SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0128 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, MAY 5, 2003 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 5, 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. Hurriyet/Turkiey: In Adana, five sound bombs exploded at different locations. The explosions caused minor material damages. The first explosion took place at the Ultra-Nationalist MHP-affiliate Ulku Ocaklari Magazine's Office on Ziyapasa Boulevard at 21:20 last night, shattering the windows of the three-storied building. The second one exploded at 21:35 at a building adjacent to the US Consulate, breaking a few windows. The third one was detonated at a store named Tommy. The bomb broke the windows of the store and buildings around it. Another bomb exploded at 22:15 in front of the UPS Transportation Company. No casualties have been reported. ¶3. Radikal/Cumhuriyet/Milliyet/Hurriryet/ Turkiye/Tercuman/Milli Gazete/Evrensel/Bolge: Search-and-Rescue operations in Bingol due to the earthquake have been concluded. It is reported that 167 persons were killed while 521 others were wounded in the quake. Eighty-four students and one teacher were killed and 114 students were rescued. The contractors, who had built the school and other buildings that collapsed, are not available for comment. Regarding the quake, Bingol Governor, Huseyin Avni Cos, said 82 buildings had collapsed and 1183 others were in uninhabitable condition. Cos stated 6,500 tents were distributed in the region, and an estimated seven thousand people were left homeless. Cos added the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) had sent three thousand more tents to the province and 17 thousand people were provided food from the TRC's mobile kitchens. Addressing the earthquake victims in Bingol, the TGNA Spokesman, Bulent Arinc, said those responsible for the collapse of the buildings would be severely punished. ¶4. Radikal/Hurriyet: United States President George W. Bush sent a message of condolence expressing his sorrow for the victims of the earthquake in Bingol. President Bush said Americans prayed for all those directly affected by the tragedy, and the US is prepared to send aid to Turkey. �A; ¶5. Hurriyet: On his way back from Iraq, the US Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, visited SIPDIS Incirlik AFB in order to change aircraft. Rumsfeld, who did not visit Ankara, hid himself from the reporters who attended the ONW conclusion ceremonies at the base on May 1. It is reported no one in Turkey knew about Rumsfeld's visit to Incirlik AFB except a few high-ranking officials. It is unknown whether or not the Defense Minister met with Turkish General Asparuk who attended the ONW ending ceremonies. ¶6. Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet/Turkiye/Bolge: The Catalan Potable Water Treatment Center began operations yesterday after a Municipal Ceremony to celebrate its opening. It is expected the Center will supply Adana's water demand until ¶2050. Approximately ten thousand people attended the ceremony hosted by Mayor Durak, including the Former President Suleyman Demirel, Adana Governor, ANAP Chair, German Ambassador to Turkey, 6th Corp Commander, and other high-ranking officials. ¶7. Evrensel: It is reported the term spokesman for KESK -Public Employees Union Federation- in Bingol, Ozgur Bektasoglu, was threatened by Bingol's Governor, Huseyin Avni Cos. Bektasoglu applied to the Security Directorate to obtain permission to hold a meeting on May 1 and picketed at the entrance of governorate building in the morning. After lunch, Bektasoglu was called into the governor's office. It is claimed that Governor Cos squeezed Bektasoglu's throat and threatened that he would fill Bektasoglu's mouth with bullets if he continued engaging in such activities. ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS ¶8. Radikal: The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Diyarbakir, Kutbettin Arzu, said the economy in the region has been in an extremely difficult situation since September 2001 because trade from the Habur Border gate with Iraq ended. Everybody is hoping that the border trade would start again. Arzu claimed that opening the border trade would cause a boom in production and revive many sectors. With conclusion of the war, people, hopeful trade will resume, have been trying to buy trucks from all parts of Turkey. The prices for trucks in the region have increased between USD 6,500 and USD 13,000. Bedrettin Karaboga, the President of GUNSIAD -Southeastern Industrialists and Businessmen Association-, also expressed that Habur Border Gate was vital for the economy of the region. Karaboga mentioned the border trade would also play a great role in the rebuilding of Iraq in addition to the UN contracts. Karaboga claimed Iran exported a large quantity of goods to Iraq and Syria sent many trucks of TV-dishes that had been banned in Iraq for 15 years. Karaboga added that the Habur Border Gate had been closed since September 11, 2001, for security considerations. Approximately three hundred thousand people were hurt from the closure of the gate. HOLTZ