SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 30, 2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000133

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 30, 2005

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for June 30, 2005.
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: Three terrorists were killed in a clash in the Idil
district of Sirnak province. The officials announced that one
of the terrorists killed was found to be the person who laid an
ambush killing seven soldiers in the Nusaybin district of Mardin
in December 2003. Meanwhile, large-scale operations have been
launched in southeastern Turkey as a result of the increased
intensity of mine ambush attacks organized by the terrorists.

ZAMAN: The paper reports that, in view of the activities of
Evangelists in Turkey, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
MIT intelligence center reportedly secretly warned Governors not
to accept official visit requests from a German Protestant
Church delegation which was visiting southeastern Turkey last
week. Reportedly, the secret warning issued by the Turkish
Parliament stated that Evangelists are supporting the terrorist
organization PKK and working towards the goal of not accepting
Turkey to the EU unless Turkey accepts the Armenian issue.

ZAMAN: DEHAP National Chairperson Tuncer Bakirhan called on
the government to lower the 10% national threshold needed to win
seats in the Turkish Parliament to 3%.

BOLGE/CUMHURIYET: The CHP party organization's opposition group
in Adana will be holding a meeting at 12 o'clock today in the
party building in Adana. It will be largely attended by the
former provincial and district chairpersons of the party. The
meeting, whose theme is reportedly "Embracing the Public",
reportedly aims to promote the ties of Adana's CHP with people
in Adana. The alleged failures of the Serdar Seyhan's current
party administration weakened these ties, according to the
report of the paper.

SABAH (GUNEY): St.Petrus and St.Paulus days were celebrated
in Antakya's St.Pierre Church. The Vatican ambassador to Turkey,
Edmond Farhat, invited everybody to pray for peace in Middle
East and in the whole world during the celebration ceremony.
The Hatay Governor, Hatay Security Director and Hatay Mufti
participated in the ceremony, as well. Hatay Governor
Abdulkadir Sari said that all people, regardless of their
religious beliefs, should know the value and importance of
peace.

EKSPRES: A 30-person group in Adana staged an unauthorized
demonstration in Adana to protest the killing of 17 terrorists
in the Ovacik district of Tunceli (see press summary 06/20).

EKSPRES/OZGUR GUNDEM: A left leaning 15-person group in Mersin
protested the killing of terrorists in the Ovacik district of
Tunceli (see press summary 06/20). An angry former MHP
provincial chairperson showed reaction to the group and shouted,
"You are killing Turkish soldiers, are not you ashamed of
yourselves?" The police calmed down the angry person and the
protestor group continued to make a press announcement.

OZGUR GUNDEM: The Mardin Prosecutor initiated an
investigation against Tunceli Democracy Platform members, who
attended the court session of Ahmet and Ugur Kaymaz case in
Mardin, allegedly on the charges that the members of the
platform are "inciting separatism among people."

OZGUR GUNDEM: Abdulkadir Aygan, a former JITEM (Jandarma
Intelligence Center) member and now a confessor, reportedly shed
light on the disappearance of Edip Aksoy and Orhan Cingoz in the
Cudi Mountains in 1995 following their detention. Aygan
reportedly confessed that the two persons detained were killed
after being interrogated and were buried in a place across from
the TPAO's (National Crude Oil and Natural Gas Company) Cudi
Mountain facilities.

EVRENSEL/OZGUR GUNDEM: The Diyarbakir Heavy Penalty Court said
it lacked jurisdiction for the complaint filed by the Diyarbakir
Bar Association and Diyarbakir Branch of the Human Rights
Association on February 2005. The complaint was filed against
40 people, including the former State of Emergency Governors of
the Southeastern Turkey, based upon the confessions made by
former JITEM member Abdulkadir Aygan.

OZGUR GUNDEM: The paper reports the interview of a TAK
(Kurdistan Liberation Hawks) member with Mesopotamian News
Agency announcing that the organization would allegedly be
staging terrorist activities with bombs in many cities of Turkey
in the coming days.

HURRIYET: An American soldier was handcuffed briefly by
Turkish officials on Incirlik Airbase in November 2004,
according to the U.S. officials, when the American soldier
attempted to approach a plane landing at the base without
obtaining prior permission.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS


1. HURRIYET/EKSPRES/SABAH(GUNEY)/ZAMAN/BOLGE: Water
melon producers in Adana's Karatas district of are frustrated
about not being able to sell their produce despite water melon's
very low price in the market.


2. ZAMAN/BOLGE: The paper reports that despite the
recent lifting of the ban Russia imposed on its vegetable and
fruit imports from Turkey, Russia have not resumed its imports
from Turkey. Greece and Iran reportedly are filling the gap
created by the absence of Turkey in the market. Meanwhile,
Bolge reports that only the ban on 109 items has been lifted
from among the 136 types of produce. According to the paper,
farmers were frustrated to find out that the ban on
vegetable-and-fruit items actually was not lifted.













REID