US embassy cable - 05ADANA133

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 30, 2005 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for June 30, 2005. 
 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 
 
ZAMAN:  Three terrorists were killed in a clash in the Idil 
district of Sirnak province.  The officials announced that one 
of the terrorists killed was found to be the person who laid an 
ambush killing seven soldiers in the Nusaybin district of Mardin 
in December 2003.  Meanwhile, large-scale operations have been 
launched in southeastern Turkey as a result of the increased 
intensity of mine ambush attacks organized by the terrorists. 
 
ZAMAN:  The paper reports that, in view of the activities of 
Evangelists in Turkey, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the 
MIT intelligence center reportedly secretly warned Governors not 
to accept official visit requests from a German Protestant 
Church delegation which was visiting southeastern Turkey last 
week.  Reportedly, the secret warning issued by the Turkish 
Parliament stated that Evangelists are supporting the terrorist 
organization PKK and working towards the goal of not accepting 
Turkey to the EU unless Turkey accepts the Armenian issue. 
 
ZAMAN:  DEHAP National Chairperson Tuncer Bakirhan called on 
the government to lower the 10% national threshold needed to win 
seats in the Turkish Parliament to 3%. 
 
BOLGE/CUMHURIYET:       The CHP party organization's opposition group 
in Adana will be holding a meeting at 12 o'clock today in the 
party building in Adana. It will be largely attended by the 
former provincial and district chairpersons of the party. The 
meeting, whose theme is reportedly "Embracing the Public", 
reportedly aims to promote the ties of Adana's CHP with people 
in Adana. The alleged failures of the Serdar Seyhan's current 
party administration weakened these ties, according to the 
report of the paper. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  St.Petrus and St.Paulus days were celebrated 
in Antakya's St.Pierre Church. The Vatican ambassador to Turkey, 
Edmond Farhat, invited everybody to pray for peace in Middle 
East and in the whole world during the celebration ceremony. 
The Hatay Governor, Hatay Security Director and Hatay Mufti 
participated in the ceremony, as well.  Hatay Governor 
Abdulkadir Sari said that all people, regardless of their 
religious beliefs, should know the value and importance of 
peace. 
 
EKSPRES:        A 30-person group in Adana staged an unauthorized 
demonstration in Adana to protest the killing of 17 terrorists 
in the Ovacik district of Tunceli (see press summary 06/20). 
 
EKSPRES/OZGUR GUNDEM:   A left leaning 15-person group in Mersin 
protested the killing of terrorists in the Ovacik district of 
Tunceli (see press summary 06/20).  An angry former MHP 
provincial chairperson showed reaction to the group and shouted, 
"You are killing Turkish soldiers, are not you ashamed of 
yourselves?"  The police calmed down the angry person and the 
protestor group continued to make a press announcement. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The Mardin Prosecutor initiated an 
investigation against Tunceli Democracy Platform members, who 
attended the court session of Ahmet and Ugur Kaymaz case in 
Mardin, allegedly on the charges that the members of the 
platform are "inciting separatism among people." 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Abdulkadir Aygan, a former JITEM (Jandarma 
Intelligence Center) member and now a confessor, reportedly shed 
light on the disappearance of Edip Aksoy and Orhan Cingoz in the 
Cudi Mountains in 1995 following their detention.  Aygan 
reportedly confessed that the two persons detained were killed 
after being interrogated and were buried in a place across from 
the TPAO's (National Crude Oil and Natural Gas Company) Cudi 
Mountain facilities. 
 
EVRENSEL/OZGUR GUNDEM:  The Diyarbakir Heavy Penalty Court said 
it lacked jurisdiction for the complaint filed by the Diyarbakir 
Bar Association and Diyarbakir Branch of the Human Rights 
Association on February 2005.  The complaint was filed against 
40 people, including the former State of Emergency Governors of 
the Southeastern Turkey, based upon the confessions made by 
former JITEM member Abdulkadir Aygan. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The paper reports the interview of a TAK 
(Kurdistan Liberation Hawks) member with Mesopotamian News 
Agency announcing that the organization would allegedly be 
staging terrorist activities with bombs in many cities of Turkey 
in the coming days. 
 
HURRIYET:       An American soldier was handcuffed briefly by 
Turkish officials on Incirlik Airbase in November 2004, 
according to the U.S. officials, when the American soldier 
attempted to approach a plane landing at the base without 
obtaining prior permission. 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
1.      HURRIYET/EKSPRES/SABAH(GUNEY)/ZAMAN/BOLGE:      Water 
melon producers in Adana's Karatas district of are frustrated 
about not being able to sell their produce despite water melon's 
very low price in the market. 
 
2.      ZAMAN/BOLGE:    The paper reports that despite the 
recent lifting of the ban Russia imposed on its vegetable and 
fruit imports from Turkey, Russia have not resumed its imports 
from Turkey.  Greece and Iran reportedly are filling the gap 
created by the absence of Turkey in the market.  Meanwhile, 
Bolge reports that only the ban on 109 items has been lifted 
from among the 136 types of produce.  According to the paper, 
farmers were frustrated to find out that the ban on 
vegetable-and-fruit items actually was not lifted. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REID