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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000270 
 
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 
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2010 
 
Media Highlights 
 
US Embassy Ankara - Turkey Media Reaction - February 18, 2010 as 
prepared by the Public Affairs Information Office 
 
How the US is Playing 
 
Turkey Urges Softer Tone as Time Ticks Away for Iran (Hurriyet Daily 
News) 
In a 2/18 late morning press availability, FM Davutoglu told 
reporters that an expected Obama-Erdogan telephone was eminent to 
discuss the outcome of Turkish diplomacy with Iran.  Additionally, 
Davutoglu said he had discussed his trip with Secretary Clinton late 
on 2/17 and confirmed that Turkey had made several proposals to Iran 
"some on the spot, others with the knowledge of the West."  Tabloid 
Aksam reports that FM Davutoglu will brief US Undersecretary William 
Burns on his 2/16  visit to Tehran, focusing on how Iran responded 
to Turkey's "new" proposals on uranium exchange.  Media report that 
Ankara offered to host the exchange of Iran's low-enriched uranium, 
with the 20-percent enriched uranium to be supplied by world powers 
as part of an IAEA deal.  Asked how Iran responded to the proposal, 
a Turkish diplomat in Hurriyet said "We are trying to avoid 
escalating tensions but the Iranians are inscrutable and there is no 
single Iran in front of us."  Davutoglu held key discussions with 
four top Iranian officials, including President Ahmadinejad, FM 
Mottaki, Parliament Speaker Larijani and Chief Nuclear Negotiator 
Jalili. Press reports claim that the talks began at 9 a.m. Tuesday 
and lasted past midnight. 
 
Secretary Clinton Says No Military Action Against Iran on al-Arabiya 
(CNN-Turk) 
In "Is There an Operation Against Iran?" CNN-Turk reports that 
Secretary Clinton clearly delineated between military action and 
sanctions against Iran during a 2/17 interview on al-Arabiya TV. 
The story quotes Secretary Clinton as saying "We don't want Iran to 
become a nuclear weapons power, but we are not planning anything 
other than sanctions. We want to try to get the strongest sanctions 
we can at the UN Security Council, mostly to influence Tehran's 
decision-making."  Meanwhile, the same report adds "Admiral Mike 
Mullen, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the 
US keeps all options on the table against Iran which includes 
potential military options."  In "Reality About Iran Crisis" 
columnist Kadri Gursel of mainstream Milliyet observes that there's 
been a "wrong approach by the Turkish government in Iran from the 
very beginning: "Diplomatic efforts on the Iran nuclear crisis 
require impartiality, the rulers of Turkey, however,  implied their 
pro-Iranian stance from the very first step.  Given the current 
situation, there is a heavy toll to pay for Turkey even if we now 
pretend to being neutral."  The writer thinks that the government 
acted against the established thinking: "AKP pursued a marginal 
policy and presented the nuke crisis like a tiff between Israel and 
Iran.  Instead Turkey should have been exerting efforts to break 
Iranian stubbornness and explain the awaiting consequences." 
 
Sinirlioglu Visit: Ankara-Washington Diplomacy Gains Momentum 
(Today's Zaman) 
Islamist-oriented Today's Zaman reports that FM Undersecretary 
Sinilioglu discussed a wide range of topics during his Washington 
visit this week in talks with State Department and National Security 
Council officials.  Zaman underlines the close timing of the visit 
to a new hearing on AGR planned in the House of Representatives, and 
reports that diplomatic sources emphasized that "the rhythm of 
Turkish-American relations should always be kept lively via 
senior-level technical and diplomatic visits." Zaman also previews 
U/S William Burns arrival in Ankara for "Shared Vision" discussion 
with Turkish officials. 
 
US Seeks New Page with Syria (Cumhuriyet) 
In "President Obama Makes Double Move on Syria," Islamist-oriented 
Zaman reports the US President has nominated Robert Stephen Ford as 
ambassador to Syria and sent Undersecretary of State for Political 
 
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Affairs William Burns to Damascus, where Burns met with President 
Assad yesterday.  Zaman says these moves "signal a new era between 
the US and Syria."  Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet says "The US 
Seeks a New Page with Syria."  Media reports that  Burns, "the No: 3 
at the State Department," will visit Ankara on Thursday to discuss 
Iran, Turkey-Armenia normalization, and the AGR. 
 
