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Viewing cable 06ANKARA3200, ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ANKARA3200 2006-06-01 14:45 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO4811
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #3200/01 1521445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 011445Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6191
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7236
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0715
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0828
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5307
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5010
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1629
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFISS/USDOCO 6ATAF IZMIR 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 003200 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2006 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Turkey, Russia Optimistic for Diplomatic Solution to Iranian 
Nuclear Row 
All papers:  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and his visiting 
Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov said at a joint press 
conference in Ankara that both their countries favored a 
diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute.  Gul 
stressed diplomatic means should be employed to defuse the 
problem, ruling out the possibility of any military action 
against Iran, especially from Turkish soil.  Lavrov said 
there was an outstanding opportunity such as the upcoming UN 
Security Council meeting in Vienna to resolve the problem. 
"It is important to find a solution which suits all sides. 
The rights of signatory countries to the Non-Proliferation 
Treaty should be preserved."  Lavrov emphasized that the 
Cyprus problem should be resolved under the roof of the 
United Nations, adding that Russia was waiting for UNSYG 
Annan's report on the issue.  Lavrov noted that a delegation 
of the Russian Chamber of Commerce paid a visit to the 
Turkish Cyprus, proposing that a "TRNC" delegation should 
visit Russia as well.  Lavrov also underlined the importance 
of Iraq's territorial integrity, and both foreign ministers 
encouraged Israel and Palestine to resume peace talks under 
the Road Map.  The two ministers also praised the economic 
ties between the two countries, signaling the growing 
collaboration in the natural gas and energy sectors. 
 
Murat Yetkin commenting in the liberal daily Radikal notes 
Turkey's central role in the Iran issue:  "Although, the 
Turkish media claims that Turkey was left out of the Iran 
issue by the US when Turkey's offer to work as a mediator 
between Iran-US was rejected, Turkey is very much involved 
in the issue, especially after Condoleezza Rice's recent 
visit to Ankara.  The most important issue during NSC 
Secretary Alpogan's visit to Israel and Russia, FM Gul's 
 
SIPDIS 
telephone conversations with the chairman of the AIEA 
Muhammed El Baradey and Lavrov, Israeli Foreign Minister 
Livni's visit to Ankara at the beginning of the week, 
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's visit yesterday, the 
German Foreign Minister Steinmeier's upcoming visit 
tomorrow, and President Sezer's upcoming visits to Israel 
and Russia, were and will be the Iran issue." 
 
Ankara Invites Iraqi Leaders, Khalilzad to Turkey 
Cumhuriyet reports Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) Spokesman 
Namik Tan announced at yesterday's weekly press briefing 
that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Foreign 
Minister Hoshiyar Zebari in principle accepted invitations 
to visit Turkey.  Tan said Turkey's special Iraq envoy Oguz 
Celikkol extended the invitations to the Iraqi leaders as 
well as to US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad during a one-day 
visit to the country earlier this week.  Tan said all of 
them accepted the invitations. 
 
Minority Groups Discuss Iranian Regime Change in Washington 
Yeni Safak reports the representatives of minorities in Iran 
came together in Washington at a meeting held by the North 
American Kurdish National Committee to discuss regime change 
in Iran.  At the meeting, Iranian Kurdish, Azeri, Arab and 
other minority groups condemned human rights violations in 
Iran and claimed Tehran seeks to eliminate minority groups 
in the country. 
 
Police Foil Possible Attack in Ankara 
All papers:  With the recent court attack on five judges 
still unsolved, nine people, including two military 
officers, were arrested in a police operation in Ankara 
prompted by a tip off.  C-4 and TNT explosives as well as 
 
ANKARA 00003200  002 OF 003 
 
 
handguns and bomb manufacturing equipment were found in the 
suspects' houses along with a sketched map of Prime Minister 
Erdogan's house in Ankara, and photographs of Foreign 
Minister Gul.  The suspects said they were part of the 
"Atabeyler Guerilla Group" and were reportedly gathering 
information about Erdogan's advisor Cuneyd Zapsu and some 
lawmakers from the mainly Kurdish east and southeast Turkey. 
 
Sezer Boycotts State Dinner 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Yeni Safak and others: 
President Sezer declied to participate in a dinner in honor 
of visiting Swedish King Gustav 16 and Queen Silvia in 
Ankara last night due to the fact that the wives of 
Parliamentary Speaker Bulent Arinc and some ministers 
attending the reception were wearing headscarves.  The chief 
of the Turkish General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok did not 
attend the dinner either.  Yeni Safak writes President 
Sezer's no-show at the dinner was "diplomatic rudeness." 
 
AKP Bans Municipalities' Religious Booklets 
Hurriyet, Milliyet, Radikal report that following warnings 
by Prime Minister Erdogan, the ruling AK Party HQ banned 
publication of brochures about religion in a memo sent to 
its provincial offices.  The controversial documents 
published by the municipalities on social and religious 
issues contain statements such as men and women should not 
shake hands, men could marry up to four women, and women had 
to cover their heads with turbans. 
 
TV Highlights 
NTV, 8.00 a.m. 
 
Domestic News 
 
- The EU Commission Representative Hansjrg Kretschmer said 
Turkey had made progress in meeting the political standards 
in the EU harmonization process, but expressed concern that 
people can be tried and convicted in violation of the right 
to free speech in Turkey. 
 
 
- The Turkish Parliament's sub-commission for justice is 
debating Article 6 of the anti-terror bill that had 
triggered heated debate on charges that it was designed to 
release the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan from jail. 
 
- Turkish Foreign Ministry said Greek Foreign Minister Dora 
Bakoyianni is expected to participate in the June 10 Turkish- 
Greek media talks to be held in Istanbul. 
 
- A prosecutor filed a lawsuit against Mayor Osman Baydemir 
for irregularities in a Diyarbakir Municipality computer 
contract, demanding up to three year prison sentences for 
the mayor and other municipality officials. 
 
- Two Turkish soldiers and three village guards (Korucu) 
were killed in clashes between the PKK militants and 
security forces in the southeastern border province of 
Sirnak.  Turkish jandarma arrested a woman for being a 
member of the PKK organization in the eastern city of 
Elazig. 
 
- The Izmir-based Zorlu Group sold a 75 percent stake of 
Denizbank to the Belgian financial group Dexia SA for USD 
2.4 billion of which it had bought for USD 66 million.  With 
the sale of Denizbank, 47 percent of the Turkish private 
sector is owned by foreigners. 
 
International News 
 
 
ANKARA 00003200  003 OF 003 
 
 
- Official results from Montenegro's referendum confirmed 
victory for the pro-independence bloc, showing 55.5 percent 
had voted for independence, surpassing the 55 percent target 
majority set by the European Union. 
 
- The local assembly in Germany's Westphalia has decided 
women teachers will not be allowed to wear headscarves in 
schools. 
 
 
 Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
  http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON