Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0421

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM IZ TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY
DECEMBER 19, 2002

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary
for December 19, 2002. 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. TGS: NO WAR PREPARATIONS IN THE SOUTHEAST
(All papers) Regarding the reports of deployment
of Turkish soldiers along the Iraqi border, the
Chief of General Staff denied having made
comprehensive build-up and taken extraordinary
measures, other than "routine preparations toward
possible developments in the region."

3. CALL FOR ACTION AGAINST WAR
(Evrensel) A group of intelligentsia and authors
who met for an activity organized by the
Diyarbakir chapter of Human Rights Association
(HRA) called on the public, mass organizations
and political parties to oppose the possible U.S.
attack on Iraq. They pointed to "hard-to-repair
wounds" in case of such a war and underscored the
need to disrupt the war plans.

4. ADANA HRA: U.S. CENTER OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
(Evrensel) In a (December 18) press conference,
Adana Human Rights Association (HRA) members
pointed to continued rights violations, saying
those who filled the earth with blood, tears,
fire and gunpowder are now warmongering. They
described the U.S. as the center of human rights
violations, torture and dirty war methods. Anti-
war slogans were shouted during the conference.

5. KURDISH SONGS NOT SEPARATIST
(Radikal) The trial of nine people, including
seven teachers, indicted for "assisting and
abetting the PKK" by forming a band and singing
"separatist" (Kurdish-language) songs at the
ordinary Congress of the Diyarbakir chapter of
the Teachers Union Egitim-Sen is scheduled to
continue on December 19. The court reportedly
received an expert witness report from the state-
run Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), which
made an analysis of the recordings of the songs,
saying that all the songs were about love, nature
and longing. TRT also provided the court with a
translation of the songs as well. The National
Education Ministry had dismissed five of the
seven teachers. The teachers for whom prison
terms of three years and nine months are
requested may now be reinstated. The other two
suspects, Hayrettin Altun and Medeni Alpkaya, are
charged with "delivering speeches in support of
the PKK's Kurdish-language education campaign and
displaying pro-mother tongue education banners."

ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS
--------------------------------------

6. RUSSIAN INVESTMENT IN KILIS
(Turkiye) Russian firm Kornet and the Kilis
Governor's Office signed a protocol agreement to
establish a factory that will produce champagne
and wine. Kilis Governor Aslan Kutuk said the
factory, which is expected to go on line within
two years, would cost USD 20 million to build and
create 400 new jobs. Kornet's Turkish partner
Alaattin Sucu indicated the factory would process
100,000 tons of fresh grapes annually.

7. REPAIR OF ADANA AIRPORT IMPACTS PROVINCIAL
ECONOMY
(Bolge) Adana Tourism Director Zeki Yilmaz
predicted the closure of the Adana Airport to
flights due to repair and maintenance would cause
the provincial economy to suffer a loss of TL 1
trillion (approx. USD 625,000). The airport,
which went under renovation on November 4, is
expected to go back in service in mid-January.

8. SALES DAYS BEGIN IN ADANA
(All papers) The Second Sales Days launched by
the Adana Chamber of Commerce (ACOC) began with a
December 18 march from the ACOC office to the
Ataturk Park, where a ceremony was organized.
ACOC President Saban Bas, Governor Oguz Kagan
Koksal, the Seyhan and Yuregir district mayors,
the Security director, ACOC board members,
political party officials and others attended the
ceremony. The sales, in which 350 firms are
participating, runs until December 22.
HOLTZ

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