocating a record budget to Iraq and 
Afghanistan wars." Columnist Husnu Mahalli of mainstream Aksam 
objects strongly to the new defense strategy which he calls "war 
mongering."  He opines: "Despite his election-winning slogans of 
change and peace, President Obama started to pursue a war mongering 
attitude after less than a year in the office.  Events of the past 
tell a lot about how local people suffered while the US and Western 
style war-democracies played games in the Islamic geographic areas. 
 Let's not forget that Washington had promised to bring democracy to 
the Middle East by invading Iraq and Afghanistan.  Those who have 
high hopes for Obama should think twice." 
 
US Religious Freedoms Report Criticized by Turkish Party Leader 
"The US provided security training for religious minorities in 
Turkey" proclaims a banner headline in nationalist Tercuman which 
covers criticism from Islamist oriented Saadet Party leader Numan 
Kurtulmus.  Kurtulmus quotes a paragraph from State Department's 
Religious Freedoms report, "The consulate general in Istanbul 
provided training for minority religious communities as a part of 
its overall security strategy" and demands a public explanation for 
"the purpose, intention and reasoning" for this training.  SP leader 
told reporters that he requested information both from Istanbul 
Consulate General and the Istanbul Governorship.  He said he did not 
get any response from the Consulate, and the Governor's office told 
him "they were not involved in this training and have no information 
what it is all about." 
 
In the Headlines 
 
Armenian Foreign Ministry: "Erdogan is Distorting the Facts" 
(Hurriyet) 
Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tigran Balayan said that during 
his interview with the Euro News TV, PM Erdogan distorted the facts 
when commenting on the Turkey-Armenia normalization process.  Arm 
Info news agency quotes Balayan as saying "As Armenia, we did and we 
are doing everything on our part, whatever was determined by the 
road map and by the signed protocols between Turkey and Armenia." 
 
'Disciplinary Penalty' for Using Phosphor Bomb in Gaza (Hurriyet) 
In "Phosphor Bomb Confession from Israel," mainstream Vatan reports 
Israel has announced two high level military officers were given 
"disciplinary penalties" for firing phosphor bombs at a UN building 
in Gaza during operation Cast Lead.  "They Went Unpunished Again," 
reads a headline in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak which says only one 
Israeli soldier was convicted so far for actions during the invasion 
and that was for stealing the credit cards of a Palestinian. 
Mainstream, pro-government Sabah says Israel has admitted to its 
crimes during the Gaza operation which strained ties between Turkey 
and Israel. 
 
UNSYG's Talat Visit Angers Greek Cypriots (Zaman) 
Media outlets report that UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon paid a visit to Cyprus 
to boost peace talks for the reunification of the island.  Zaman and 
Milliyet comment, however, that the visit was overshadowed when Ban 
met Talat in the Turkish Cypriot presidential palace.  Greek 
Cypriots were angered, saying it amounted to "recognition" of the 
breakaway state in the north, and media report the UN was forced to 
announce that the Greek Cypriot administration was the only 
legitimate government on the island.  In a joint press conference he 
held with Talat and Christofias, Ban said he was "impressed" with 
the progress recorded in the negotiations so far.  "Your fate is in 
your own hands," Ban told the leaders, and expressed faith that the 
two leaders would reach a mutually acceptable solution. 
 
Turkish Consulate to Barzani's Capital (Hurriyet) 
Mainstream Hurriyet reports that the central Baghdad administration 
accepted Turkey's proposal to open a consulate in Irbil, the capital 
of the autonomous Kurdish region headed by Massoud Barzani.  The 
Turkish Consulate in Irbil will be responsible for Dohuk and 
Sulaymaniye as well.  H|rriyet says that in line with the principle 
of reciprocity, Iraq will open a new consulate in Turkey. 
 
