Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for July 18, 2006

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TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JULY 18, 2006

JACQUELINE H. IYIELMAThis is the Southeastern Turkey press
summary for July 18, 2006. 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

RADIKAL/HURRIYET/BOLGE/EKSPRES/CUMHURIYET/YEN I SAFAK/SABAH:
Turkish Government warned Iraq and the United States about PKK
issue. After a cabinet meeting, the Justice Minister Cemil Cicek
said that PKK survived in Northern Iraq and that Iraq and the
United States should remove it, otherwise Turkey would exercise
its rights stemming from international law, hinting that Turkey
would launch a cross border operation. Decisions undertaken at
the cabinet meeting were conveyed to the Iraqi and American
ambassadors as well. Justice Minister Cicek said that all
demands from the military authorities for combating PKK would be
fulfilled.

RADIKAL/HURRIYET/EVRENSEL/SABAH: The United States has been
providing full support to Israel's operations against Hizbullah
and Hamas organizations on the ground that "Israel has the right
to defend itself." In respond to Turkey's possible operation in
Northern Iraq, the U.S ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, said
that it would be wise if Turkey did not act unilaterally in this
matter.

RADIKAL/HURRIYET: As dead bodies of seven soldiers killed in
clashes with PKK in Eruh district of Siirt were being buried in
their hometowns -Polatli of Ankara, Ankara, Tunceli, Mersin,
Tekirdag- people participating IN the funeral ceremonies
expressed anger at PKK and asked the AKP government to resign.
The wreath sent by Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu to the
funeral was destroyed by an ultranationalist group in Ankara.
The parliament's speaker, Bulent Arinc, urged Kurkish origin
citizens to denounce PKK's terror.

RADIKAL/ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: President Ahmet Necdet Sezer also
endorsed the new anti-terror bill that passed from the
parliament on June 29, 2006. According to the newly-adopted
anti-terror law the following acts will be perceived as terror
crimes:

-Trafficking of immigrants, encouraging to commit
suicide, attack at sexual inviolability, hindering education,
hindering freedom of work and to work, qualified thievery,
looting, deliberately endangering security, spreading
radiation, causing an atomic explosion, illegal possession of
hazardous materials, endangering individuals' lives by
poisoning water and all sorts of other food items , drug
trafficking and counterfeiting, creating panic and fear among
people, encouraging people to commit crimes, praising a
crime and a criminal, causing people to dislike to do
their military service and encouraging soldiers to disobey
orders, and all sorts of acts, other than plots to
assassinate, against the president.
-Those who disclose the names or identification of the
officials who have worked in combating terrorism, and
those who publish their names, and thus turn them into
terrorists organizations' targets, and those who publish
handouts and statements by terrorist organizations and
disclose the defectors' identifications will be given up
to three years of imprisonment in lieu of monetary fine,
and their sentences will be increased by one-and-a-half times
if they commit this act through press.
-Meetings or demonstrations turned into organization's
propaganda, covering up faces totally or partially for
hiding identification, carrying emblems or signals of the
organization in such a way that the carrier would
be considered member or supporter of the organization,
chanting slogans or broadcasting through sound devices or
wearing signs and uniforms that belong to the terrorist
organization will be punished up to five years.
-Deliberately and willingly allowing to be used as an
asset in the terrorist organization's activities will be
punished like members of the organization and the license
for the operation of an incorporate body will be annulled.
-Cases concerning children 15 years AND OLDER will be
handled by felony courts designated to rule terror crimes.
-Law enforcement shall, without hesitation, use
weapons against those who do not yield to "halt" warning in
operations and who attempt to fire at security forces.

HURRIYET: TAK (Tere Aazadiya Kurdistan) -Freedom Falcons of

ADANA 00000171 002 OF 002

Kurdistan- a flank organization of PKK, has been included in
Britain's list of terrorist organizations. PKK had been included
in this list in 2001.

HURRIYET/CUMHURIYET/YENI SAFAK: One policeman was killed as a
result of gunfire by PKK militants at a check point in Ozalp
township of Van, and a special team member was also killed in
clashes in Gercus township of Batman. Two PKK militants,
including a female, were killed in the latter clashes.

EVRENSEL: The presidents of Bar Associations of Diyarbakir,
Tunceli, Van, and Sirnak provinces mentioned that the violence
in the region could not be resolved with extraordinary measures
and considered statements by Prime Minister Erdogan
"unfortunate." The presidents of the Bar Associations urged
giving up unlawful and undemocratic approaches but creating a
climate that would end the clashes.

ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: Mehmet Karakus, the brother of HPG militant
Ridvan Karakus who was one of the 7 guerillas killed in Besiri
of Batman on August 26, 2005, claimed that his brother had been
extra judicially killed after being captured alive, and that he
would take the case to the court.

ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: The Black Hawk Company, which has
established bases in 16 countries in the world to protect
strategic interests of the United States has established a base
in Silopi township of Sirnak too. A mobile hospital, two
helicopters for protection and assault purposes, and 300
vehicles equipped with arms will be deployed, and former MIT
-Turkish National Intelligence- CIA, and FBI elements will be
hired. It is reported that KBR has been awarded to construct the
base from where it is claimed that illegal operations would be
carried out against Kurds in opposition to Southern Kurds (Kurds
in Norhern Iraq).

ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: Hayri Kozakcioglu, one of the former
Diyarbakir-based State of Emergency Rule Governors -enforced
from 1987 until 2001- confessed that JITEM and secret
organizations like it had been used to carry out illegal
operations against PKK inside and outside the country.
Kozakcioglu said that the parliament had been by-passed in
external operations because of red tape.

YENI SAFAK: Ground breaking ceremonies for the construction of
Ilisu Dam on Tigris river will be held on Augus 5, 2006. Prime
Minister Erdogan will attend the ceremonies of the dam that will
submerge the historic Hasankeyf township. The hydro-electric
plant to be constructed on the dam will have three 200 MW and is
expected to be completed in 2013.
REID

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