SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY

UNCLAS ADANA 0416 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY DECEMBER 16, 2002 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for December 16, 2002. Please note that Turkish press reports often contain errors or exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not vouch for the accuracy of the reports summarized here. POLITICS, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS -------------- ¶2. "NUCLEAR DETECTORS" (Turkiye) Under a project jointly carried out by the U.S. and the Turkish Customs Undersecretariat, a Nuclear Detector has been placed at Silopi's (Sirnak) Habur border gate to prevent possible illegal import of nuclear substances. The detector is regarded as a sign of an imminent operation against Iraq. ¶3. ADANA AIRPORT TO RE-OPEN ON JANUARY 15 (Milliyet/Hurriyet) State Airports Administration (DHMI) Deputy Director General Hasan Yener said the Adana Airport would re-open on January 15. The airport has been under renovation since November 4. ¶4. ELAZIG INDEPENDENT MP DYP'S NEW LEADER (All papers) Mehmet Agar, who was elected to the Parliament as an Independent from Siirt on November 3, was elected the new leader of the True Path Party (DYP),which failed to pass the nationwide 10% threshold to enter the Parliament. Agar received votes from 815 of the 1,109 DYP delegates during DYP's General Congress. Other chairmanship candidates Ilhan Kesici received 227 votes, Hasan Subasi 47 and Ufuk Soylemez 14. Turkiye reported hundreds of Elazig residents went out into streets and formed convoys to celebrate Agar's DYP chairmanship. ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS -------------- ¶5. CATALAN WATER COMES TO YUREGIR (ADANA) (All papers) A December 15 ceremony was held to celebrate the arrival of Catalan (Adana) water to Adana's Yuregir district. Interior Ministry Under Secretary Muzaffer Ecemis, Adana Governor Oguz Kagan Koksal, Adana Mayor Aytac Durak and others attended the ceremony. The Seyhan (Adana) Section of the Catalan Drinking Water Project, which will cost USD 80 million, will go into service in mid-2003. HOLTZ