US embassy cable - 05ADANA157

UNCLAS ADANA 000157 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 26, 2005 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for August 26, 
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 
 
RADIKAL / ZAMAN / HURRIYET:     Ministry of Interior inspectors 
have completed their examinations of the following cases in the 
Diyarbakir Municipality: municipality providing ambulance 
service to PKK terrorists killed during military operations, and 
municipality providing buses to DEHAP members, who were 
celebrating the birthday of the terrorist leader Abdullah 
Ocalan.  As a result of the report's findings, the Ministry will 
initiate an investigation against Diyarbakir mayor Osman 
Baydemir and seven municipality employees. 
 
SABAH / HURRIYET:       Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Matt 
Bryza, who is currently in Turkey to discuss issues on the fight 
against the PKK, Cyprus and the EU, reportedly extended strong 
support to Turkey in its fight to counter PKK terrorism. 
 
HURRIYET:       The daily quotes statements from a letter written to 
Abdullah Ocalan by a former Ocalan chief aide, Semdin Sakik, who 
was caught in northern Iraq in 1998.  Writing from prison this 
month, Sakik reportedly advised Ocalan to lay down arms. 
 
ZAMAN:  Anthrax disease incidences have been on the increase 
in Turkey's Eastern region.  As a result of vaccination 
treatment, the disease has been eradicated in the Altunbulak 
village of the Kars province and the quarantine was removed. 
However, the quarantine has been going on in three settlement 
areas: Bitlis's Yaylacik village, Mus's Agarti village and 
Kars's Baskoy village. 
 
ZAMAN / RADIKAL :       MIT intelligence agency of Turkey initiated a 
probe into broadcasting companies that applied to RTUK (Supreme 
Board of Radio and Television) for permission to broadcast in 
Kurdish.  Reportedly, while evaluating the applications, RTUK 
will heed the information from the MIT. 
 
ZAMAN:  The daily draws attention to the increasing number 
of people applying for visas at the Syrian Consulate in 
Gaziantep and bases this interest in Syria on recent 
developments in relations between Syria and Turkey.  The Syrian 
Consulate in Gaziantep is issuing 300 visas every day and 10,000 
people have obtained Syrian visas since June 17. 
 
ZAMAN:  Nancy McEldowney, US Charge d'Affaires, said during 
her visit to the State Minister Kursad Tuzmen that Turkey has 
been "impatient" on the issue of PKK; yet, she added that she 
understood the causes of that impatience.  McEldowney further 
said that the U.S., working together with Iraq and Turkey, would 
do all it can in the struggle against the PKK. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   DEHAP National Chairperson Tuncer Bakirhan 
will not be able to attend a conference titled "Turkey-EU 
relationships and the Kurds" because he has been barred from 
going abroad by the court. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Six attorneys of Abdullah Ocalan applied to 
the European Court of Human Rights to end the isolation of their 
client in a prison cell in Imrali island. 
 
 
 
REID