Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ADANA15
2005-01-25 06:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:  

SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 13, 2005

Tags:  PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA 
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UNCLAS ADANA 000015 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 13, 2005


UNCLAS ADANA 000015

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 13, 2005



1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January
13, 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. OZGUR GUNDEM: Fevzi Can, a shepard grazing his sheep
in Semdinli, Hakkari, was shot dead on November 29, 2004 by a
junior officer, Hakan Sener, on the grounds that Fevzi Can did
not obey the officer's warning to stop. The Semdinli Court of
Peace then arrested Hakan Sener upon the charge against him for
killing a person deliberately. During the first hearing of the
court that was held yesterday at the Hakkari Criminal Court of
Law, despite the objections of the participating attorneys, the
court decided to release Hakan Sener and adjourned the hearing
to March 22nd.


3. CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: The negotiation talks are
currently being held between Turkey and Russia over energy
issues during PM Erdogan's recent visit to Russia. The Turkish
side proposes that Russian petroleum be carried to the
Mediterranean through the Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline, instead of
carrying the petroleum through the (Turkish) Straits. If Russia
agrees with this proposal, an oil refinery is going to be built
at Ceyhan, Adana. The "Mavi Akim Natural Gas Pipline" project
between Samsun and Ceyhan is another energy issue that is on the
agenda of the talks.


4. CUMHURIYET / SABAH / YENI SAFAK: The Incirlik Airbase
issue is on the agenda of the talks between Turkey and U.S.
Turkey is indisposed to permit the US side to use Incirlik
Airbase in operational and more flexible terms. According to
Yeni Safak, the Deputy President of Saadet Partisi (Happiness
Party) claimed that U.S.A. wants to use the Incirlik Airbase for
its plans against Iran. However, according to an interview of
Sabah with US Gen. John Abizaid, U.S. has not made any appeals
to Ankara about the use of the Base in "operational" terms.
According to Abizaid, U.S.'s request was that Ankara should
consider the U.S. side's proposal to launch a Logistics Center
in the Base, which would relieve the traffic congestion of the
Habur border gate in Slopi, a town of Sirnak province.



5. CUMHURIYET: Mehmet Celik lost his life during a fight he
was involved in Diyarbakir. His son, Selahattin Celik, has been
searching for his father's skull, which had disappeared after he
sent it to the forensic medicine three years ago. Selahattin
Celik filed a complaint to the Higher Board of Judges and
Prosecutors against the Diyarbakir Prosecutor because of this
serious negligence.


6. EKSPRES: The Mardin Governor, Temel Kocaklar, chaired a
meeting held in Mardin on the issue of protection and
rehabilitation of the street children. Kocaklar stated that the
problem should immediately be addressed in Mardin, because the
number of the street children is on the increase.


7. EKSPRES / ZAMAN: The Adana Prosecutorsud sx octor
forallegedly inflicting finacal loses on he SSK(Hspitals
of Social Security Authority). Accordingto the Prosecutor, the
six doctors "created false documents and reports fo unnecessary
medical tratments of 27 SSK patients" and obtained illegal
profit from such frauds inflicting a total loss of 2 trillion
Turkish liras (US$1.5 million) on the SSK.


8. MILLIYET: Kemal Donmez, Deputy Security Director of
Mardin, the person in charge of conducting the operation that
resulted in the killing of Ugur and Ahmet Kaymaz, had been
effective in the course of the investigation although he was
also included in the scope of the investigation. Kemal Donmez,
before he was suspended from office, had sent an official letter
to the Prosecutor requesting that the confessor be interrogated
and the guns found beside the dead bodies of Ugur and Ahmet
Kaymaz be inspected.


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS


1. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / MILLIYET: The Adana Chamber of
Commerce is going to organize the first "International Economic
Cooperation Forum" on February 18 and 19 in order to promote the
region's production potential and to present cooperative
opportunities to the foreign investors and entrepreneurs. It is
stated that PM Erdogan will be attending the Forum as well.