Cablegate: Turkish Media Reaction

VZCZCXRO3262
OO RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #1341/01 2541031
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111031Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0763
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC//PA
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0036
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 6260
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 4153
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 7554
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 7444
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4026
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 001341

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
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2009

In Today's Papers

Davutoglu to Brief Political Parties on Armenia
Television channels report the Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) said
in a statement Foreign Minister Davutoglu will meet with the Speaker
of Turkish parliament Mehmet Ali Sahin and the leaders of Turkish
political parties in order to update them on Turkish-Armenian
relations, recent developments in the Caucasus and other current
foreign policy matters. Davutoglu met with Sahin on Friday.

Turkey and EU Discuss Energy
Media outlets report European Commission said Turkey and the EU have
started negotiations on Thursday for Turkey's accession to the
Energy Community. A Turkish delegation led by Yusuf Yazar, Deputy
Undersecretary for Energy, met with a European Commission
negotiating team headed by Fabrizio Barbaso, Deputy Director General
for Energy, in Vienna. EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said,
"Turkey is carrying out fundamental reforms in order to address its
huge energy challenge. Turkey is well prepared and has an important
role to play in the Energy Community."

EU Warns Fine on Dogan Group Could Impact Turkey Progress Report
(Hurriyet)
Following personal statements of EU Commissioner for enlargement
Olli Rehn and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, the
EU released an official report warning that the fine imposed on
Dogan Media Group could affect the forthcoming Progress Report on
Turkey's EU entry bid, to be released October 14. A spokesman for
the European Commission said, "When the sanction is of such
magnitude that it threatens the very existence of an entire press
group, like in this case, then freedom of the press is at stake."

Dogan Media Group Fine

Mehmet Yilmaz wrote in mainstream Hurriyet: "The fine against the
media group is a clear effort to silence some strong opposition
voice but also indicates the way Turkish democracy is heading
towards. Turkey is turning into a Central Asian Republic style
democracy with one-man strong ruling. Once the ruling AKP finalizes
the judicial reform like the way they want, steps for authoritarian
ruling will be completed."

Mehmet Barlas wrote in mainstream Sabah: "Turkish media history is
full of changed ownership stories and there is nothing to be pleased
about seeing a media figure fading away. The best way for media is
to take a lesson from the past and stand solidly on liberal
democracy, fair competition and rule of law principles regardless of
the current political situation in any given time."

Riza Turmen wrote in mainstream Milliyet: "The government's fine
against media group demonstrates intolerance to certain views as
well as intolerance to criticism. It seems the ruling AKP is
missing the very essence of democracy."

Police Detains Friday 14 DTP Members in Diyarbakir (Hurriyet
Website)
Mainstream Hurriyet website reports Friday that Diyarbakir police
launched operations in the province and anti-terror teams launched
operations against the DTP members Friday morning in Diyarbakir.
Police raided homes, detaining 14 people:
- Former DTP Baglar District Mayor (DTP) Yurdusev Ozsokmenler, in
Diyarbakir
- Former Bismil District Mayor (DTP), in Diyarbakir
- Diyarbakir Provincial General Assembly Chairman Sehmus Bayhan
(DTP)
- Deputy General Secretary of the Diyarbakir Metropolitan
Municipality Huseyin Bayrak,
- Deputy Mayor of Kayapinar District Mayor Sebahattin Dinc, in
Diyarbakir
- Deputy Mayor of Yenisehir District Mayor Ihsan Ugur, in
Diyarbakir

ANKARA 00001341 002 OF 003

- Yenisehir District Municipality Assembly Member Kenan Kaya, in
Diyarbakir
- DTP Women's Assembly members: Azize Yagiz, Gulistan Aksoy, and
Melike Karagoz
- SELIS Women's Center Activist Sociologist Behice Ok
- DTP Staff Member Huseyin Eren

Debate on Kurdish Initiative

Yasin Dogan wrote in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak: "The government's
initiative is not exempt from hearing other opinions and approaches,
however the opposition parties prefer nothing but populist rhetoric.
It will be most useful if they think rationally and produce
alternative ideas regarding how to address the problem."

Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal: "Turkey is
standing on a critical turning point as the government works on a
Kurdish initiative. At the same time, there are more signs to
believe that government is becoming more aware of the importance of
military's input in this process. In fact the only successful
outcome of the process goes through a public opinion effort to
present this initiative as a joint military-government project."

