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 0120

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,
APRIL 25, 2003

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary
for April 25, 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. Bolge: The reverse shipment of the US
military vehicles and equipment deployed in
Turkey under "site preparation" accord was
completed from the port of Iskenderun today.
While the US military ship named "Cape Edmunt"
left the port, 250 US soldiers left for Incirlik
AFB.

3. Evrensel: The State Security Court of Adana
(SSC) postponed until May 22 the case involving
81 persons charged with "assisting and harboring"
the PKK for filing petitions demanding Kurdish to
be put among the selective classes. The SSC
initially accused the individuals of "PKK
membership," but due to of lack of evidence, the
accusation was changed to "assisting and
harboring the PKK." Because of the inmates' and
their lawyers' demand for additional time for
defense the court postponed the hearing to May
22.

4. Evrensel: The European Human Rights Court
(EHRC) accepted the application concerning
Suleyman Ekrem who was killed by security
forces. Ekrem was abducted by force from his
house in Elazig on November 29, 1999, and was
killed by soldiers firing on him. As Ekrem's
family did not receive any response to their
complaint about the security forces, their
lawyers appealed to the EHRC. The court asked the
Turkish government to prepare its defense in
writing by July 2, 2003. The president of the
Tunceli Bar Association, Huseyin Aygun, said the
laws in Turkey were not democratic, and Turkey
should amend its laws to harmonize them with the
European concept of human rights.

5. Tercuman/Sabah/Milliyet: Claudia Roth, in
charge of Germany's human rights issues, held
meetings with her Turkish counterparts in Ankara
yesterday. Roth called on Mehmet Elkatmis, TNA's
President of Human Rights Inspection Committee,
and is expected to call on Foreign and Interior
Ministers as well. Roth will also attend the
hearing of former DEP parliamentarians, Leyla
Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan, and Selim Sadak's
at the State Security Court of Ankara today.
Roth, who will go to the southeast to meet with
the leaders of human rights associations and
religious groups, and will also hear about
humanitarian relief to Iraq.

ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS

6. Turkiye/Bolge/Hurriyet/Milliyet: The
President of Adana's Chamber of Agriculture (CA),
Cumali Dogru, said 250 thousand tons of wheat
imported by the Turkish Soil Products Department
(TSPD) should not be sent to market before the
harvest season in May and June because it would
decrease the demand for the wheat from the
Cukurova plain, and would put the producers
financially in a difficult position. The wheat
imported by TSPD is scheduled to arrive in Turkey
during April 24-25.
HOLTZ

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