US embassy cable - 03ADANA221

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0221 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          AUGUST 21, 2003 
 
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for August 21, 2003.  Please note that Turkish 
press reports often contain errors or 
exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not vouch 
for the accuracy of the reports summarized here. 
 
 
POLITICAL, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
 
2. Bolge / An unknown person in Adana Province 
went into the Genc Party building and after 
arguing with the people, threw a glass at 
the picture of Cem Uzan on the wall. 
 
 
3. Milli Gazete / A group of about 7-8 people 
stoned Adnan Darendeliler Primary School in 
Van Province. 
 
 
4. Zaman / There were two earthquakes of 4.4 
and 4.5 in Poturge, Malatya Province. No 
loss of life reported. 
 
 
5. Milliyet / Channel 33,a local channel in 
Mersin Province, was prevented from 
broadcasting a program which criticized the 
Mayor.  Ahmet Ozdemir, the speaker and 
producer of the program, protested the 
action on the screen by sticking red tape 
on his mouth for two minutes. 
 
 
6. Hurriyet, Bolge / Lieutenant General Ayhan 
Tas is the new Commander of the 6th Corp 
Command. 
 
 
7. Hurriyet / The court case against the 
contractors and engineers who built the 
buildings which collapsed during the May 1 
Bingol earthquake has now commenced in 
Bingol Province. 
 
 
ECONOMIC 
 
 
8. Radikal / There is an increase in anthrax 
cases in the East and Southeastern regions 
of Turkey. (Editor's Note: There are about 
30 anthrax cases reported in Bingol and 
Batman area). 
 
 
9. Zaman, Hurriyet, Bolge, Milliyet / Saban 
Bas, Head of the Adana Chamber of Commerce 
(ATO), announced that ATO sold 256 stands 
for the fair in October and there are 64 
stands still available.  There will be 
companies from Jordan, Greece, Syria, 
Romania, and Israel attending the fair. Bas 
stated that ATO does not regret having the 
fair in tents this year, and did not answer 
questions about the earlier criticisms 
offered by the The Adana Chamber of 
Industry (ASO).  "With the support of all 
associations and groups we are hoping to 
organize a perfect fair" Bas added. 
 
 
10. Milliyet / Serka Food Company is employing 
about 300 cooks and their assistants to 
cook for the American soldiers in Iraq. 
(Editor's Note: The cooks were reported to 
be hired from Incirlik AFB). 
 
 
11. Milli Gazete / A new five star hotel, 
Malabadi Hotel, is ready for service in 
Diyarbakir Province. 
 
 
12. Milli Gazete / Hasan Canpolat, Governor of 
Sivas Province, announced that a new 
university in Sivas,4 Eylul University, 
will commence academic instruction in year 
2005. 
 
 
13. Turkiye, Bolge / Adana's Agricultural 
Complex (Cukobirlik) is putting  its 
factory building up for rent after the 
closure on July 7. 
 
 
CULTURE and TOURISM 
 
 
14. Evrensel / Annual Virgin Mary festival was 
celebrated in Samandag, Antakya Province. 
People from Germany, France, Lebanon and 
the USA came to join in the festival.  The 
Armenian Patriarch for Turkey praised the 
multinational and multicultural visitors of 
the festival and announced a call for love 
and peace. 
 
 
15. Hurriyet / Feridun Baloglu, a CHP MP, 
during a parliament meeting, questioned the 
Government's non-provision of promised 
adequate resources to compel  the 
restoration and excavation works of the now 
flooding Hasankeyf archeological site. 
REID