US embassy cable - 03ADANA46

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADANA 0046 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY 
FEBRUARY 18, 2003 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for February 18, 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. 
 
 
POLITICS, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
2.  KANADOGLU:  ERDOGAN CANNOT RUN IN SIIRT 
ELECTIONS 
(All papers)  Sabih Kanadoglu, Chief Prosecutor 
of the Supreme Court of Appeals, stressed that, 
under Article 16 of the Member of Parliament 
Election Law, AK Party leader Recep Tayyip 
Erdogan cannot nominate himself in the March 9 
Siirt elections.  Kanadoglu noted the March 9 
elections were a continuation of the November 3 
Parliamentary elections.  Kanadoglu did not 
object to Erdogan's nomination because the Higher 
Election Council (YSK) had authority to 
investigate the matter out of its own accord. 
Tercuman reported that ballots would be published 
in the Official Gazette on February 26.  Sabah 
newspaper said the Republican People's Party 
(CHP) Leader, Deniz Baykal, had viewed Siirt in 
his "On the Anatolian Roads" article:  "We 
proceeded from Anamur (Mersin) to Antalya and met 
with Baykal there.  He was listening to the 
public.  In answer to a question, he said CHP 
would not cooperate with HADEP in Siirt.  "I will 
not involved in an initiative that will block 
Erdogan," he indicated. 
 
 
3.  ANTI-WAR PROTESTS 
Milli Gazete reported continued criticism of a 
possible U.S. operation against Iraq.  According 
to the paper, anti-war protests were held in the 
Southeastern provinces of Van and Adana, as well 
as in Izmir and Ankara. 
 
 
4.  EXPANSION AND RENEWAL PROJECTS 
(Cumhuriyet)  Repair and renewal projects 
continued after the U.S. received construction 
permission for nine bases and three ports, as 
well as railways connections to these bases and 
ports.  These bases and ports are mostly in the 
Southern and Southeastern regions.  A project to 
expand the runway of the Incirlik (Adana) Air 
Base, which is likely to be used as a central 
base during a possible war in Iraq, has been 
expedited.  There has also been an increase in 
the number of planes of various tonnages taking 
off from and landing at Incirlik.  Patriot and 
other missile ramps, as well as anti-aircraft 
weapons will be placed around the base and its 
runway.  Tercuman reported that a delegation of 
U.S. experts surveyed the Mersin and Iskenderun 
(Hatay) Ports. Activities have increased in 
Mersin Port's wharves allocated to NATO. 
 
 
5.  GROUND EXERCISES IN INCIRLIK 
Hurriyet reported the February 17 arrival of five 
C-17 and a civilian cargo plane at the Incirlik 
Air Base, which was repaired and painted during 
the (Sacrifice) Holiday.  Another AWACS plane 
joined two early warning planes giving support to 
warplanes engaged in Operation Northern Watch. 
Also, a command plane landed at Incirlik at noon. 
Bolge reported that, after an hour of ground 
exercise, warplanes took off from Incirlik to 
carry out flights in northern Iraq.  While 
preparations continue due to a possible operation 
against Iraq, two military cargo planes landed at 
the Adana Airport on February 17.  Material 
unloaded from the planes was reportedly taken to 
the Incirlik Air Base, as well as to Mersin's 
Seka and Tasucu Ports. 
 
 
6.  U.S.' B PLAN 
(Turkiye)  The U.S. will implement plan B without 
Turkey if the Turkish parliament fails to pass a 
memorandum enabling the deployment of U.S. 
soldiers in Turkey.  According to the plan, a 
fleet carrying the Fourth Division of the U.S. 
Navy will pass through the Suez Canal and 
position in the Persian Gulf.  The Bermani, Beni 
Harr and Suleymaniye airports in northern Iraq 
will be renewed and Patriot missiles will be 
deployed there.  In addition, U.S. soldiers, 
including those at Incirlik Air Base, will be 
flown to these airports.  These soldiers will 
assume the responsibility of protecting oil wells 
in Musul and Kirkuk. 
 
