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Viewing cable 09ANKARA930, TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09ANKARA930 2009-07-01 13:05 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO3669
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0930/01 1821305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 011305Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0067
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0139
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 5936
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 3964
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 7396
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 7284
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3864
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 03 ANKARA 000930 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
National Security Council Holds Critical Meeting 
All papers:  The National Security Council (MGK) of Turkey expressed 
on Tuesday reactions to the recent publication of an alleged action 
plan to overthrow the ruling AKP government. The council held its 
regular monthly meeting under the chairmanship of President Abdullah 
Gul in Ankara and the meeting lasted almost eight hours.  A 
statement released at the end of the meeting said "The MGK has 
expressed views and reactions to recent publications and remarks 
aiming to harm our state institutions, and reaffirmed that such acts 
will be no use to our country." In addition, the MGK also said 
finding a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus problem was important 
for ensuring regional security, stability and welfare. "Therefore, 
Turkey supports the comprehensive settlement negotiations carried 
out within the framework of the good will mission of United Nations 
Secretary General, and the constructive efforts of the Turkish 
Cypriots," the statement said. The MGK statement also said that a 
settlement in Cyprus should be a new partnership established by two 
founder states under equal status and within the framework of 
political equality and bi-zonal structure.  The statement also said 
that the Treaty of Guarantee and the Treaty of Alliance should be 
maintained, and a settlement should be taken under legal guarantee. 
In its statement, the MGK called on all concerned parties to refrain 
from stances that could harm the process, and to support the United 
Nations process and parameters.  Finally, the MGK said it discussed 
recent developments in Turkish-Iraqi relations including fight 
against terrorism.  According to mainstream Sabah at the meeting the 
government expressed determination to fight against antidemocratic 
initiatives.   Mainstream Vatan says that the statement creates the 
impression that the government does not share military's concerns 
that there was a systematic campaign for wearing out the military 
and threatening the existence of Turkey. 
 
PM Erdogan's Address to to the Nation Notes EU Bid, Economy 
In an address to the Turkish nation on TV channels, Erdogan said 
that Turkey is determined to go after changes not only in the 
economy but in all fields. "One of our goals that carries high 
importance is full membership in the EU," Erdogan said. "We cannot 
accept any other goal but full membership at any stage of 
negotiations with the EU," Erdogan said. "We are saddened by the 
fact that certain European politicians use Turkey's EU membership 
issue in their domestic politics and this issue is exploited," 
Erdogan said. Such politicians unfortunately hurt the relations 
between our countries, Erdogan stressed. "Turkey's direction is 
clear. EU membership is only a tool. The real goal is to carry 
Turkey to further points of contemporary civilization," Erdogan 
said. "We will solve our problems in democracy and complete the 
process of change," Erdogan said.  "Our struggle will continue until 
our humans reach comfort and faces smile," Erdogan said. Some of the 
most respectable global authorities refer to Turkey as the country 
that will come out of the global economic crisis most rapidly. We 
share the same notions. I would like to give this good news to you, 
Erdogan said.  "We believe that all of our economic precautions will 
reach their goals and we will begin to feel the results of economic 
revival in the shortest time possible," Erdogan said.  What we have 
to do here is to preserve Turkey's stability and use energy without 
paying attention to disaster scenarios, Erdogan said. All economic 
indicators show that the global economic crisis is slowly ending. 
This is a pleasing development, Erdogan added. 
 
Turkish Economy Suffers Heavy Blow 
Mainstreams Milliyet, Hurriyet and liberal Radikal report that 
Turkey's economy shrank 13.8 percent in the first quarter of 2009, 
breaking a record for the second time in its history. Turkey had 
broken its first record with 15.3 percent in 1945. With such figure, 
Turkey displayed the worst performance among OECD member states that 
were shaken by the global economic crisis. Russia shrank by 9.5 
percent, Germany by 6.9 percent and Brazil by 1.8 percent during 
2009's first quarter, while the Indian and Chinese economies grew by 
6.8 and 6.1 percent respectively within the same period. 
 
ANKARA 00000930  002 OF 003 
 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Economy 
Mehmet Barlas wrote in mainstream Sabah: "Historic shrinking in 
economies shrinks ruling parties. The Turkish economy shrank by 13.8 
percent in the first quarter. There are many dramatic examples 
around the world that these economic situations affect voters. The 
coming period is going to be tough for the AKP administration." 
Colonel Dursun Cicek Arrested 
All papers:   Prosecutors conducting their investigation under the 
Ergenekon probe have arrested Colonel Dursun Cicek regarding Taraf's 
publication of an alleged action plan prepared by Cicek that sought 
to overthrow the AKP government. The Military Prosecutor's Office 
earlier released a statement that the said document was fake and 
that there was no need to press charges in a military court against 
Colonel Cicek. 
Editorial Commentaries 
Bekir Coskun wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "Despite of a higher 
court decision, the presence of religious fundamentalism is not 
being questioned.  And instead, the Turkish Armed Forces are now 
being judged for coup allegations." 
 
