SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 20, 2005

UNCLAS ADANA 000166 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 20, 2005 This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for September 20, ¶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 SABAH / ZAMAN / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET: Chief of the Turkish General Staff Hilmi Ozkok, who issued a message that marked the September 19 Veterans' Day, said that, at a time when the Turkish national identity and unitary state structure was under the attack of "ethnical nationalism," the very presence of the veterans and the essence they have always carried, provided extraordinary source of power. RADIKAL / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: Hamit Ergin, mayor of Diyarbakir's Hazro district, resigned from his party (DEHAP) because of a feud directed against him in the district which has hindered Ergin from going to his district area for six months and from serving his term. ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET / SABAH: The dailies reported that the terrorist organization PKK/Kongra-Gel had not abided by the rules of the ceasefire it declared between August 20 and September 20. Reportedly, the organization killed 10 and wounded 13 security officials in the meantime. Moreover, 19 terrorists have been killed and 3 terrorists have been caught alive. Furthermore, the PKK allegedly kidnapped the muhtar of Hakkari's Catalca village two days ago. ZAMAN: According to the daily, the PKK/Kongra-Gel has not been able to fulfill its terrorist goals of committing attacks in big cities like Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara thanks to the efforts and caution of the Turkish police. RADIKAL / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: The national chairperson of Hak-Par (Rights and Liberties Party),Abdulmelik Firat, who has been accused of speaking Kurdish at a party congress and of sending invitations to state protocol offices in Kurdish, defended himself at the court in Ankara in Kurdish. Firat stated that he saw court's permission to speak in court in Kurdish as indicative of the state of democratic development in Turkey. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Gaziantep Governor Lutfullah Bilgin warned citizens to be cautious against provocative acts, which jeopardize the unity and solidarity of the country. OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily claimed that, on September 20, the day that marked the end of the (PKK) ceasefire, the state had not been able to seize the opportunity which had been created by PM Erdogan's visit to Diyarbakir and his meeting with the intelligentsia, to resolve (regional) issues. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS ¶1. ZAMAN: Saban Bas, Chairperson of Adana Chamber of Commerce, said that foreign companies would take part for the first time in the third of the annual Cukurova Industry and Commerce Fair that will be held in September 26 in Adana. Bas said that 11 companies from Nahcevan (part of Azerbaijan) have already enrolled their names in the fair. A total of 330 companies will be participating the fair, he said. REID