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 0224

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,
AUGUST 26, 2003

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary
for August 26, 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. Zaman, Bolge, Milliyet, Expres, Cumhuriyet
/ A group of people from the Adana
Nationalist Association protested attacks
by Americans and Kurds on the Turkmen in
Kirkuk. The group shouted slogans like
"Kirkuk belongs to Turks," "Peshmerges will
be buried in Kirkuk."

3. Zaman, Sabah Guney, Cumhuriyet / The new
head of the Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP)
in Tarsus is Abdulkadir Filiz.

4. Evrensel / The Adana Human Rights
Organization announced that it is going to
organize the celebrations for the September
1 Peace Day. Celebrations will start with
a meeting in Mersin on September 1 and end
on September 7.

5. Sabah, Turkiye / The court case of Abdullah
Aktas, the imam who killed restaurant owner
Murat Arslan last month, commenced in
Adana.

6. Turkiye / In Batman province, security
officials found 22 kg of marijuana and
detained two people related with the
incident.

7. Turkiye / Government electric utility
investigators in Mersin province discovered
the consumption of unauthorized electricity
in the office of Salim Tumen, a bar
attorney. As a result, the electric utility
is suing him.

8. Cumhuriyet / Cumhuriyet reported the
release of eleven people after their first
court hearing, who shouted slogans praising
PKK/KADEK during the banned 8th March
celebrations in Mersin.

9. Hurriyet / A bomb specialist checked a
suspect bag as left unattended at an Adana
bridge. Police warned the people about not
touching suspicious items in the city.
(Editor's Note: This is the second warning
from Adana police to the public concerning
suspicious unattended packages).

10. Hurriyet / Police warned people at an Adana
wedding ceremony who shouted slogans
praising PKK/KADEK. When people started to
throw stones at the police, the police
officers opened fire injuring five people.

ECONOMIC

11. Bolge, Sabah Guney, Expres / Ahmet Sari,
head of the Adana Electrical Engineers'
Association, announced that Sugozu
thermoelectric power plant pollutes the
water in Yumurtalik. Sari stated that
polluted water kills the tortoises in the
area.

12. Sabah Guney / Saban Bas, Head of the Adana
Chamber of Commerce, announced that the
Chamber has sold all the stands for the
October International Industrial Fair.
13. Turkiye / Due to the recent incidents in
Iraq, the Southeastern Businessmen
Association cancelled their business trip
to Iraq, scheduled for this week.
Bedrettin Karaboga, head of the
association, stated that, for their
personal safety, the delegation members
rescheduled the trip to September 14.
REID

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