Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004992
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DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2006
In Today's Papers
Turkish Troop Deployment to Lebanon
All papers: After a five-hour meeting, the Cabinet announced its
decision in principle to send troops to Lebanon. The Cabinet
spokesman said that decision was taken in view of Turkish interests
and goes beyond domestic concerns. Asked about President Sezer's
objections, he was quoted as saying, "We respect his views, but we
think differently." Following the cabinet decision all eyes now
turn to Parliament for its decision. Aksam says that while the
government agrees on this issue, the Foreign Ministry was concerned
about the developments in the Middle East. A report prepared by
Turkish diplomats showed that the peacekeepers in the region might
be dragged into clashes with Hezbollah. The Foreign Ministry
insists that the government should focus on peaceful diplomatic
solutions rather than deciding to send troops to Lebanon.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan started his 11-day Middle
East Tour from Lebanon. Annan, reportedly, faced protests in south
Beirut by pro-Hezbollah Lebanese people while he was touring the
bomb-wrecked part of the city.
Columnists from different publications remain cautious about
sending Turkish soldiers to Lebanon while a few support the idea of
taking a role:
Yilmaz Oztuna writes in the conservative Turkiye: "From the
beginning of the debate about whether or not to send troops to
Lebanon, I haven't come up with a clear conclusion. Given the
circumstances, being in Lebanon seems objectionable, yet not sending
troops seems even more objectionable. Everything about Lebanon is
dangerous, gloomy, unstable as well as constantly changing. By
looking at the issue and the situation, it may sound funny but I can
fully agree with both Turkish President Sezer and Prime Minister
Erdogan as the former stands against the idea while the latter
defends it."
Gungor Mengi commenting in the mass appeal Vatan: "The government
has made the right decision by moving toward dispatching troops to
Lebanon. As the government spokesman noted, Turkey cannot afford to
sit and watch like an outsider. The peacekeeping force is Turkey's
duty for both domestic and foreign political reasons. If Turkey
remains aloof to the tragedy next door, there can be no validation
for us to proclaim ourselves a bridge between civilizations. Not
sending troops to Lebanon also means Turkey would lose one of its
strong cards for EU membership. Taking a role in Lebanon can also
be used as a convincing argument toward the US in the fight against
terrorism. Otherwise the US will not be enthusiastic about taking
any initiative on the PKK. It is true that Hezbollah poses a
potential risk for Turkish soldiers there. But elimination of this
risk requires skilful diplomacy vis-`-vis Iran, not necessarily
closing the door to any action."
Kursat Bumin argues in the Islamist-opinion maker Yeni Safak:
"Regardless of the ongoing rhetoric, the fact is that the Lebanon
crisis is not about the two soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah. It is
not possible to comprehend the big picture without taking the US
factor, or the current US administration for that matter, into
account. It is also very wrong to try to analyze the Lebanon-Israel
situation through religious and historical arguments instead of
political motives. In fact, the masterminds of the current US
administration are providing enough material to think about the
political reasons. One example is Robert Kagan who defends the idea
that the world is in need of a powerful organizer, and this role
cannot be played by an international organization. At this point
can we possibly say that the UNSC 1701 is a solid resolution which
everybody will obey fully?"
Handover Ceremony at the Turkish General Staff
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All papers: General Yasar Buyukanit took over the position of
Chief of Staff from General Ozkok in a ceremony yesterday. Speaking
at the handover ceremony held at the General Staff headquarters
yesterday, the new Chief of General Staff General Buyukanit was
quoted as saying that "in addition to all uncertainties and risks
around us, Turkey has never been face to face with this much armed
separatist terrorism, and internal and external threats which I may
define as unarmed terrorism. General Buyukanit emphasized that
Turkey is a democratic, secular and social state of law. Outgoing
Chief of Staff General Ozkok mainly touched on Turkey's security
concerns and said that terrorism and fundamentalism are two major
security threats that Turkey should closely be watching and taking
necessary measures to counter. During the ceremony, President Sezer
decorated General Ozkok with the State Medal of Honor, thanking him
for his distinguished services as chief of General Staff.
Bomb Blast in Antalya Kills 3
Vatan, Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet,Milliyet and others: An explosion in
the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya yesterday killed three
people and injured 87, including foreign tourists. Milliyet claims
that the bomb was left at a business center by PKK militants.
Meanwhile The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) claimed responsibility
for Sunday's bombings in Marmaris and Istanbul. British Ambassador
Peter Westmacott visited the British citizens in a hospital in
Marmaris, thanked the doctors and other officials for their
assistance to the British citizens and stressed that no travel ban
to Turkey would be applied.
Washington Names Special Envoy for Countering PKK
All papers report that the US has appointed the former
Vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Ralston as
special envoy for coordinating the fight against the PKK. In a
written statement, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said
that "General Ralston will have responsibility for coordinating US
engagement with the government of Turkey and the government of Iraq
to eliminate the terrorist threat of the PKK and other terrorist
groups operating in Northern Iraq and across the Turkey-Iraq
border."
TV Highlights
NTV (6 A.M.)
Domestic News
Q A firefighting helicopter crashed into the river in Kas,
Antalya. Five people on board survived the crash
Q Turkey might be penalized for asking TRNC President Mehmet Ali
Talat to present the Grand Prix award to the winner at Sunday's F1
race in Istanbul
International News
Q Two Turkish citizens were killed in Afghanistan
Q Fifty gunmen and 20 Iraqi soldiers died in clashes in south of
Baghdad
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON