US embassy cable - 03ADANA60

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0060 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          MARCH 3, 2003 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for March 03, 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. MILITARY ATTACHES TURNED AWAY AT BORDER 
(Milliyet/Hurriyet) Military attaches, Daniel 
Bates and Joseph Collins from the American 
Embassy in Ankara and 50 American soldiers, were 
stopped by Turkish security forces in Cizre and 
were told to return.  The attaches drove to 
Diyarbakir in vehicles belonging to the American 
Consulate in Adana, and later settled in the 
Dedeman Hotel.  Reportedly the Attaches will go 
back to Northern Iraq once they receive necessary 
documents from the American Embassy.  The 
American soldiers returned to Incirlik. 
 
 
3. ORDER TO RETURN 
(Hurriyet/Dunya/Turkiye/Radikal)  Civil trucks at 
the Iskenderun port which were carrying American 
military vehicles, were preparing to go to 
Eastern Turkey yesterday when they were held at 
the gate upon orders from Ankara. American 
officials came to the port to hold a meeting on 
March 1, after the Turkish parliament voted 
against American troops using the country as a 
base in case of a possible war with Iraq. 
 
 
4. SECURITY MEASURES IN MEDITTERANEAN 
(Milliyet/)  Strict security measures are being 
taken in the eastern Mediterranean region 
especially at the ports of Iskenderun and Mersin 
that America wishes to use in a possible war 
against Iraq. In Iskenderun, it is prohibited to 
approach within 200 meters of vessels. A similar 
ban is being applied to fishing boats In Mersin 
and Tasucu. 
 
 
5. EX-MAYOR SUPPORTS LOCAL PRESS 
(Bolge/)  Yuregir ex-Mayor, Omer Topcu, took 
action by demanding reform on the new bid law 
that has brought the local press to a halt. 
Topcu sent letters to members of the commission 
who prepared the law and to ministers of Adana. 
In his letter, Topcu states that the law has 
given a blow to the organs of the local press 
since it came into effect in January 2003.  Topcu 
also stated that this new law takes a large 
portion of bid advertisements from local 
newspapers and transfers them to the official 
newspaper, which is not read by the public at 
large. 
 
 
6. NEW BRIDGE TO HABUR 
(Dunya)   A new bridge is under construction at 
the Viransehir- Kiziltepe section of E-90 that 
connects to the Habur border gate.  It is 
reported that E-90 is an important route in terms 
of military transportation to the border. 
Officials note that the old bridge is too high 
and its columns cannot support heavy vehicles. 
 
 
7. NO TO WAR, ISOLATION AND OHAL 
(Evrensel)  Solidarity and collaboration with 
Prisoner Families Association (TUHADER), made a 
press announcement in Diyarbakir saying `no' to 
war, isolation of PKK/KADEK leader Abdullah 
Ocalan and `no'to a return to possible OHAL 
(state of security).  The president of the 
association, Mahmut Bayhan, said they will 
continue to support peace, brotherhood and 
freedom.  Bayhan noted the possible war that has 
been escalated by America is a potential threat 
to Turkey and to the region. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
8. PARLIAMENT DECISION IS WRONG SAYS GUNSIAD 
(Dunya)  President of SouthEastern Industrialist 
and Business Association,Bedrettin Karaboga, made 
an announcement regarding the decision of the 
parliament not to let American troops use bases 
in Turkey.  Karaboga said that Turkey needs to 
protect its interests by not separating itself 
from America, economically or politically. 
Karaboga also added that the decision would 
adversely affect the Turkish economy and 
political structure, since Turkey is dependent on 
America in terms of economics and politics. 
 
 
9. PEOPLE BEGIN STOCKING FOOD 
(Sabah)  Silopi and Cizre are provinces that 
border Iraq. In the gulf war of 1991, people in 
these regions were unable to find food, and 
therefore, this time they are preparing for a 
possible war by stocking fundamental food items 
such as flour, oil and cracked wheat.  Bekir 
Sahin,who runs a flour factory in Silopi says 
that they are having difficulty supplying flour 
due to the increased demand. He also notes that 
their work capacity increased 10 times.  As such 
they are working 24 hours a day to catch up. 
HOLTZ