Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2006

In Today's Papers

National Education Convention
All papers report that a prominent teachers' union yesterday walked
out of the 17th Education Convention which started on Monday amid
heated debate over the legal situation of the Imam Hatip schools,
institutions designed to train Islamic clerics. In 1999, following
the 1997 army intervention in politics known as the February 28
process, the power of the Imam Hatip schools was curbed with a
series of laws lengthening compulsory education to eight years and
introducing a restricted admission system for graduates from
vocational school, including those from Imam Hatip. The latter law
was enacted especially to restrict Imam Hatip graduates from
entering every department of universities like regular high school
graduates. Yesterday, on the third day of the National Education
Council meeting, a proposal that would pave the path for Imam Hatip
schools to gain the status of regular high school was adopted. CHP
leader Deniz Baykal criticized the Education Convention, saying that
Minister Celik's aim is to use the convention to further political
goals. Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association
(TUSIAD) also voiced strong reactions to the proposal and also
stressed that the National Education Council meeting had been
manipulated for political goals.

General Basbug Comments on Turkey-France Military Ties
Sabah, Zaman, Milliyet and others: Today's papers give extensive
coverage to the comments of Land Forces Commander General Ilker
Basbug at a reception held to mark the 23rd anniversary of the
founding of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). General
Basbug said that following the French Assembly's adoption a
resolution on the so-called Armenian genocide, military relations
with France had been suspended.

Iraqi PM Maliki in Ankara Today
Turkiye, Cumhuriyet, Bugun and others: Iraqi PM Maliki is coming to
Ankara today for an official visit, as the guest of PM Erdogan.
Maliki was scheduled to visit Turkey last month but, the visit was
postponed due to a sand storm in Baghdad. He will be received by
President Sezer, as well. During the visit, Turkish officials will
stress that the sheltering of PKK terrorists in Iraq is unacceptable
and Maliki will be urged to capture PKK terrorists based in Iraq and
hand them over to Turkey.

Several prominent Turkish commentators voice hope for change in
American policy on Iraq in the aftermath of the Congressional
elections. One editorial today designs a significant plan for the
US to pull out from Iraq with less painful consequences, and the
other suggests that Turkey and the US might enjoy a better working
relationship if the Washington administration changes its strategy
with the help of Democrat majority in the Congress.

In his column in the liberal-intellectual Radikal, Gunduz Aktan laid
out a plan to save Iraq: "The US acted unilaterally when it started
the war in Iraq. With the new composition of the US Congress, there
is hope for change in the Iraq policy. In this regard, the US has to
make sure that withdrawing from Iraq is not going to be a unilateral
act. If the US acts unilaterally on the withdrawal, consequences
will be even more severe than the first mistake. When the US
occupied Iraq, there was certainly a possibility of winning this
game. Yet the current situation indicates a clear defeat for the US
and thus America has to set the rules for ending the game by acting
together with the international community. An international
commission is needed to prevent any undesired possibility for the
future of Iraq, including a divided country or a country driven into
a civil war. Such an international body should consist of all of
Iraq's neighbors as well as permanent members of the UNSC and the
members of the Arab League. Even the participation of Israel, the
EU and the Islamic Conference Organization may also be considered.
Guaranteeing Iraq's territorial integrity on an international scale
as well as establishing consensus between the Iraqi groups prior to

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the withdrawal of American forces will have to be the main focus of
this commission. Deploying a peacekeeping force from Muslim nations
other than Iraqi neighbors may also be considered. "

Writing in the Islamist-intellectual Zaman, Sahin Alpay expressed
hope for a strategy change: "Thanks to democracy, with the recent
Congressional election results, America was given the chance to
correct its previous mistakes on Iraq and foreign policy. We hope
that Democrats will use this opportunity to correct past mistakes,
work to change its unilateral foreign policy stance and focus on
acting together with the international community, as well as show
respect for international norms and standards. The truth is that
there is a very long way to go for the US administration to correct
its mistakes, particularly on Iraq and Palestine, and to regain its
prestige worldwide. Stability in Iraq requires an extensive dialogue
between Washington and the neighbors of Iraq, including Iran and
Syria. The US should change its threatening and pressuring policy
against Tehran and Damascus. The PKK presence in northern Iraq must
come to an end. Iran should get an assurance from the US that there
will be no strike from America, and that Washington will not
tolerate any Israeli attack on Iran. Washington has to realize that
its current policy on Iran and Syria only helps to enhance radical
movements and authoritarian regimes. The US strategy for the Middle
East and Iraq will undoubtedly be a determining factor in shaping
the Turkish-American dialogue in the next period to come. Depending
on the nature of the US strategy, Turkey and the US might end up
collaborating very closely on the Middle East."

Headscarf Rights
Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Yeni Safak, Milliyet and others: US State
Department's Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom John Hanford
said that the US supports the right of Turkish women to wear
headscarves. Stressing that the US respects internationally
recognized rights concerning the freedom of religion, Hanford said,
"we have supported the rights of Muslims all over the world and we
have protested the ways that the countries' administrations banned
or limited the act of worship."

Islamist-Leaning Business Association (MUSIAD) Congress
Vatan reports that MUSIAD will host the 10th International Business
Forum Congress in Istanbul on November 22-26. Five thousand Muslim
businessmen from 55 countries will join the congress. Prime
Minister Erdogan will open the congress.

TV Highlights
NTV, 6.00 A.M.

Domestic News

- Former Iranian President Khatami said that military operations
would not help solve the PKK problem
- State Minister Ali Babacan asks for NGO support on amending
Article 301, the article in the Turkish penal code under which
writers and journalists have been prosecuted for "insulting
Turkishness"
- The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) celebrates the 23rd
anniversary of its founding

International News

- A US Army soldier has pleaded guilty to raping a 14-year-old Iraqi
girl and murdering her and her family
- The European Parliament will discuss the situation in the ghost
town of Maras and the isolation of Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at

http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

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