US embassy cable - 02ADANA416

UNCLAS ADANA 0416 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY 
DECEMBER 16, 2002 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for December 16, 2002.  Please note that Turkish 
press reports often contain errors or 
exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not vouch 
for the accuracy of the reports summarized here. 
 
 
POLITICS, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
2.  "NUCLEAR DETECTORS" 
(Turkiye)  Under a project jointly carried out by 
the U.S. and the Turkish Customs 
Undersecretariat, a Nuclear Detector has been 
placed at Silopi's (Sirnak) Habur border gate to 
prevent possible illegal import of nuclear 
substances.  The detector is regarded as a sign 
of an imminent operation against Iraq. 
 
 
3.  ADANA AIRPORT TO RE-OPEN ON JANUARY 15 
(Milliyet/Hurriyet)  State Airports 
Administration (DHMI) Deputy Director General 
Hasan Yener said the Adana Airport would re-open 
on January 15.  The airport has been under 
renovation since November 4. 
 
 
4.  ELAZIG INDEPENDENT MP DYP'S NEW LEADER 
(All papers)  Mehmet Agar, who was elected to the 
Parliament as an Independent from Siirt on 
November 3, was elected the new leader of the 
True Path Party (DYP), which failed to pass the 
nationwide 10% threshold to enter the Parliament. 
Agar received votes from 815 of the 1,109 DYP 
delegates during DYP's General Congress.  Other 
chairmanship candidates Ilhan Kesici received 227 
votes, Hasan Subasi 47 and Ufuk Soylemez 14. 
Turkiye reported hundreds of Elazig residents 
went out into streets and formed convoys to 
celebrate Agar's DYP chairmanship. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
5.  CATALAN WATER COMES TO YUREGIR (ADANA) 
(All papers)  A December 15 ceremony was held to 
celebrate the arrival of Catalan (Adana) water to 
Adana's Yuregir district.  Interior Ministry 
Under Secretary Muzaffer Ecemis, Adana Governor 
Oguz Kagan Koksal, Adana Mayor Aytac Durak and 
others attended the ceremony.  The Seyhan (Adana) 
Section of the Catalan Drinking Water Project, 
which will cost USD 80 million, will go into 
service in mid-2003. 
HOLTZ