US embassy cable - 03ADANA89

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 0089 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          MARCH 28, 2003 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for March 28, 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.  Sabah: It is estimated that there are 3,000 
PKK/KADEK militants at "Mahmur Camp" in northern 
Iraq just south of the 36th parallel. The PKK 
authorities have been sending messages recently 
through Kurdish groups in northern Iraq to the US 
so that the coalition forces would not bomb them. 
The PKK claims the presence of many civilians in 
the camp. It is believed that Celal Talabani and 
Mesut Barzani are conveying the PKK's message to 
US forces. The PKK fears meeting the same fate as 
the al-Qaida-affiliated Al-Ansar organization 
that has been bombed by the US in Halabja. 
Sources in Washington have reported that the US 
has just started thinking about what to do about 
the camps like "Mahmur." The "Kurdish Summit" in 
Ankara being chaired by President Bush's special 
envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, agreed upon ending the 
terrorist activities of all terrorist groups in 
the region. An anonymous US official said 
Washington accepted PKK/KADEK as a terrorist 
organization but so far US military forces have 
only bombed Al-Ansar and Komala camps in Halabja. 
What will happen to the PKK camps is going to 
become a serious examination for Turkey-US 
relations. The US has three options, according to 
reports. 
(1) To bomb the PKK/KADEK camp, given that the 
organization is officially recognized as a 
terrorist organization by Department of State. 
(2) To disarm the militants in the camp and 
surrender them to Turkish authorities who could 
grant them an amnesty. 
(3) To not touch the PKK/KADEK. 
 
 
3.  Milliyet: The US troops deployed at Mardin's 
Industrial Zone were put on alert when they 
received a suicide car bomb threat. The soldiers 
have been reinforcing security at the base. The 
soldiers scan the base perimeter with projectors 
and use night-vision binoculars. Soldiers pointed 
their guns at a DHA (Dogan News Agency) reporter 
who wanted to take pictures; the stand-off was 
ended after a US military officer checked the 
journalist ID card. 
 
 
4.  Bolge: KESK (Public Employees Unions 
Confederation) and Adana Chapter Platform members 
held an anti-war protest meeting at Ugur Mumcu 
Square by the Railway Station in Adana.  KESK 
affiliates also marched past the Consulate, 
shouting slogans, e.g. "Murderer America, Get Out 
of Turkey." 
 
 
5.  Evrensel: An anti-war demonstration drew 
participation of 100 people in Adiyaman. The 
participants shouted slogans such as "Damn US 
Imperialism," "Budget not for war but education," 
and "US the murderer, AKP the collaborator." In 
the southeast, smaller but similar demonstrations 
took place in Tunceli, Malatya, Elazig, and 
Mersin, as well.  Milliyet: In addition to two Dutch 
Patriot Missile Batteries at the 2nd Tactical Air 
Base in Diyarbakir, two US Patriot Missile Batteries 
and 200 soldiers arrived yesterday. It is anticipated 
that one of the batteries will be deployed in 
Mardin, where the US has established a logistical 
support center. 
 
 
6.  Cumhuriyet: Because Turkey announced refugee- 
flow would be a reason for a Turkish incursion in 
northern Iraq, Kurdish groups there have decided 
to send refugees to Iran and Syria instead, if 
unable to cope with refugees internally. 
 
 
7.  Radikal: Because it is anticipated that the 
Iraqi government would cut the electricity 
supplied from Baghdad to Zakho, a team of eight 
electricians was dispatched from Batman to 
northern Iraq to assess the situation.  Officials 
announced that they were waiting for instructions 
from the Ministry of Energy for providing 
electricity. 
 
 
8.  Milliyet: It is reported that the 
Coordinating Governor of Diyarbakir, Nusret 
Miroglu, has in hand "a blank check" to cope with 
any refugee problems that might erupt.  It is 
reported that some 3,000 refugees would be able 
to go to European countries, via a procedure, 
which Turkey would arrange, by land and air and 
sea, primarily to Belgium, France, Holland, and 
Denmark. 
 
 
9.  Radikal/Hurriyet/Cumhuriyet: The European 
Commission announced it is interested in the 
retrials at the Ankara State Security Court (SSC) 
of (now-defunct) DEP party former Turkish 
parliamentary deputies Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, 
Orhan Dogan, and Selim Sadak. The Commission's 
announcement said the cases would be followed 
very closely and reiterated the importance it 
attaches to "freedom of expression and 
association" and its application in practice in 
Turkey. 
 
 
10.  Milliyet:  With regard to the DEP deputies 
trial, it is reported that 17 members of the 
Babat clan, who had previously given testimony 
against the former deputies, had decided not to 
appear in court, despite summons sent by the SSC. 
The witnesses reportedly stated that they could 
make their statements via letters rogatory, but 
the European Human Rights Court had instructed 
the SSC that presence of the witnesses was 
required. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
 
 
11.  Milliyet/Turkiye: The Hungarian Ambassador 
to Turkey, Zsolt Szalay, has been visiting the 
Cukurova Region to evaluate its economic 
potential for promoting economic ties. The 
Ambassador visited Adana's Chamber of Commerce, 
Chamber of Industry, Commodities Exchange, 
Governorate, and Organized Industrial Zone.  He 
announced that a large Hungarian Trade Delegation 
would hold a meeting in Istanbul on May 15 to 
focus on how to increase trade volume between the 
two countries. 
12.  Turkiye/Milli Gazete: TEK, the Turkish 
Electricity Distribution Company, sued 5 township 
and 8 district municipalities in Malatya province 
for not paying electric bills in the amount of 
USD one million. TEK is demanding confiscation of 
the assets of the municipalities. 
 
 
13.  Bolge: Thanks to efforts by Adana AKP 
Provincial Chairman and eight deputies from the 
region, crop dusters that had been banned from 
flying, due to the war on Iraq, have now been 
granted permission to fly again, for the purpose 
of dusting wheat fields with pesticides. 
HOLTZ