US embassy cable - 03ADANA201

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0201 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT:  SOUTEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY 
JULY 24, 2003 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for July 24, 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. Gunaydin / Red Cross in Adana needs blood 
donations.  Dr. B. Kolfal, the head of the 
Red Cross in Adana announced that they have 
only two units of blood left in their 
storage. With the heat of the summer most 
people went to the mountains and to the 
beach and there are no blood donors left in 
the city, Kolfal stated. 
 
 
3. Gunaydin, Turkiye, Bolge / Pharmacists in 
Adana walked to AKP building and visited 
the head of AKP, Abdullah Dogru. 
Pharmacists stated that the government owns 
them about 5 million dollars and it hasn't 
been paying that for 143 days.  Some 35 
pharmacies have closed down due to their 
unpaid bills.  (Editor's Note: Government 
is supposed to pay %80 of the cost of the 
patients' medication bill direct to the 
pharmacies). 
 
 
4. Gunaydin, Turkiye, Bolge / Cumali Kizilkoca 
who did the grenade attack to the American 
Consulate in Adana said he did it to raise 
the voice of the Muslims in the world. 
Kizilkoca is sent to the mental hospital in 
Adana for a check-up. 
 
 
5. Milliyet, Bolge / During the first 
anniversary celebrations the head of the 
Yeni Turkiye Partisi (YTP) in Adana, Zafer 
Yegenoglu announced that they want to see 
the left wing parties to get together under 
the same name. 
 
 
6. Turkiye, Bolge / Security officials found 
about $150,000 worth of statues and coins 
of historical value in Mersin. 
 
 
7. Evrensel / Phillip Moris visitors, 
potential buyers for Malatya TEKEL factory 
were not allowed in by the factory workers. 
Before that workers had not allowed two 
Korean potential buyers in. 
 
 
8. Evrensel / Human Rights Organization 
Committee that was investigating the death 
of the 5 villagers in Yumakli/Bingol ended 
their investigations and soon they will 
announce their report. 
 
 
ECONOMICAL 
 
 
9. Turkiye / Saban Bas, the head of the 
Chamber of Commerce in Adana visited Nejat 
Kocer, the head of the Chamber of Industry 
in Gaziantep.  They announced that 
businessmen in the region should adapt 
themselves to the new picture of Turkey and 
should not be scared of new investments. 
HART