Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for August 31, 2006

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SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 31, 2006

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for August 31,
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

ZAMAN / ABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / CUMHURIYET: An explosion in
a trash can took place and wounded one person in a Mersin
neighborhood around 1 p.m. yesterday (08/31). Two people were
detained because of their suspected connection with the
incident.

EKSPRES / ZAMAN: Umit Ozgumus, Chairperson of Chamber of
Industry, said that they defined a new route, namely Iran, in
line with their goals to foster economic ties with the
neighboring countries. Ozgumus further said they would take a
business trip to Tehran and Tabriz at the start of November.

EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY): Mustafa Ozyurek, CHP Deputy
National Chairperson and Mersin deputy, attended August 30
Victory Day celebrations in Mersin. Ozyurek reportedly
expressed CHP's disapproval of contributing troops to U.N.
peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Onder Sav, CHP's general
secretary, expressed the same concerns in Adana. Mr. Sav also

SIPDIS
said that grounds of the August 25 bombing in front of the CHP
building in Adana had not been found out yet, but the attack
reportedly definitely targeted CHP, said Sav. Meanwhile, Kilis
deputy from AKP said that if the Turkish Parliament approves
dispatch of troops to Lebanon, the best point for departure for
the transportation operations will be Kilis's Cobanbey Train
Station and Oncupinar Border Gate. Separately, Kahramanmaras
deputy from AKP said that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer,
regarding the dispatch of troops to Lebanon, must respect the
decisions taken at the Turkish Parliament.

SABAH / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesperson of
the U.S. State Department, said that Joseph Ralston, Special
Envoy to Counter PKK, is talking to the Government of Turkey and
the Government of Iraq. The U.S. Government is not engaged in
conversations with the PKK or with any other terrorist
organization, according to Casey's statements. Cumhuriyet daily
however claims that PKK is also pleased that an envoy was
designated on matters concerning the PKK.

EKSPRES: Hasan Yaman, MHP Seyhan district chairperson of
Adana, dubbed the government as "two-faced" about its consent on
dispatch of Turkish troops to Lebanon especially during a time
when bomb incidents were increasingly targeting tourism places,
a situation which reportedly made life in the urban city centers
unsustainable.

SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE: Police found and seized 20 kilograms of
hashish in luggage during a search on a bus in Hatay's Dortyol
district. Three people were detained during the operation.

OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily reported that despite alleged
incitements and attempts to provoke Kurdish people, Kurds will
reportedly not stray from their demands for peace. The daily
cites an article authored by a Hurriyet daily columnist which
reportedly had a provocative character.

OZGUR GUNDEM: Batman Mayor Huseyin Kalkan was not allowed to
participate in the August 30 Victory Day celebrations at the
Garrison Command allegedly on grounds that the celebrations had
nothing to do with the mayor. The daily brands that move as
segregation.

CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: The summer camp for children,
which was established by the Diyarbakir Municipality two months
ago in Elazig's Gezin district, was ended as the children
performed local dances around the camp fire together with
Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir and Gezin district's Jandarma
Commander (This summary is from August 29 edition).

OZGUR GUNDEM: Reportedly, Elazig Central Jandarma Command
started a probe against Gezin Jandarma Commander allegedly after
commander's photographs showing him dancing folk dances with
children and with Baydemir appeared in the daily.

OZGUR GUNDEM: A forest area was allegedly started in
Hakkari's Cukurca district. Allegedly, nearly 50 acres of
forest land was burned in an area near Narli village.

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OZGUR GUNEM: The daily reports that thousands of people
will take part in tomorrow's September 1 Peace Day activities.

OZGUR GUNDEM: Turkish Military is reportedly continuing to
shell the areas in northern Iraq. The villagers around the area
bombed reportedly escaped to the caves in the environs.

SABAH / OZGUR GUNDEM: People, who incurred material damage
during the November 9 Semdinli bombing in 2005, filed complaints
with the Ministry of Interior.

OZGUR GUNDEM: The decision to shut down offices of PCDK
(Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party) in Iraq's Suleymaniyah
province has been suspended reportedly upon an objection filed
by PCDK with the Iraqi authorities.
GREEN

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