US embassy cable - 03ADANA57

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY 
FEBRUARY 27, 2003 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for February 27, 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.  Evrensel/Hurriyet: PKK/KADEK leader Abdullah 
Ocalan, who had not been able to meet with his 
family and lawyers for 12 weeks, was granted the 
chance this week.  The meeting did not come off, 
however. His lawyers from Asrin Hukuk Burosu -- 
Dogan Erbas, Firat Aydinkaya, and Aysel Tugluk - 
along with his sister, Hava Keser, came to Gemlik 
and boarded the Turkish-government's boat for 
Imrali island, where Ocalan is imprisoned. 
Halfway between Gemlik and Imrali, the seas 
became rough, and the boat turned around. 
Acording to Hurriyet, a five-page report giving 
information about PKK/KADEK's situation and 
prospects in the event of war on Iraq was found 
sandwiched between newspapers that were being 
carried by attorney Aysel Tugluk for Ocalan. 
Turgluk explained that the report might have been 
put among the papers by employees at the legal 
office.  The papers reported several incidents 
throughout the region protesting either war 
and/or Ocalan's isolation, including Van, 
Diyarbakir, and Gaziantep. 
 
 
3.  Radikal/Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet: The final list 
of candidates who will run in the by elections in 
Siirt on March 9 was published in the Official 
Gazette. The ticket is as follows: 
TKP (Turkish Communist Party) candidates: 
Muharrem Mirik, Emine Serpil Renda, Deniz Unver. 
IP (Labor Party) candidates: Zeki Karahan, Yusuf 
Celik, Bayram Yurtcicek. 
CHP (Republican Peoples Party) candidates: Ekrem 
Bilek, Abdulhalim Cinar, Abdurrahman Kaysi. 
AKP (Justice and Development Party) candidate: 
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Oner Gulyesil, Oner Ergenc. 
According to Hurriyet, HADEP has offered 
conditional support to CHP in by elections in 
Siirt province. CHP's Vice Chairman, Cevdet 
Selvi, said HADEP officials told him that if 
CHP's chair, Deniz Baykal made an announcement 
criticizing Abdullah Ocalan's isolation in Imrali 
and his not being allowed to meet with his family 
members, CHP would find great sympathy among 
their ranks and files. Selvi said HADEP 
supporters would vote for CHP in masses if such 
an announcement were made. 
 
 
4.  Radikal: Gas mask are seen in the shop 
windows of Iskenderun. The shopkeepers said there 
was a demand for the masks which are sold for TL 
300 million.  Demand is strongest from factories 
and other large installations. 
 
 
5.  Turkiye/Milli Gazete/Bolge: As the United 
States gets ready for war on Iraq, the military 
bases and airbases in Turkey also became very 
active. There was a heavy air traffic at Incirlik 
AB from evening till early morning yesterday. Two 
tanker planes, one cargo plane, and one Prowler 
landed at the base during morning hours. It is 
reported that some American dependents have 
started leaving the base.  Modernization projects 
at Tasucu port in Silifke (Mersin) continue at 
full speed.  In Batman, 50 heavy-duty 
construction vehicles rented by the US have 
deployed to Batman airport in order to begin 
infrastructure work for the construction of 5000 
prefab houses to be used as military barracks. It 
is gathered that the US has rented a large number 
of tanker trucks to supply its need for aircraft 
fuel there.  More than 10 cargo planes have 
ferried in military equipment to Diyarbakir 
Military Airport in the last three days. 
 
 
6.  Turkiye/Dunya: Turkey recalled its Ambassador 
from Iraq.  Ambassador Osman Paksut has returned 
to Ankara and closed the embassy building in 
Baghdad, as a precaution against uncontrolled 
activities that would erupt.  Meanwhile, Turkey 
has sealed its Habur Border Gate for any entry or 
exit. Turkish employees working for contracting 
firms in Iraq and truckers currently in Iraq were 
warned to return to Turkey. More than 12,000 
trucks are reported to be engaged in 
transportation between Turkey and Iraq. 
 
 
7.  Cumhuriyet: As talks that started on Saturday 
between Americans and Turks continue, 80 US ships 
carrying military vehicles and equipment await 
off-shore in the Mediterranean. It is reported 
that the ships carry combat materiel that will be 
used in the operation. M1 tanks, missile ramps, 
and other armored equipment are among the ships' 
cargoes, which can only be discharged after 
signing of the military MOU. The MOU on economic 
and political issues is expected to be signed 
before the Turkish National Assembly's approval, 
while the one concerning military issues is 
expected to be signed after TNA's approval. 
 
 
8.  Milliyet: The Turkish Armed Forces started 
building a direct road from Uludere to northern 
Iraq. The Uludere road will be connected to the 
Zavita military area which will be built between 
Amediye and Akre regions. It is gathered that the 
road between Zakho and Dohuk is also being 
repaired, and mobile bridges have been erected at 
designated military transit points. 
 
 
9.  Turkiye: The Mersin Security Directorate 
disclosed that, based on a tip, they seized a 
handwritten, foldable, leather-bound historical 
Pentateuch in Hebrew. Its estimated value is said 
to be 300,000 dollars. One person was arrested in 
connection with the seizure. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
10.  Turkiye: Chamber of Commodity Exchange (CCE) 
of Adana wants to plant the kind of cotton that 
can be harvested by machine. Eray Akile, CCE 
secretary, said CCE is going to undersign a 
 
SIPDIS 
memorandum of understanding with Adana's Cukurova 
University to develop high-yield cotton that can 
be machine picked and is suitable for the 
climatic conditions of the Cukurova region. 
HOLTZ