SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 18, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000228 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 18, 2006 This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for October 18, ¶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 OZGUR GUNDEM: It was stated at the Third Kurdish Conference of the European Parliament that the European Union should also appoint a Kurdish envoy for resolving the Kurdish issue, and that this envoy should be included in the tripartite mechanism established between the US, Turkey, and Iraq. ¶3. OZGUR GUNDEM / CUMHURIYET: Iraqi Foreign Minister Hosyar Zebari told a newspaper published in northern Iraq that the Maxmur Camp on Mount Qandil would not be closed, and that the Iraqi government would not deport any refugee living there. ¶4. EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM: One of the attorneys in the Semdinli case said that the Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals was allegedly trying to acquit members of an illegal network by objecting to the June 16 verdict of the local court that had sentenced two non-commissioned officers to long-term prison sentences (see press summary for October 17). The Mayor of Yuksekova in Hakkari found the recent move of the Supreme Court to be dubious, and the Mayor of Semdinli in Hakkari alleged that the authorities were trying to cover up the defendants' guilt. ¶5. RADIKAL / HURRIYET / CUMHURIYET: Mersin's Fourth Court of First Instance sentenced two of the nine defendants accused of hurling eggs at PM Erdogan during an opening ceremony held on February 11 in Mersin, to a year and two months of prison apiece for "insulting the prime minister because of his profession." The other defendants were each sentenced to 11 months and twenty days in prison. The court then delayed the effective date for the prison sentence of the convicts. ¶6. BOLGE / EVRENSEL: A twenty-five vehicle convoy carrying materiel for Lebanon-bound troops arrived at the port of Mersin. Turkish Land Forces' Units which will also join the UNIFIL in Lebanon have arrived at Mersin (see press summary for October 17) as well. The units will depart Turkey for Lebanon on October 19. ¶7. BOLGE: Seyhan Municipality Assembly condemned the recent passing of a bill in France that made it a crime to deny the "Armenian genocide." �00A;¶8. ZAMAN: The daily claimed that 15 members had deserted from terrorist organizations over the last 20 days. The last two terrorists surrendered to the authorities in Van and Mus provinces separately. ¶9. ZAMAN: CHP National Leader Deniz Baykal extended a strongly worded criticism to DYP Leader Mehmet Agar for Agar's recent remark, which was as follows: "They [PKK members] should carry out political activities in plain land, instead of going up to the mountains to take up arms." According to Baykal, Agar's remark was reminiscent of something Abdullah Ocalan might have said. ¶10. CUMHURIYET: The Diyarbakir Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation against the Newruz celebrations held in Diyarbakir on March 21 under the leadership of the DTP. The investigation was initiated on the grounds that photographs of Abdullah Ocalan and PKK militants were carried and shown during the celebrations, despite a ban against such action issued by the Ministry of the Interior. SECURITY ¶11. BOLGE / EVRENSEL: Adana police safely detonated a suspicious plastic bag left in front of a furniture shop in downtown Adana. The bag turned out to have contained wood chips. HUMAN RIGHTS ¶12. OZGUR GUNDEM: Relatives of the PKK guerilla who was buried in an area near Siirt's Eruh district after dying in an October 11 clash between the Turkish Armed Forces, applied to Prosecutor's Office in Eruh to claim possession of the body. The Prosecutor's Office told the relatives that they should ADANA 00000228 002 OF 002 apply to the Subgovernor's Office, if the grave of the terrorist would be opened, to bury him in his hometown. The subgovernor allegedly told the relatives of the terrorist that he would issue a permit to open the grave whenever he felt like it--no sooner. ECONOMY ¶13. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Ten women in Sanliurfa began operating greenhouses that had been built using funds provided by the European Union. ¶14. SABAH (GUNEY): Diyarbakir's Chamber of Commerce and Industry launched efforts to prepare for the 2007 Middle Eastern Agricultural Fair, which will be held between May 23 and 27 in 2007 in Diyarbakir. CRIME / LAW ENFORCEMENT ¶15. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / ZAMAN: Van police found 40 kilograms of heroin hidden in balloons loaded in a private car which had been stopped at a checkpoint in Van's Gurpinar district. Van's Security Director announced that the police have seized two tons of illegal drugs during operations within this year. ¶16. SABAH (GUNEY): Members of the Provincial Jandarma Command in Gaziantep caught a person who had illegally smuggled five Glock handguns into the country from northern Iraq. ¶17. ZAMAN: Diyarbakir police discovered and dissolved an illegal gang selling synthetic pills to young people in front of schools in Diyarbakir. Twenty-six kilograms of hashish-based ingredients, 2078 ecstasy pills, and 300 grams of heroin-based ingredients were seized. Seventeen people have been arrested and arraigned. CULTURE / SOCIETY ¶18. OZGUR GUNDEM: TZPKurdi (The Movement for Kurdish Language and Its Teaching) will be offering Kurdish courses at various levels and will engage in efforts to make Kurdish the language of daily life. The Kurdish Democracy Forum will also be offering a Kurdish course in Ankara. ¶19. BOLGE: A project submitted by a student from the International Relations Department of Cag University in Mersin has been accepted by the EU Youth Programs. Twenty students from Romania, Estonia, Belgium, and Lithuania attended a seminar on the EU at the University. GREEN