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Viewing cable 07ANKARA1693, ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07ANKARA1693 2007-07-02 14:29 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO1131
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #1693/01 1831429
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021429Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2819
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8195
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2965
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 2096
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5991
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5788
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2395
RUEUITH/DET 1 39LG ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/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 02 ANKARA 001693 
 
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 
MONDAY, JULY 2, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Defectors Claim US Arms to PKK in Northern Iraq 
All papers report four PKK defectors -- three men and one woman -- 
who escaped from the PKK camps in northern Iraq and turned 
themselves in to the security forces, claimed they had witnessed two 
US armored vehicles bringing weapons to the PKK camp in Kandil 
Mountain in northern Iraq.  The PKK members told reporters at the 
gendarme station in Sirnak's Silopi township that the possibility of 
a Turkish cross-border incursion against the PKK camps in the region 
caused panic among organization members and that camps were 
evacuated.  The PKK militants also said the organization has been 
acquiring remote-control landmines and explosives from northern 
Iraq.  Papers report the US Embassy in Ankara said in response to 
the charges, "The PKK is a terrorist organization, and we do not 
hold contacts with the PKK." 
 
Gul on Possible Turkish Incursion into Northern Iraq 
Hurriyet and Zaman report Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Ankara 
wouldn't seek approval from the US when it feels its own security is 
at risk.  Gul said Turkey has a deep historical friendship with the 
Iraqi Kurds, yet complained that this friendship has been "taken 
hostage" by PKK terrorism.  He noted the image of the US has been 
deteriorating in Turkey, a fact which eventually affects some other 
state institutions as well.  "This can be seen as a success of the 
PKK," Gul emphasized.  Gul also noted Turkey was not obsessed with a 
cross-border incursion, adding Turkey sees Iraq's stability and 
territorial integrity as a high priority: "Harming the stability of 
Iraq is against our interests.  We never wish for instability in 
Iraq's north." 
 
Gul Denies Baykal's Accusation of Secret Deal with US Over Iraq 
Vatan, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Zaman and others:  Foreign Minister Gul 
denied CHP leader Baykal's claim that the Turkish government had 
made a secret deal with the US over northern Iraq.  Main opposition 
party CHP leader Deniz Baykal recently claimed that Turkey and the 
US agreed on a deal in Dubai in 2003, in which Turkey would receive 
$1 billion if it promised not to intervene in northern Iraq. Baykal 
claimed State Minister Ali Babacan signed the deal.  FM Gul 
explained that after the first Gulf War some regional countries that 
suffered damages were compensated. When the US offered compensation 
to Turkey Ankara initially agreed.  However, when the US Senate 
added the condition that the assistance would be cut in case of a 
Turkish military intervention into Iraq, Ankara rejected the 
assistance. 
 
Erdogan and Bahceli Exchange Remarks over Ocalan Execution 
All papers report over the weekend and today that the leaders of the 
ruling AKP and extreme-right MHP, in separate election rallies held 
Saturday, engaged in a war of words over who was responsible for not 
carrying out the death sentence given to Abdullah Ocalan, the 
imprisoned leader of the PKK.  On Saturday, Prime Minister Erdogan 
criticized the MHP for not carrying out Ocalan's execution.  In 
response, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, at an election rally in 
Erzurum, addressed Erdogan by saying, "Can't you afford to buy a 
hanging rope?" and threw a rope to the crowd.  Another reply came 
from Erdogan at an election rally in Mersin, asking the MHP leader, 
"The death penalty was still legal in your time; why didn't you hang 
him?"  On Sunday the MHP announced it would be exposing the names of 
the AKP members who voted in favor of a proposed amendment that 
would abolish the death penalty for all crimes including those of 
terrorism.  MHP Deputy Chairman Mehmet Sandir said the MHP was the 
only party in parliament that had voted against the bill to abolish 
the death penalty in 2002, when a coalition government between the 
late Bulent Ecevit's DSP, the MHP and the Anavatan was in power. 
 
Hrant Dink Murder Case Begins in Istanbul Today 
Cumhuriyet, Yeni Safak, Radikal and others:  Papers report that the 
Hrant Dink murder case will begin in Istanbul heavy penal court 
today.  Liberal Radikal and Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak report that 
 
ANKARA 00001693  002 OF 002 
 
 
defendant Yasin Hayal sent a letter to the prosecutor claiming that 
a group within the Turkish police guided the accused, arguing that 
the state should defend them as they had been used by the state. 
 
Editorial Commentary on Turkish Elections 
Gungor Mengi writes in the mainstream daily Vatan: "In this election 
there will be two main problems shaping the people's party choice, 
namely unemployment and terror.  The ruling AKP has failed to 
decrease unemployment significantly, nor has it managed to develop 
programs in support of more production.  However those 
insufficiencies will not necessarily lead to AKP's defeat as its 
rivals have also failed to come up with realistic solutions to those 
problems.  In terms of the economy, the ruling AKP, despite some 
setbacks is still the front runner in the eyes of electors.  Open, 
as well as indirect, support from the business community is another 
factor in AKP's election performance.  As for terrorism, AKP is not 
doing very well.  The growing number of terrorism victims is putting 
AKP into a panic while nationalist MHP is gaining more ground during 
the election rallies.  The most recent controversy between the two 
parties over hanging [jailed PKK leader] Ocalan, is a strong 
indication that even PM Erdogan is confident that MHP will pass the 
10 percent threshold." 
 
TV News: 
(NTV, 8 A.M.) 
Domestic News 
 
- CHP leader Deniz Baykal said at an election rally in Edirne that 
Prime Minister Erdogan is not aware of the role of northern Iraq in 
the rise of terror attacks in Turkey. 
 
- Three PKK suspects preparing for bomb attacks have been captured 
by police in Istanbul. 
 
- On the genocide statements made by Greek President Karolos 
Papoulias during a visit to Armenia, Turkish Foreign Ministry said 
Greece has no right to make recommendations to Turkey after the 
massacres carried out in Anatolia during the Turkish liberation 
struggle. 
 
- Former British Prime Minister Blair, Russian President Putin, 
German Chancellor Merkel and former US VP Al Gore are expected to 
participate in the World Chambers Federation congress to be held in 
Istanbul on July 4-6. 
 
International News 
 
- Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said Iraq will disintegrate and 
turn into a safe haven for al-Qaeda, worse than Afghanistan before 
the fall of the Taliban, if American troops withdraw prematurely, 
adding another risk was a regional war, pointing to Turkey's troop 
build-up on Iraq's northern border. 
 
- Portugal took over yesterday the rotating EU term presidency from 
Germany. 
 
- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez met Iran's Ahmadinejad to discuss 
energy and trade ties between the two countries in a visit he said 
was aimed at defeating the "imperialistic'' policies of the US. 
 
- The US embassy in Cyprus issued a public appeal on Sunday for 
information on the whereabouts of its Defense Attach Thomas Mooney 
who has been missing for three days. 
 
WILSON