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Viewing cable 10ANKARA287, TURKISH MEDIA REACTION

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10ANKARA287 2010-02-22 12:51 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO9627
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0287/01 0531251
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221251Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2213
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0323
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 7025
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 4525
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 7806
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 7731
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4332
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 000287 
 
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 22, 2010 
 
Media Highlights 
 
US Embassy Ankara-Turkey Media Reaction, as prepared by the Public 
Affairs Information Office 
 
How the US is Playing 
 
Ambassador Tan Will Present Credentials, Work against AGR (Sabah) 
Mainstream Sabah reports the new Turkish Ambassador to Washington, 
Namik Tan, will present his credentials to President Obama on 
February 24, and will kick off work with the US congressmen and the 
Jewish lobbies for the prevention of the AGR to be voted March 4 at 
the US Congress Foreign Relations Committee. 
 
General Petraeus Wants Pressure on Iran (NTVMSNBC) 
NTVMSNBC online reports General Petraeus said in a statement to NBC 
TV time has come to put pressure on Iran for Tehran to comply with 
the demands of the international community.  Petraeus said the US 
has done everything for a friendly solution of the problem, but that 
Tehran's attitude pushed the US to take a more rigid position. 
 
Genocide Bill Makes Caglayan Postpone His Visit To the US.  Tabloid 
Aksam reported on 2/21 that State Minister Zafer Caglayan postponed 
his visit to the US to avoid being there when a controversial draft 
of the AGR comes to the agenda of the US Congress.   He was to hold 
talks on the new model partnership project between Turkey and the US 
and for boosting economic and commercial ties.  Aksam reports that 
the visit has been postponed on recommendations of the Turkish MFA. 
 
 
In the Headlines 
 
March 4 Genocide Bill Alarm (Vatan) 
Mainstream Vatan gives front page coverage to the fate of the AGR in 
the US House of Representatives on March 4.  Noting that "Turkey is 
on its own now," Vatan reports that the Jewish lobby in the US is 
withdrawing it support this year because of the recent tension 
between Turkey and Israel.   The paper concludes, as a result, that 
it is almost definite that the resolution will pass Congress this 
time.  Turkish Foreign Ministry sources say that if the draft is 
adopted, turmoil in Turkey will be huge and Turkey will re-evaluate 
its alliance with the US. 
 
Commentary on Turkey-Armenia, AGR and Israel Lobby Support 
In mainstream Sabah, Omer Taspinar does not quite agree with 
Ankara's contentions that a deliberate timeline was set for the AGR: 
"The American system is based on checks and balances, and no 
administration is capable of asking Congress about a resolution." 
On the other hand, writer talks about factors which are making the 
Armenian lobby stronger than before, including the lack of Jewish 
lobby support for Turkey.  His suggestion for Turkey is to establish 
steps to enhance dialog and communication with Armenia: "Any 
concrete step vis-`-vis Armenia will enhance Turkey's position in 
the Congressional process."  Similarly, Ali Aslan in 
Islamist/pro-government Zaman advices Ankara to "remain committed to 
the normalization protocols" while Washington "should work for steps 
toward solution to the Karabakh problem."  In mainstream Vatan, Okay 
Gonensin has a different take: "With the lack of Jewish lobby 
support, it seems more likely to see a genocide resolution passing 
from the Congress.  However it might not be a really bad thing after 
all because Turkey will be able resolve its annual 'April 24 in the 
US' syndrome once for all."  On 2/21, mainstream Milliyet's Semih 
Idiz reports on the Armenian Parliament's starting the ratification 
process for the Turkey-Armenia protocols last week. The writer 
opines that the goal of Armenia is to convince the international 
community that Turkey was blocking the normalization process. 
Yerevan also wants to use the protocols to give impetus to genocide 
claims, says Idiz.  The writer notes that the normalization 
protocols might deal a heavy blow to Turkish ties with the US. The 
writer reminds that Turkish officials recently scolded US Ambassador 
James Jeffrey who issued warnings about the importance of the 
 
ANKARA 00000287  002 OF 003 
 
 
protocols. He concludes that the scolding has not helped improve the 
image of Turkey.  Commentary in leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet 
decries the lack of control by the GoT regarding the Turkey-Armenia 
protocol debate in parliament and predicts that when the protocols 
fail, the international community will blame Turkey. 
 
Erdogan: "We are Determined for Judicial Reform" (Yeni Safak) 
Media outlets report Prime Minister Erdogan, prior to his departure 
last night to Spain, told the press both political parties and 
nongovernmental organizations were looking forward to judicial 
reforms, and stressed that "referendum" could be held to pass the 
reforms.  "We want to bring all political parties together for 
constitutional changes," said Erdogan, and noted that his colleagues 
were working on a draft judicial reform.  "My colleagues will visit 
the political parties.  If they accept working together, we will 
take the necessary steps.  Otherwise, we can hold a referendum." 
 
 
On the other hand, papers report Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc 
has strongly criticized the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors 
(HSYK) as well as the previous governments of the last 20 years. 
"Some biased members of the judiciary made our party a target.  We 
never thought of interfering in the judiciary's work but we will not 
allow any new tricks," he said.  Arinc condemned previous 
governments for their inaction regarding the illegal actions of 
"shady networks," saying that the burden of the unresolved murders 
committed before the AKP came to power lied on the previous 
governments. 
 
Afghanistan. In "Taliban Rejects Peace, Continues War," mainstream 
Sabah, as well as Islamist-oriented Zaman online, notes in an inside 
page story that "after his government collapsed over the dispute 
about troop withdrawals, Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkenende said "Dutch 
troops will leave Afghanistan as planned if nothing else takes its 
place."  Sabah also notes that "despite the continuing joint 
Operation Mushtarak by NATO and Afghan forces in the Marja district, 
the Taliban has announced that they won't give up. Taliban spokesman 
Qari Mohammad Yousuf is quoted as saying they rejected President 
Karzai's call for peace talks." Mainstream Milliyet in "Capture of 
Mullah Baradar is A Blow on Peace," cites British Sunday Times 
report saying "Taliban's number two figure, Mullah Baradar who was 
captured in a joint operation by US and Pakistani forces was a 
supporter of reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan.  The capture 
of such a figure caused concerns by Afghan officials." 
 
Talabani: "Kirkuk Belongs to Kurdistan" (Hurriyet) 
According to Kurdish News Agency PNA, Iraqi President Talabani, at a 
meeting with the NGOs in Kirkuk said "Kurdish population in Kirkuk 
is more than any other ethnic groups.  The best document to prove 
that is the census results which was held during the Ottoman Empire 
time.  According to these censuses, there were around 97.000 Kurds, 
70.000 Turkmen and 8.000 Arabs in Kirkuk.  Kirkuk is a Kurdistan 
city where Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen and Christians lived together and 
peacefully for centuries." 
 
TV Spotlight (CNN Turk) 
 
Prime Minister Erdogan, accompanied by ten cabinet ministers, visits 
Spain for the second Spain-Turkey Summit. 
 
Higher Education Board (YOK) President Professor Yusuf Ziya Ozcan 
said there were preparations to introduce "elective" 
Kurdish-language lessons. 
 
A report prepared by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) says 
Turkey was the second-largest market around the world for 
counterfeit products of famous brands. 
 
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has lifted Turkey's sovereign 
credit rating to BB with a positive outlook. 
 
 
ANKARA 00000287  003 OF 003 
 
 
Turkish director Semih Kaplanoglu's "Bal" (Honey) film won Sunday 
the Golden Bear, the top prize of the Berlin Film Festival. 
 
Greek PM Papandreou said his country is not looking for an EU 
bailout to help cut its debt levels effectively. 
 
Greek Cypriot daily Alithia says Britain offered to hold three-party 
negotiations in Cyprus with the participation of Cyprus guarantor 
states -- Greece, Turkey and Britain. 
 
A new drone, Heron Tp, that can remain airborne for more than 24 
hours and reach as far as Iran is added to the Israeli air force's 
arsenal. 
 
The US State Department lifted an advisory warning American 
travelers of security concerns in Syria. 
 
JEFFREY