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