US embassy cable - 03ADANA78

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 0078 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, IZ, TU, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY 
MARCH 17, 2003 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for March 
17, 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. 
 
 
POLITICAL, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
 
2.  Hurriyet/Sabah/Milliyet/Radikal/Milli 
Gazete/Turkiye/Tercuman: The PUK Leader Celal 
Talabani, the Leader of Turkoman Front Sanan 
Ahmed Aga, and IKDP Representative Necirvan 
Barzani came to Ankara. The leaders of the Iraqi 
Opposition crossed into Turkey from Habur Border 
Gate yesterday and flew from Diyarbakir to Ankara 
where they were met by their party 
representatives in Turkey. In response to 
reporter's questions, Celal Talabani said they 
were going to talk about matters that concern 
their Turkish brothers and American friends. 
Sanan Ahmet Aga also drew attention to the 
importance of the Opposition Group's meeting 
tomorrow, saying it would be a turning point for 
the future of the Turkomen, and the policy Turkey 
would follow in northern Iraq. 
 
 
3.  Hurriyet: An anonymous U.S. official told AP 
News Agency that the U.S. has put into effect war 
plans excluding Turkey, and that the primary 
focus of the contacts Zalmay Halilzad has been 
having in Ankara is to persuade Turkey about not 
deploying soldiers in Northern Iraq. The 
anonymous US official claimed Turkey's unilateral 
penetration into northern Iraq would cause 
clashes and problems with the coalition forces, 
and expressed his concern that, if Turkey entered 
northern Iraq without the coalition forces, 
clashes might even take place between  Turkish 
and U.S. military units. The same source said the 
USD 15 billion-dollar grant and loan package had 
been withdrawn.  It was not sure if the package 
would be re-discussed, even if the motion passed 
from the National Assembly. 
 
 
4.  Hurriyet/Milli 
Gazete/Evrensel/Turkiye/Cumhuriyet: Freighters 
have discharged Patriot missiles, Stinger missile 
batteries, Hummer jeeps, vehicles including 
military trucks, and military equipment in 211 
containers at the port of Iskenderun since 
February 19. Because Turkey did not grant 
permission for foreign soldiers to be deployed in 
or transit through Turkey, 36 ships carrying the 
United States' Fourth Infantry Brigade's tanks, 
armored vehicles, and ammunitions still wait off 
shore in the Mediterranean. 
 
 
5.  Hurriyet: On the 15th anniversary of Saddam's 
use of chemical gas which killed 5 thousand 
people instantly in Halepce town of Northern 
Iraq, demonstrators from Istanbul's DEHAP Youth 
Organization, Socialist Democratic Party, The New 
Democrat Youth, No to War in Iraq Committee and 
other non-governmental organizations posted 
banners, and shouted slogans in Turkish and 
Kurdish. When DEHAP demonstrators started 
shouting pro-KADEK and pro-Ocalan slogans, anti- 
riot police arrested 26 persons, including two 
women. In Diyarbakir, Democracy Platform members 
who wanted to make a press announcement in front 
of the Human Rights Monument were not allowed 
into the park by police. As a consequence, the 
police arrested 10 demonstrators for undertaking 
an "illegal demonstration." 
6. Milliyet: Dozens of animals died in Doyuran 
village of Kiziltepe at the Syrian border 20 days 
ago. The villagers are suspicious of the 
Americans who visited their village two weeks 
ago. Doyuran villagers said the chickens died 
first, and then about 50 head of cattle perished 
in the past 10 days. Sheep, calves, and birds in 
the region have also become the victims of 
mysterious death.  The villagers said some 
foreigners visited their village in two black US 
jeeps two weeks ago.  One of the villagers, Ahmet 
Sahin, said he lost all his chickens and about 20 
sheep, and that an equal number of sheep were 
also sick. The village headman, Osman Kilic, said 
his sheep also had died. Kiziltepe sub-governor, 
Tayyar Sasmaz, said there was no epidemic disease 
in the region but would assign officials from 
Provincial Agricultural Directorate and Health 
Committee to investigate the issue. 
 
 
7.  Milliyet: In response to TGS's demand to 
initiate State of Extraordinary Rule in six 
provinces should the war start, Interior Minister 
Abdulkadir Aksu said no weakness had been seen in 
their combat with terrorism since OHAL was ended. 
During parliamentary debates about his ministry's 
budget, Minister Aksu said the region was 
normalized following the lifting of the OHAL and 
thus gave an indirect answer to TGS's desire to 
declare OHAL in Diyarbakir, Mardin, Sirnak, 
Siirt, Batman, and Hakkari provinces. 
 
 
8.  Evrensel: Anadolu New Agency reported that 
the Chief Public Prosecutor investigating 
Kahramanmaras DEHAP's Provincial Chairman Metin 
Gonulsen prepared an indictment accusing him of 
"threatening the country with civil war" and 
"making propaganda for a terror organization." 
Based on the prosecutor's instructions, Mr. 
Gonulsen was apprehended and ordered held by 
court. After his arrest, anti-terror teams 
obtained a court warrant, and subsequently 
searched DEHAP's provincial and district offices. 
 
 
9.  Evrensel: Newroz Organization Committee of 
Mersin applied to the governor's office for 
permission to celebrate the "Newroz" (new year 
celebrations) in Mersin. Two persons were killed 
during the celebrations last year. Regarding the 
issue, the Provincial Administrator, Ilhan Tas, 
said their application was accepted.  Tas said 
the chances for celebrating the Newroz this year 
were high, and that the committee would request 
an appointment from the governor and the security 
director on March 17.  Adiyaman Democracy 
Platform also applied to the governor's office to 
celebrate the Newroz.  Committees have been 
formed for the celebration of Newroz in Hakkari. 
A local singer, Nevzat Alter, is reported to 
participate the March 21 celebrations in Hakkari. 
In Adana, the Labor, Peace and Democracy Block 
applied to the governor's office for Newroz 
celebrations. DEHAP Central Committee Members who 
applied to the governor's office said they would 
celebrate the Newroz at three separate locations 
and was expecting 150,000 participants at 
celebrations in Adana and 20,000 in Ceyhan. 
HOLTZ