US embassy cable - 03ADANA128

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0128 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          MAY 5, 2003 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for May 5, 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/Turkiey: In Adana, five sound bombs 
exploded at different locations. The explosions 
caused minor material damages. The first 
explosion took place at the Ultra-Nationalist 
MHP-affiliate Ulku Ocaklari Magazine's Office on 
Ziyapasa Boulevard at 21:20 last night, 
shattering the windows of the three-storied 
building. The second one exploded at 21:35 at a 
building adjacent to the US Consulate, breaking a 
few windows. The third one was detonated at a 
store named Tommy. The bomb broke the windows of 
the store and buildings around it. Another bomb 
exploded at 22:15 in front of the UPS 
Transportation Company. No casualties have been 
reported. 
 
 
3. Radikal/Cumhuriyet/Milliyet/Hurriryet/ 
   Turkiye/Tercuman/Milli Gazete/Evrensel/Bolge: 
Search-and-Rescue operations in Bingol due to the 
earthquake have been concluded. It is reported 
that 167 persons were killed while 521 others 
were wounded in the quake. Eighty-four students 
and one teacher were killed and 114 students were 
rescued. The contractors, who had built the 
school and other buildings that collapsed, are 
not available for comment. Regarding the quake, 
Bingol Governor, Huseyin Avni Cos, said 82 
buildings had collapsed and 1183 others were in 
uninhabitable condition. Cos stated 6,500 tents 
were distributed in the region, and an estimated 
seven thousand people were left homeless. Cos 
added the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) had sent 
three thousand more tents to the province and 17 
thousand people were provided food from the TRC's 
mobile kitchens. Addressing the earthquake 
victims in Bingol, the TGNA Spokesman, Bulent 
Arinc, said those responsible for the collapse of 
the buildings would be severely punished. 
 
 
4.  Radikal/Hurriyet: United States President 
George W. Bush sent a message of condolence 
expressing his sorrow for the victims of the 
earthquake in Bingol. President Bush said 
Americans prayed for all those directly affected 
by the tragedy, and the US is prepared to send 
aid to Turkey. 
 
 
5.  Hurriyet: On his way back from Iraq, the US 
Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, visited 
 
SIPDIS 
Incirlik AFB in order to change aircraft. 
Rumsfeld, who did not visit Ankara, hid himself 
from the reporters who attended the ONW 
conclusion ceremonies at the base on May 1. It is 
reported no one in Turkey knew about Rumsfeld's 
visit to Incirlik AFB except a few high-ranking 
officials. It is unknown whether or not the 
Defense Minister met with Turkish General Asparuk 
who attended the ONW ending ceremonies. 
 
 
6.  Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet/Turkiye/Bolge: The 
Catalan Potable Water Treatment Center began 
operations yesterday after a Municipal Ceremony 
to celebrate its opening. It is expected the 
Center will supply Adana's water demand until 
2050. Approximately ten thousand people attended 
the ceremony hosted by Mayor Durak, including the 
Former President Suleyman Demirel, Adana 
Governor, ANAP Chair, German Ambassador to 
Turkey, 6th Corp Commander, and other high-ranking 
officials. 
7.  Evrensel: It is reported the term spokesman 
for KESK -Public Employees Union Federation- in 
Bingol, Ozgur Bektasoglu, was threatened by 
Bingol's Governor, Huseyin Avni Cos. Bektasoglu 
applied to the Security Directorate to obtain 
permission to hold a meeting on May 1 and 
picketed at the entrance of governorate building 
in the morning. After lunch, Bektasoglu was 
called into the governor's office. It is claimed 
that Governor Cos squeezed Bektasoglu's throat 
and threatened that he would fill Bektasoglu's 
mouth with bullets if he continued engaging in 
such activities. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
 
 
8.  Radikal: The President of the Chamber of 
Commerce and Industry of Diyarbakir, Kutbettin 
Arzu, said the economy in the region has been in 
an extremely difficult situation since September 
2001 because trade from the Habur Border gate 
with Iraq ended. Everybody is hoping that the 
border trade would start again. Arzu claimed that 
opening the border trade would cause a boom in 
production and revive many sectors. With 
conclusion of the war, people, hopeful trade will 
resume, have been trying to buy trucks from all 
parts of Turkey. The prices for trucks in the 
region have increased between USD 6,500 and USD 
13,000. Bedrettin Karaboga, the President of 
GUNSIAD -Southeastern Industrialists and 
Businessmen Association-, also expressed that 
Habur Border Gate was vital for the economy of 
the region. Karaboga mentioned the border trade 
would also play a great role in the rebuilding of 
Iraq in addition to the UN contracts. Karaboga 
claimed Iran exported a large quantity of goods 
to Iraq and Syria sent many trucks of TV-dishes 
that had been banned in Iraq for 15 years. 
Karaboga added that the Habur Border Gate had 
been closed since September 11, 2001, for 
security considerations. Approximately three 
hundred thousand people were hurt from the 
closure of the gate. 
HOLTZ