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 ADANA 0180
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,
JULY 9, 2003
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press
summary for July 9, 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. Radikal, Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah,
Cumhuriyet, Bolge, Evrensel / There was an
attempted assassination on A. Cafer Akyuz,
the Governor of Tunceli. After about half
an hour of fighting the Governor was
rescued but two soldiers were killed and
one was injured. The officials claim that
the attack was done by PKK/KADEK
terrorists. The Governor said that there
were about ten terrorists and they used
special assassination guns and Kalasnikov
rifles. "Because we had a Turkish flag on
our car, it is an attack on our flag and
on our republic", Akyuz added.
3. Milliyet, Milli Gazete / A group of people
bringing goods to sell in Agri wanted to
cross the border through Gurbulak Gate.
Turkish soldiers wanted to search the
goods for security reasons. After a man
from the group used some offensive Kurdish
words with the soldiers a fight started.
One of the Turkish soldiers got injured.
Security officials arrested twenty-eight
people from the group.
4. Evrensel / Gaziantep TEKEL (State Tobacco
Factory) workers announced that they are
not leaving their factory building in
protest against the privatization policy
of the government. (Editor's Note: TEKEL
is one of the factories, which the
government wants to privatize. Workers
believe jobs will be lost and salaries
lowered as a result).
ECONOMICAL
5. Turkiye, Gunaydin, Bolge / Seventy Turkish
businessman from Mersin went to Syria for
a business trip. The group visited the
heads of the Chamber of Commerce and the
Chamber of Industry and signed contracts
and pre-contracts in ten different
business areas.
6. Tercuman / After the GAP Project in the
EAST, people have no water problems and
now people in Sanliurfa can do all kinds
of water sports and swimming activities in
the lake.
HART