SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 31, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000193 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 31, 2006 This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for August 31, ¶2006. 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 / ABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / CUMHURIYET: An explosion in a trash can took place and wounded one person in a Mersin neighborhood around 1 p.m. yesterday (08/31). Two people were detained because of their suspected connection with the incident. EKSPRES / ZAMAN: Umit Ozgumus, Chairperson of Chamber of Industry, said that they defined a new route, namely Iran, in line with their goals to foster economic ties with the neighboring countries. Ozgumus further said they would take a business trip to Tehran and Tabriz at the start of November. EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY): Mustafa Ozyurek, CHP Deputy National Chairperson and Mersin deputy, attended August 30 Victory Day celebrations in Mersin. Ozyurek reportedly expressed CHP's disapproval of contributing troops to U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Onder Sav, CHP's general secretary, expressed the same concerns in Adana. Mr. Sav also SIPDIS said that grounds of the August 25 bombing in front of the CHP building in Adana had not been found out yet, but the attack reportedly definitely targeted CHP, said Sav. Meanwhile, Kilis deputy from AKP said that if the Turkish Parliament approves dispatch of troops to Lebanon, the best point for departure for the transportation operations will be Kilis's Cobanbey Train Station and Oncupinar Border Gate. Separately, Kahramanmaras deputy from AKP said that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, regarding the dispatch of troops to Lebanon, must respect the decisions taken at the Turkish Parliament. SABAH / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department, said that Joseph Ralston, Special Envoy to Counter PKK, is talking to the Government of Turkey and the Government of Iraq. The U.S. Government is not engaged in conversations with the PKK or with any other terrorist organization, according to Casey's statements. Cumhuriyet daily however claims that PKK is also pleased that an envoy was designated on matters concerning the PKK. EKSPRES: Hasan Yaman, MHP Seyhan district chairperson of Adana, dubbed the government as "two-faced" about its consent on dispatch of Turkish troops to Lebanon especially during a time when bomb incidents were increasingly targeting tourism places, a situation which reportedly made life in the urban city centers unsustainable. SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE: Police found and seized 20 kilograms of hashish in luggage during a search on a bus in Hatay's Dortyol district. Three people were detained during the operation. OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily reported that despite alleged incitements and attempts to provoke Kurdish people, Kurds will reportedly not stray from their demands for peace. The daily cites an article authored by a Hurriyet daily columnist which reportedly had a provocative character. OZGUR GUNDEM: Batman Mayor Huseyin Kalkan was not allowed to participate in the August 30 Victory Day celebrations at the Garrison Command allegedly on grounds that the celebrations had nothing to do with the mayor. The daily brands that move as segregation. CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: The summer camp for children, which was established by the Diyarbakir Municipality two months ago in Elazig's Gezin district, was ended as the children performed local dances around the camp fire together with Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir and Gezin district's Jandarma Commander (This summary is from August 29 edition). OZGUR GUNDEM: Reportedly, Elazig Central Jandarma Command started a probe against Gezin Jandarma Commander allegedly after commander's photographs showing him dancing folk dances with children and with Baydemir appeared in the daily. OZGUR GUNDEM: A forest area was allegedly started in Hakkari's Cukurca district. Allegedly, nearly 50 acres of forest land was burned in an area near Narli village. ADANA 00000193 002 OF 002 OZGUR GUNEM: The daily reports that thousands of people will take part in tomorrow's September 1 Peace Day activities. OZGUR GUNDEM: Turkish Military is reportedly continuing to shell the areas in northern Iraq. The villagers around the area bombed reportedly escaped to the caves in the environs. SABAH / OZGUR GUNDEM: People, who incurred material damage during the November 9 Semdinli bombing in 2005, filed complaints with the Ministry of Interior. OZGUR GUNDEM: The decision to shut down offices of PCDK (Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party) in Iraq's Suleymaniyah province has been suspended reportedly upon an objection filed by PCDK with the Iraqi authorities. GREEN