 
7.  U.S. SOLDIERS IN DIYARBAKIR 
(Dunya/Milliyet/Evrensel)  2000 U.S. soldiers 
arrived in Diyarbakir to modernize bases to be 
used in the event of a possible U.S. operation 
against Iraq.  U.S. soldiers reportedly wanted to 
stay in luxurious hotels in the province, but 
their requests were not accepted due to possible 
activities by the terror organization KADEK/PKK. 
Instead, comfortable tents were set up for the 
American soldiers at the Diyarbakir base. 
Preparations are also underway for a 370-person 
military delegation from the Netherlands.  C-130 
cargo planes affiliated with the U.S. Air Force 
continue to transfer soldiers and ammunition, 
while U.S. experts will expand the base's current 
runway and construct a second one.  Radikal 
reported the February 17 landing at Diyarbakir's 
Second Tactic Air Base of two cargo planes 
affiliated with the U.S. Air Force, reportedly 
carrying U.S. soldiers and equipment from 
Incirlik. Americans reportedly installed a 
special radar system in Diyarbakir to guide and 
monitor planes, as well as simultaneously 
evaluate satellite photographs taken during an 
operation. 
 
 
8.  IRAQ SUMMIT AT HABUR BORDER GATE 
(Turkiye/Dunya/Tercuman/Evrensel)  Members of the 
Turkish national intelligence agency (MIT), 
Turkish and U.S. generals, and northern Iraqi 
Kurdish leaders met in Habur (Sirnak) on February 
17 to discuss measures to be taken prior to a 
possible war.  PUK leader Jalal Talabani, 
Nechirvan Barzani of the KDP, Turkomen Front 
President Ahmet Aga, as well as Turkish and 
American generals, Turkish General Staff Special 
Forces Deputy Commander Brigadier General 
Abdullah Kilicarslan, representatives from MIT 
and MFA, attended the meeting. Turkish officials 
indicated that the PKK had gained strength during 
the 1991 Gulf War, but would not allow such a 
vacuum this time.  Kurdish leaders, who are 
against the presence of Turkish soldiers in the 
region, were asked to give up their demands. 
 
 
9.  CONTINUED DISPATCH OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT AND 
SOLDIERS 
(Dunya)  The dispatch of military vehicles and 
equipment from various parts of Turkey to the 
Iraqi border continues.  A convoy of 20 military 
vehicles and personnel left Diyarbakir for Silopi 
(Sirnak).  On February 17, a Turkish Naval ship 
carrying military vehicles and soldiers anchored 
at the Mersin Port.  The ship will reportedly 
provide security for the U.S. Navy affiliated war 
ships that may come to the port. 
 
 
10.  FORCE COMMANDERS WILL TRAVEL TO THE 
SOUTHEAST 
(Turkiye/Radikal)  Chief of General Staff Hilmi 
Ozkok, together with the four force commanders, 
will travel to the Southeast on February 19 to 
inspect bases and units along the (Iraqi) border. 
They will also visit Diyarbakir's Second Army 
Command, and bases at Batman and Incirlik. 
 
 
11. TURKISH MP'S INSPECT SE PRISONS 
(Milliyet)  The Turkish Parliamentary Human 
Rights Commission did not detect torture during 
its tour of the Southeast this season, and 
announced "having found prisons better than 
anticipated."  Turkish parliamentarians did point 
to the continuation of prison conditions that 
threatened inmates' health, such as humidity. 
 
 
12.  PRO-OCALAN PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT 
(Evrensel)  Many demonstrators were arrested on 
February 17, while protesting the continued 
isolation of jailed PKK leader Abdulla Ocalan. 
Police intervened to disperse a group of people 
who wanted to issue a press release in Mardin's 
Kiziltepe district.  In Adana's Seyhan district, 
police fired five shots into the air and beat a 
youth they arrested.  A hunger strike in support 
of Ocalan at the Seyhan chapter of DEHAP ended 
(peacefully). 15 people were arrested in Adana's 
Ceyhan district over the past two days.  Five 
pro-Ocalan demonstrators were arrested in Batman. 
 
 
13.  NEW GOVERNORS TAKE OFFICE 
(All papers)  Gaziantep Mayor Celal Dogan, 
together with local officials, met the new 
Gaziantep Governor, Lutfullah Bilgin.  Atilla 
Osman Celebioglu, who had been appointed the new 
Mersin Governor, took office on February 17. 
Oguz Kagan Koksal, who had served as the Adana 
Governor for the past seven years, left for 
Bursa. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
14.  DIS PAYMENTS RESUME 
(Dunya/Milli Gazete/Bolge)  In Sanliurfa, Direct 
Income Support (DIS) payments resumed after the 
February 11-14 Sacrifice Holiday.  The Sanliurfa 
Agricultural Bank Director said his bank would 
pay another TL 18 trillion (approx. USD 11 
million) in DIS to nearly 20,000 farmers.  Bolge 
quoted the Adana Agricultural Engineers' Chamber 
President as complaining the DIS project had 
diverted from its goal because agricultural 
fields for which producers will receive DIS 
payments had been limited to 125 acres. 
HOLTZ