YOK Approves Kurdish Studies within Artuklu University
Papers report the Higher Education Board (YOK) has approved the
establishment of "Living Languages Institute" within Mardin's
Artuklu University, albeit only for master's and doctorate studies.
YOK President Yusuf Ziya Ozcan said the institute will not only
provide education in Kurdish, but also in Farsi, Arabic and
Assyrian.

Liberal Radikal reports the Education Ministry has decided to name a
state high school in the city of Van after Ahmede Hani, a Kurdish
historian and literary figure from the 17th century. The Governor
of Van reportedly approved the decision.

Anniversary of 9/11
Media coverage is varied with some focusing on the absence of a
physical monument in New York City, others reminding that Osama Bin
Laden is still a fugitive, and others who see recently released
photos of the accused 9/11 mastermind as a sign of Al Qaeda
propaganda and a possible sign of a new attack on the horizon.
Mainstream NTV notes, "Eight years after the attack on the World
Trade Center in New York, there are plans to build something to
memorialize the victims, but the site of Ground Zero remains empty."
Mainstream Sabah reports in "Retirees Hired to Find Bin Laden,"
that, "The CIA Has Called Its Former Workers Back to Duty," as, "The
British newspaper The Times reports a CIA team of 100 people have
been searching for Bin Laden for eight years," and the paper says,
"This team doesn't include people who know the languages of the
region or who are experts on the region." Meanwhile, mainstream
Hurriyet carries the latest photo of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid
Sheikh Mohammed under the headline, "Is This Photograph the Sign of
a New Attack?" as, "The new photograph is creating concerns it may
be an indication of new attacks." Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet
reports in, "The Latest Photograph of The Architect of 9/11," that,
"The publication of the photo, taken by the Red Cross, is being
broadcast by Al Qaeda-linked websites as propaganda."

Claims of Clashes in Karabakh (Hurriyet)
Media express alarm over indications that, at a time with Turkey and
Armenia are seeking rapprochement, a ceasefire between Armenia and
Azerbaijan may have been broken yesterday. Mainstream Milliyet
reports in "Alarm: News of Clashes Comes From Karabakh," that, "As
the region experiences a period positive developments, Armenian and
Azeri soldiers clash in the Karabakh region and five Armenian
soldiers are killed." Mainstream Sabah reports, "The clashes took
place for two hours before Armenian soldiers retreated." Mainstream
Hurriyet notes, "Private Azerbaijani news agency APA reported that
five Armenian soldiers were killed," but Hurriyet points out, "The
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry did not comment on the developments."

ANKARA 00001341 003 OF 003

Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak headlines, "A Crisis Between Armenia
and Azerbaijan." CNN Turk reports Turkish MFA Spokesperson Murat
Ozugergin expressed "concern" over the reports of what CNN Turk
calls, "the outbreak of violence in the ceasefire region."
Leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet headlines, "A Bloody Clash in
Karabakh."

New Pew Poll Indicates Muslims Are Among Those Most Discriminated
Against
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports in, "Americans Believe Muslims Are
Among Those Most Discriminated Against," that, "A poll by the Pew
Research Center revealed that, in the eyes of Americans, Muslims are
second only to homosexuals as the group of people most discriminated
against." Zaman also notes, "the number of Americans who believe
Islam preaches violence has dropped seven points to 38 percent."

TV News (CNN Turk)

Domestic

- Weather forecasters have warned against more heavy rains and
possible floods Friday in Turkey's Marmara region.

- Prime Minister Erdogan said illegally constructed houses will be
demolished to prevent new disasters in Istanbul.

- Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal said the flood disaster in
Istanbul was caused by corrupt urbanization and "scandalous" new
settlement zones. Baykal lashed out at PM Erdogan, saying he was
"in charge" of the city over the last 16 years.

- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is scheduled to visit Ankara on
September 16 to attend an Iftar fast-breaking dinner hosted by Prime
Minister Erdogan's AK Party. In Ankara, Assad will hold talks with
Erdogan, President Gul and Foreign Minister Davutoglu.

- A 4.5-magnitude earthquake is reported in the province of Konya.

- Turkey's economy has contracted by 7 percent in the second quarter
of the year.

- IMF has voiced hopes that a new deal with Turkey will be sealed
without delay.

World

- State Department Spokesman PJ Crowley said Iran's proposal for
resolving the nuclear dispute was addressing U.S. concerns.

- Azerbaijan, Turkey and Israel are holding talks to produce armored
vehicles jointly.

- The Czech Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that early national
elections scheduled for October 9-10 will not take place.

- French President Sarkozy, in an effort to fight global warming,
proposes a tax on fossil fuels such as gasoline and heating oil.

SILLIMAN

© Scoop Media