Melih Asik wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "Turkey is in an 
extraordinary period. The shift from democracy to fascism is 
speeding up.  Regulations for the trial of army officials by 
civilian judges are passed, under the guise of preventing coup 
plans.  The civil courts are under pressure of the ruling 
administration. Can we reach democracy this way? Or does this way 
take us instead toward Nazi Germany?" 
 
Petraeus in Turkey 
Media speculate on the purpose of U.S. Centcom Commander David 
Petraeus' visit to Ankara.  Mainstream Sabah headlines, "U.S. 
Central Command Commander David Petraeus has come to Ankara for a 
surprise visit," and "military sources say the agenda includes the 
topic of withdrawing U.S. forces via Incirlik air base and air bases 
in Diyarbakir and Malatya," as "Turkey, Kuwait, and Jordon will be 
used as three separate routes for the withdrawal."  Meanwhile, 
Islamist-oriented Zaman headlines, "Petraeus Is in Ankara for 
Afghanistan, Not Iraq," and the paper notes U.S. Ambassador to 
Turkey James Jeffrey said Petraeus is in Ankara to discuss "our 
coordination against the PKK" and "our efforts in Afghanistan." 
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet notes Ambassador Jeffrey addressed a 
question regarding whether the visit regarded withdrawing U.S. 
troops through Iraq by saying, "there are no concrete plans on the 
withdrawal of U.S. forces through Iraq." 
 
Bryza: Turkey is a Super Power 
Mainstream Sabah, mainstream Haberturk, Islamist-oriented Zaman, 
liberal Radikal, and Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak report under the 
same headline, "We Can No Longer Pressure Turkey, (Who is) From Now 
On, A Super Power," that U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State 
for European and Eurasian Affairs, Matthew J. Bryza, said Tuesday 
Turkey "from now on is a super power," and "The U.S. cannot pressure 
Turkey."  Bryza, speaking in Nicosia, also said, "The U.S. is not 
interested in anything but assisting in finding a solution in 
Cyprus."  Mainstream Hurriyet says Bryza's super power comment is a 
message "from the U.S. to the Greek Cypriots." 
 
Ambassador Jeffrey: Obama's Visit Shows Turkey's Importance 
CNN Turk and NTV report James Jeffrey, the U.S. ambassador to 
Turkey, said that Obama wanted to show the importance he attached to 
U.S.-Turkish relations and strategic partnership with his visit to 
Turkey. During a reception in the Aegean province of Izmir in which 
the U.S. Independence Day was celebrated, Jeffrey said that this was 
the first Independence Day marked under the leadership of Obama. 
Jeffrey said Obama brought a new wind and humor to the United 
States, and the United States received positive reactions in 
international arena after Obama became the president. Also, Jeffrey 
said Izmir had a peculiar place in U.S.-Turkish relations and the 
United States established one of its first diplomatic missions in 
Izmir. Jeffrey said relations between the two countries had boosted 
after the World War II. The ambassador also said that Obama wanted 
 
ANKARA 00000930  003 OF 003 
 
 
U.S.-Turkish relations to go on strongly. 
 
TV News (CNN Turk) 
 
Domestic 
 
- Kerem Tosun, the head of DTP branch in Corlu, is given 18 month 
prison sentence for terror propaganda. 
 
- In address to CHP deputies in parliament CHP leader Baykal said 
that he expects the Constitutional  Court or President Gul to veto 
the parliamentary regulation permitting civilian courts to handle 
military personnel's court cases. 
 
- PM Erdogan's son Bilal is expected to go to the army this week to 
fulfill his military obligations.  He will spend 21 days in the army 
in Burdur 
 
 
World 
 
-  A Yemeni Airbus crashed into the Indian Ocean with 153 people 
aboard.  A 15 year old girl survived the crash. 
 
- At least 25 people were injured when a car bomb exploded in a 
market in Kirkuk. 
 
- Georgia's Deputy FM Nalbandov describes Russia's large-scale 
military exercises in the Caucasus as a very dangerous 
provocation.JEFFREY