In the Headlines 
 
"Judiciary Earthquake" Rocks Turkey  (CNN-Turk) 
All papers and TV channels cover the crisis that's erupted between 
the government and the constitutional judiciary bodies.  Mainstream 
Hurriyet headline reads "21.15 Quake" and says the arrest of 
Erzincan's chief prosecutor Ilhan Cihaner caused a tremor in 
judiciary.  Sabah headlines "Double Threat," and notes that 
following the arrest,  the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors 
(HSYK) stripped four prosecutors in Erzurum, who ordered the arrest 
of Cihaner, of their authority.  Hurriyet reports that, as a result, 
Justice Minister Ergin, following consultations with PM Erdogan, 
announced at a press conference that the  "HSYK's reaction is a 
clear usurpation of  authority, an unjust behavior, an intervention 
in independence of judiciary."  Mainstream Milliyet headlines "State 
Crisis," and  reports that while the HSYK was discussing the issue, 
the Supreme Court of Appeals unanimously decided that HSYK's ruling 
was right and would follow the decision's proper implementation. 
Liberal Radikal and pro-government Haberturk both note that "closure 
case" Chief Prosecutor Yalcinkaya announced he would investigate 
allegations regarding "agreements" made with the Kurdish DTP party 
for the recent return of PKK members at Turkey's Habur border gate, 
as well as the latest developments in Erzurum and Erzincan, was 
associated by the recent rumors in Ankara on a new (AKP) closure 
case.  Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak headlines "HSYK's Blow on 
Justice" and says HSYK's stroke on the judicial power raised tension 
in Ankara.  Media note that Justice Minister Ergin said that  "the 
support for the HSYK decision by the Supreme Court of Appeals and 
the Council of State are unacceptable." 
 
Commentary: Prosecutorial Debates 
Pundits varied in their opinions based on the papers they write for. 
 Writers in pro-government papers mostly express concern over 
"judicial board intervening in the process."   Zaman's Huseyin 
Gulerce makes a link to Italian Gladio: "When the Gladio 
investigation was started, the biggest resistance came from the 
judiciary."  Nazli Ilicak of Sabah similarly says "High board of 
judiciary is blocking an ongoing process."  Writers in mainstream 
press however do not quite agree with this argument.  Oktay Eksi in 
mainstream Hurriyet considers "a bold violation of law through 
government's effort" while Gungor Mengi in mainstream Vatan warns: 
"The government is constantly giving an image of manipulating 
constitutional institutions and standing against them."   The writer 
foresees a "deepening system crisis" in the end.  Murat Yetkin in 
liberal Radikal underlines Justice Minister's representative 
unexpectedly attended the High Board of Judiciary voting and implies 
that it was a deliberate effort to mount tension: "If the tension 
continues mounting and if leads to a closure case against AKP, the 
government is prepared for calling an early election and believes 
that all of this will help for garnering more votes." 
 
Afghanistan:  Two-Thirds of Marjah under Control (Zaman) 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet reports US military officials claim 
while their troops advanced, the Taliban used civilians as "human 
shields" and evacuated several villages in the region. 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports two-thirds of Marjah, "a logistical 
center for the Taliban," has been taken under control.  Mainstream 
Hurriyet website, reporting on the Marjah operation from 
international wire dispatches, comments "The fight in southern 
Afghanistan between insurgents and NATO troops, along with Afghan 
forces still learning on the job, is not a conventional war.  The 
Taliban shoot, drop their weapons and run off.  They plant roadside 
bombs and disappear."  Papers also report Pakistan has confirmed 
that Mullah Abdulgani al-Baradar, "the Taliban's No: 2," was 
 
ANKARA 00000270  003 OF 003 
 
 
arrested in Karachi last week. 
 
BDP Chairman Demirtas Proposes Home Arrest for Ocalan 
Leftist-nationalist  Cumhuriyet and mainstream Sabah report that 
Chairman of BDP Selahattin Demirtas, made a call on Turkish 
authorities to transfer the jailed PKK leader Ocalan to a home 
prison from where he stays now the Imrali prison. 
 
Passenger Train Service Between Iraq and Turkey Begins 
Mainstreams Sabah and Vatan report that the historical railway 
connecting Turkey to Iraq over Syria re-opened after a period of two 
decades.  The first passenger train from Mosul arrived in Gaziantep 
yesterday and welcomed by the Gaziantep residents at the station 
with a ceremony.  Vatan notes that the trip, including the passport 
control, etc., takes about 18 hours. 
 
RTUK to Allow Kurdish Broadcasts (Vatan) 
Mainstream Vatan reports Turkey's radio and television watchdog RTUK 
is expected to permit 14 radio and TV channels from east and 
southeast Turkey to start "24-hour Kurdish-language broadcasts." 
 
TV Spotlight (CNN Turk) 
 
The chief prosecutor has decided to probe speculations regarding 
"judicial irregularities" during the return of the PKK members in 
Habur and Erzurum. 
 
Two navy admirals interrogated in connection with the alleged 
criminal network 'Ergenekon' have testified to the prosecutor. 
 
The Turkish Parliament has approved a bill for the establishment of 
the "Undersecretariat for Public Order and Security." 
 
The "Tekel" workers have ended their hunger strike in Ankara. 
 
On March 7, Prime Minister Erdogan will go to Saudi Arabia to 
receive the "Service to Islam" award by the King Faisal Foundation. 
 
 
Brewer Efes Turkey said that over the last four years, 17,000 shops 
selling alcohol were closed due to "neighborhood pressures." 
 
Turkish Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz says an increase in 
Turkey's international credit rating would not be a surprise. 
 
An opinion poll shows that 57 percent of the French prefer former PM 
Dominique de Villepin while 38 percent opt for President Sarkozy as 
the head of state. 
JEFFREY