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 0257

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,
OCTOBER 2, 2003

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary
for October 2, 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. Cumhuriyet, Sabah / The fuel tank of a
helicopter based at the Diyarbakir Jandarma Air
Group Command exploded during landing in
Diyarbakir. Eleven people were injured during
the accident.

3. Turkiye / Cicegi Tay was sentenced to five
years of imprisonment for keeping 5kg of
marijuana in her house. Tay reported that she
grows marijuana in her garden for her own
consumption, not for sale.

4. Turkiye / Riza Mete, head of the Adana Medical
Doctors' Association, stated that doctors are
being accused of causing the deterioration of
the national health system, which he says
doesn't really exist. Mete announced that all
practicing physicians in Adana would close
their private clinics for two days as an action
to remind the government of the problems of the
health system.

5. Turkiye / Fifteen people from Somalia, who
apparently entered Turkey illegally, had an
accident in Altinozu, Hatay when trying to
escape from the Jandarma. The Somalis are
reported to have entered Turkey across the
Syrian border.

6. Turkiye / Mehmet Gulec in Nusaybin, Mardin
province received a sack full of counterfeit
Euros and US Dollars from Hamburg, Germany.
Police detained Gulec for questioning.

7. Ekspres / Anti-War groups gathered in Adana's
Inonu Park to protest against the possibility
of sending Turkish troops to Iraq. A box was
placed in the park for people to deposit mock
protest votes.

8. Milli Gazete / Elazig Jandarma Forces found 454
items of historical value in Agadibek, Maden,
Elazig province. Jandarma detained an
individual identified as "O.A" for questioning.

ECONOMIC

9. Zaman / Turkish Airlines is starting a direct
flight between Adana-Izmir and Izmir-Adana today,
October 2, 2003. As we covered in our September
16, 2003 press summary, flights will be on
Tuesdays and Thursdays departing from Adana at
11:50 a.m. and departing from Izmir at 9:30 a.m.
REID

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