Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary, October 25, 2002

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

UNCLAS ANKARA 008149

SIPDIS

E.O. 12956: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, October 25, 2002

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for
October 25, 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. FIRST POLITICAL PARTY CONVOY IN SIRNAK IN 12 YEARS
(Evrensel) Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) parliamentary
candidates, accompanied by a convoy of over 100 vehicles,
are the first political party delegation to enter Sirnak's
Uludere and Semdinli sub-districts in the past 12 years.

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

3. WOVEN PRODUCT EXPORTS UP 0VER 36% SINCE JANUARY
(Bolge) According to the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters'
Union, woven product exports from the Southeast increased
36.7% in the first nine months of the year, rising to USD
186.7 million from USD 136.5 million for the same period in
2001. In the same period, the share of woven products in
overall exports from the region rose from 29.7% in 2001 to
45.4% in 2002. In January-September 2002, USD 86.8 million
worth of machine-made carpets, USD 83.2 million of cotton
(knitted and synthetic textiles), USD 9 million of towels
and USD 7.7 million of plastic bags were exported from the
region. Major customers included Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan,
Rumania, Uzbekistan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Belgium,
Greece, France, the U.S., Algeria, Spain, Iraq, the U.K.,
Germany and Russia.

4. MERSIN EXPORTS DROP BY USD 116 MILLION SINCE JANUARY
(Dunya) According to the Mersin-based Mediterranean
Exporters Union, exports from Mersin decreased by USD 116
million (approximately 9%) in the first eight months of the
year, falling to USD 1.180 billion from USD 1.296 billion
for the same period in 2001. PEARSON

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