ANKARA 00000168  003 OF 004 
 
 
 
Turkey Leading Country in Human Rights Violations (Cumhuriyet) 
Turkish papers carry a Guardian article which says Turkey was named 
as the "worst violator of the 47 signatory states" to the European 
convention of human rights from 1959 to 2009.  The article cites the 
case of a Kurdish teenage girl named Berivan who was sentenced to 
seven years and nine months for "terror crimes" at a protest rally 
in the southeastern city of Batman.  "The conviction highlights 
Turkey's practice of jailing children for terror-related offences 
under counter-terrorism legislation introduced in 2006," writes the 
Guardian, and notes that recent official figures revealed there are 
currently 2,622 minors in Turkish prisons. 
 
Attempts to Bring Haitian Children to Turkey Faltering (Hurriyet 
online) 
Mainstream Hurriyet website reports a Turkish charity, the 
Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) said the Haitian government has 
suspended IHH's efforts to bring Haitian children to Turkey after an 
incident with an American group allegedly trying to transport 
children out of Haiti.  The IHH has been providing food for 2,000 
people, including 700 children separated from their parents. 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports the Turkish Red Crescent has set up 
a "tent city" in Port au Prince. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Foreign Policy Formulation 
Several columnists are worried about possible consequences of the 
Turkish foreign policy formulation and its "global player" approach. 
 In mainstream Milliyet, columnist Sami Kohen not only points out 
some negative events in the past but also foresees a few upcoming 
problems: "When Turkey hosted the Pakistan-Afghanistan conference, 
India was not invited due to Pakistan's sensitivity.  This attitude 
later caused tension with New Delhi.  Similarly, Turkey had to fine 
tune its Armenia normalization protocol for the sake of Azeri 
sensitivity.   Middle East policy and Ankara's closeness to Hamas 
continues to be a problem vis-`-vis Israel and some Arab countries, 
and Turkey's Iran policy has certainly enough potential to create 
problems for Ankara in international platforms, including the UNSC." 
 Sami Kohen concludes that "being a global actor in foreign policy" 
is certainly a nice goal but all pros and cons have to carefully 
calculated.  Columnist Utku Cakirozer in mainstream Aksam points to 
the Iran and Armenia issues to "create headaches" for Ankara: "Soon 
the UNSC will start discussing sanctions against Iran and the 
options vary from economic embargo to military operation.  Ankara 
distanced itself from the democracy debate on Iran, however, the 
growing popular resistance against the Iran regime must be carefully 
analyzed.  It is also possible to see a crisis with Washington over 
the genocide issue.  President Obama may feel more obliged to 
Armenian claims, especially on the eve of by-elections." 
 
Breaking News - ECHR Ruling: CNN Turk online and television report 
the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that the denial of a 
Turkish citizen's demand to register his religion as "Alevi" instead 
of "Islam" was a violation of religious freedom.  The court also 
released a ruling that said that Turkey was "right" in denying the 
request of eight of its citizens to have their names written on 
their ID cards using Kurdish characters. 
 
 
TV Spotlight (CNN Turk) 
 
"Tekel" workers striking in Ankara and the government have failed to 
agree.  Workers will go on a hunger strike today. 
 
A court annulled a 772.5 million lira fine given to Dogan Media 
Holding for irregularities in the sale of shares to Axel Springer 
group.  Finance Ministry said it will appeal the ruling. 
 
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will visit 
Ankara to meet PM Erdogan and join a meeting of the Turkey-Iran 
Joint Economic Commission. 
 
 
ANKARA 00000168  004 OF 004 
 
 
Japanese credit rating company JCR has upgraded Turkey's credit 
rating to BB from BB- saying Turkey was resistant to foreign shocks. 
 
 
Burhan Kuzu, head of the parliament's constitutional affairs 
committee, said they would not scrap the ten-percent election 
threshold in Turkey. 
 
The Greek government prepares a report for the settlement of the 
problems of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace. 
 
At least 54 Shiite pilgrims are killed in Baghdad and over 100 
others are wounded, when a female suicide bomber detonated near a 
crowded checkpoint. 
 
JEFFREY