SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JULY 12, 2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000139

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JULY 12, 2005



1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for July 12,

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


2. ZAMAN: Chris Bradley, an officer from the UK Embassy
in Ankara and Hakon Arald, an officer from Norwegian Embassy in
Ankara, were not allowed to observe the court session which is
trying six children who allegedly attempted to burn the Turkish
flag during the Newruz celebrations DEHAP organized in Mersin on
March 20. The court decided that the session be postponed to a
later date.


3. HURRIYET/ZAMAN: PKK terrorists allegedly stopped cars on
the Tunceli-Pulumur road at around 6 p.m. yesterday and robbed
the passengers of their money and valuable belongings.
Terrorists allegedly kidnapped a soldier from one of the cars on
the road as well.


4. ZAMAN: The Social Assistance and Solidarity
Foundation, through the Subgovernor's Office in the Kadirli
district of Osmaniye, gave 58 Holstein breed cows of to 29
families with soft financing.


5. SABAH (GUNEY): The Social Assistance and Solidarity
Foundation, through a Subgovernor's Office in Gaziantep
province, delivered 30 NTL to mothers to "buy milk." A lot of
women formed long queues and waited for hours in front of the
bank that delivered the aid.


6. EKSPRES/BOLGE/ZAMAN: Cukurova Journalists' Association
(CJA) requested clarification on one item of the New Penal Code
from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Law. The law,
item 183, reportedly bars operation of audio/visual recording
devices during court sessions and transmission of these
recordings through communication devices, but reportedly allows
taking photographs if the judge permits to do so. CGA wants to
remove any ambiguity and make sure that taking photographs rests
at the discretion of the judges.


7. OZGUR GUNDEM: Following the fire as allegedly set on
the Gabar Mountain, fires allegedly were set in 8 places at the
Cudi Mountains in Sirnak. The daily reports that officials have
not attempted to extinguish the fires yet. According to the
daily, a military operation was launched in the Cudi Mountains
following the blast incident involving a truck hitting an
explosive on the road (see press summary 07/11).


8. OZGUR GUNDEM: A group calling itself the "South
Kurdistan Youth Movement" demanded the withdrawal of Turkish
soldiers from locations in northern Iraq, where Turkish army has
reportedly been deployed since 1992.


9. HURRIYET/OZGUR GUNDEM: Ozgur Gundem reports that two
terrorists were killed and another two were captured alive in
the conflict that occurred between the Dargecit district of
Mardin and the Idil district of Sirnak. The people in the
region reportedly fear that the two terrorists were facing
death. Hurriyet, in contrast, notes that one terrorist was
killed in Dargecit. Two terrorists, who were caught alive in
Dargecit and brought before the court, confessed that they would
conduct a bomb attack on the Idil Jandarma Command, notes
Hurriyet.


10. CUMHURIYET/EVRENSEL/OZGUR GUNDEM: Security officials are
conducting identity checks at the Erzurum province entry points
after receiving intelligence about four assailants trying to
commit a bomb attack on Erzurum public building.


11. OZGUR GUNDEM: Terrorists reportedly told Mesopotamian News
Agency that the PKK allegedly killed five soldiers and wounded
15 others during separate attacks on military convoys in the
Cukurca and Yuksekova districts in Hakkari. Reportedly, PKK
claimed responsibility for the attack on the police post in the
Hozat district of Tunceli (see press summary 07/11).


12. CUMHURIYET/EVRENSEL: Some (unspecified) NGOs that
gathered in the Tunceli square, making a announcement which
claimed that JITEM (Jandarma Intelligence Center) members
kidnapped Bulent Yilmaz in the Ovacik district of Tunceli a day
ago, tortured him and then released him.


13. EVRENSEL/OZGUR GUNDEM: Diyarbakir DEHAP provincial party
organization commemorated Vedat Aydin, HEP (People's Labor
Party) Provincial Chairperson, who was killed in 1991. The
perpetrator has not been found to date, note the papers.


14. SABAH (GUNEY): The findings that were unearthed with
the joint efforts of Hatay Governor's Office and U.S. State
Department at the Kinet excavation site are being exhibited in
Hatay's Archaelogoical Museum.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Nejat Kocer, Chairperson of
Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, said that Gaziantep ranked the
first in the southeastern region and ranked eighth in all over
Turkey in exports.