SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 0101 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, APRIL 09, 2003 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 09, 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: It is reported that KDP leader Mesut Barzani has been directing Turkomen refugees to Turkey, in an effort to influence northern Iraq's demographics in favor of the Kurds. It is claimed that Barzani, in order not to give Turkey a chance to penetrate into Northern Iraq, has been keeping the Kurds who would like pass into Turkey in northern Iraq by force of arms. ¶3. Bolge: Adana affiliates of the Turkish Transportation-Union left a black wreath at US Consulate Adana yesterday. Around 20 demonstrators holding flags and banners gathered across from the Consulate, where police had taken stringent security measures. The crowd shouted slogans such as "Oil is magnificent; Saddam is a pretext," "No to war," and "Damn America." Holding a press conference at the scene, the President of the Adana chapter of the union, Orhan Yavuz, said that the US was testing out its weaponry on the people of Iraq. He urged consumers and shopkeepers not to buy US and Jewish products, because each penny they (Americans and Jews) made from such trade returned to them as bullets, tanks, missiles, bombs, and chemical weapons. ¶4. Evrensel: Adana DEHAP will hold its 3rd Ordinary Convention on April 19, 2003. DEHAP's Provincial Chairman, Mehmet Cancelik, said priority should be given to resolving the Kurdish and Palestinian issues in a fair, democratic, and peaceful manner in order to bring lasting peace and order to the Middle East. ¶5. Cumhuriyet: The "Coordination Center" planned to be established between Turkey, the US, and northern Iraqi groups has not become operational yet. It is reported that the Kurdish groups and the Turkomen have each reported to Washington and Ankara two names designated for the unit, and Turkey has been considering "a retired soldier" and a diplomat for the slots. Should Washington give the nod to formation of the "Coordination Center" this week, then the representatives will be able to congregate in Silopi next week. Their activities will be restricted to migration, humanitarian relief, and resolution of possible disputes between factions. ¶6. Milliyet: With completion of the mission of ONW, which was first set up at Incirlik AFB right after the 1991 Gulf War, all of the planes deployed at the base for that purpose have now left Turkey. ¶7. Milliyet: The port of Mersin is being evacuated by the US. A Spanish flag-carrier freighter docked at Mersin port to take back military and medical equipment, as well as some 86 containers of humanitarian relief, all of which had been unloaded at the port some time ago. ¶8. Cumhuriyet/Evrensel: The Americans are continuing to send the equipment at bases in Mardin to Iskenderun port and Incirlik AFB. The lease term for Iskenderun port has been extended until April 18 for an additional USD 2 million. Facilities rented in Kiziltepe by the US were turned over to the owners. In Nusaybin, the President of Merchants and Craftsmen Association said they were trying to complete the construction of the Industrial Zone with the money they earned from the US for rent; the US left the bases in Nusaybin some time ago. In Sirnak, 47 reporters from various news agencies - - including TRT, Star, IHA, Show-TV, Channel 7, Channel D, Yeni Safak, NTV, CHA, STV, and BBC -- filed petitions through the Press Center set up in Cizre with the Sirnak Governorate and the Cizre Sub-Governorate to facilitate working conditions in the region. In their petitions, the reporters demanded to be allowed to work without hindrance along the Sirnak-Hakkari line that forms the border with northern Iraq, as well as to be allowed to cross into northern Iraq via the Habur Border Gate in order to observe the humanitarian relief and refugee conditions in northern Iraq. Currently Habur Border gate has been sealed off and some regions have been declared a "special military zone." ¶9. Cumhuriyet: Because of increased military activity in northern Iraq, Turkey has put out the alarm for a possible wave of refugees. Following the accord made with Secretary of State Powell concerning relief assistance to Iraq, some 500 tons of foodstuffs were brought to Dohuk by 20 Turkish trucks. The UN also purchased 6,244 tons of flour from Turkey. Foodstuffs for 25,000 people -- along with tents, blankets, and mobile kitchens for 50,000 people -- were dispatched to Silopi, which has been designated as the Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center in Turkey. Foodstuffs that would suffice for 100,000 people are being kept in Turkish Red Crescent(Kizilay) warehouses. Some 30 Turkish deputy governors who have been trained in humanitarian relief issues are stationed in Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, and Silopi. ¶10. Turkiye: It was announced by the Diyarbakir Security Directorate that three alleged PKK members were arrested on charges of transferring materiel to PKK militants in rural areas and harboring them. The three members of the organization were ordered held by the court following conclusion of their interrogation at the security directorate. ¶11. Turkiye: Based on a tip, jandarma arrested three persons in possession of historical items from the Urartian period (9th century BCE) in Malazgirt (Mus). It is reported that the market value of the items was somewhere between USD 150- 180,000. The interrogation of the detainees is ongoing. ¶12. Evrensel: Distribution of magazines published by student organizations at Cukurova University (Adana) is being blocked on minor pretexts by the university rector, who claims that there should be only one publication at the university. Magazines freely sold in town are prohibited at the university. Two seniors at the Faculty of Philosophy who are members of the "Gara Writing Club" -- Nurhan Ozgun and Mustafa Esme -- said they probably would face interrogation for publishing the 2nd issue of the magazine titled "Gara." ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS ¶13. Bolge/Turkiye/Hurriyet: A trade delegation from Adana set off for a four-day trip to Greece. The President of the Adana Chamber of Industry, Umit Ozgumus, said they would make every effort to promote cooperation between businessmen in both countries, and added that they benefited greatly from a similar visit to Syria last year. 18 representatives from the metal-machinery sector, 13 from food processing, 10 from textiles, 10 from forest products and furniture, 9 from cotton-ginning, 7 from construction, and 5 from various other sectors are taking the trip, which is headed by the Governor of Adana, Kemal Onal. HOLTZ