Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ADANA11
2007-01-17 07:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:
SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 16, 2007
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000011
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 16, 2007
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January 16,
2007. 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
EVRENSEL / RADIKAL: The widely participated conference on
"Turkey Seeking Peace" held in Ankara outlined tangible draft
program that could be pursued in efforts to attain peace. The
recommendations in the program will be submitted to the Turkish
Parliament and the government.
SECURITY
SABAH (GUNEY): It is reported that the increased activities
observed at the Incirlik AIR Base was because of the sixteen
F-16 planes that arrived at the base for training purposes. An
official from the U.S. AIR FORCE said that the trainings were
conducted under Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement
signed between Turkey and the U.S. The official reportedly
dismissed charges that the increased activities represented
pressure put against Iran. The planes will reportedly return to
the Spangdahlem Airbase in Germany at the end of the training.
ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: Three terrorists were killed in rural
sections of Diyarbakir's Lice district and Bingol's Genc
district during the military operations against the PKK. Two
terrorists who fled away from the PKK surrendered to authorities
in Sirnak province.
ECONOMY
BOLGE / EKSPRES / CUMHURIYET / YENI SAFAK: Prolonged dry
spell and the Cukurova region receiving no rain for 68 days may
affect the 2,300,000 cedar seeds planted in the forests and
affect wheat crops covering over 750,000 acres of land during
this critical period (see press summary for December 11). Many
farmers and growers are resorting to traditional practices of
praying collectively for rainfall in Mersin's Tarsus district.
SABAH (GUNEY) / ZAMAN: Omer Sabanci, President of TUSIAD
(Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association),opened
the new headquarters of the Mersin Businessmen and
Industrialists' Association in Mersin.
ZAMAN: Oil reserves in Adiyaman province, which averaged
30,000 barrels a day ten years ago, shrunk to 10,000 barrels a
day.
CRIME / LAW ENFORCEMENT:
BOLGE / RADIKAL: Diyarbakir police seized 101 kilograms of
heroin and 3 kilograms of substance used in producing heroin
hidden in sections of a truck traveling from Van to Istanbul,
during two narcotics operations in Diyarbakir. Six people were
detained in connection with the event. Separately, Hatay police
seized 23.5 kilograms of hashish in two separate operations in
Hatay and apprehended six people.
ZAMAN / EKSPRES: Police from Organized Crime and Smuggling
Department of Mersin conducted an operation against an illegal
criminal ring and detained 16 people.
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT
BOLGE / ZAMAN / EKSPRES / EVRENSEL: Sorrow stricken family
members of two workers in Adana, who died in last week's plane
crash in Baghdad, are still waiting anxiously to get hold of the
coffins of their dead kin. Family members of the victims are
claiming that if the DNA tests were conducted for all the
coffins at the onset, coffins would not get mixed with each
other. Officials at Prosecutor's Office, who are admitting that
such crisis came upon them unawares since they were not
expecting to receive burned and hardly identifiable bodies,
further state that they did not conduct an initial DNA test for
all of the corpses: therefore, some bodies might not be matched
with the families who primarily identified the casualties from
personal belongings or body parts. Officials are also looking
for ways to find out about who or what is the cause of the
crash, in face of legal concerns arising from compensation
issues. Separately, AKP Provincial Chairman in Adana is paying
visits to the families of victims to pay condolences; however,
Evrensel daily reports a family member as complaining that PM
ADANA 00000011 002 OF 002
Erdogan did not extend condolences to the families, but to the
owner of the Turkish construction company. Chairperson of
Turkish Iraqi Businessmen Association said that whereas the
plane crash raised concerns about safety, the trade activities
with Iraq would still continue incessantly.
CUMHURIYET: Adana Mayor Aytac Durak announced that the hospital,
the mosque and the school that were planned to be built on a
portion of land belonging to Adana's Cukurova University, which
is a public university, would be built on a more spacious and
appropriate plot of land located elsewhere.
YENI SAFAK: Atilla Koc, Minister of Tourism, opened several
cultural and tourism related venues in the citadel of Gaziantep
whose renovation processes have been completed under the GAP
(Southeastern Region Project) Regional Cultural Heritage
Development Program.
GREEN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 16, 2007
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January 16,
2007. 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
EVRENSEL / RADIKAL: The widely participated conference on
"Turkey Seeking Peace" held in Ankara outlined tangible draft
program that could be pursued in efforts to attain peace. The
recommendations in the program will be submitted to the Turkish
Parliament and the government.
SECURITY
SABAH (GUNEY): It is reported that the increased activities
observed at the Incirlik AIR Base was because of the sixteen
F-16 planes that arrived at the base for training purposes. An
official from the U.S. AIR FORCE said that the trainings were
conducted under Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement
signed between Turkey and the U.S. The official reportedly
dismissed charges that the increased activities represented
pressure put against Iran. The planes will reportedly return to
the Spangdahlem Airbase in Germany at the end of the training.
ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: Three terrorists were killed in rural
sections of Diyarbakir's Lice district and Bingol's Genc
district during the military operations against the PKK. Two
terrorists who fled away from the PKK surrendered to authorities
in Sirnak province.
ECONOMY
BOLGE / EKSPRES / CUMHURIYET / YENI SAFAK: Prolonged dry
spell and the Cukurova region receiving no rain for 68 days may
affect the 2,300,000 cedar seeds planted in the forests and
affect wheat crops covering over 750,000 acres of land during
this critical period (see press summary for December 11). Many
farmers and growers are resorting to traditional practices of
praying collectively for rainfall in Mersin's Tarsus district.
SABAH (GUNEY) / ZAMAN: Omer Sabanci, President of TUSIAD
(Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association),opened
the new headquarters of the Mersin Businessmen and
Industrialists' Association in Mersin.
ZAMAN: Oil reserves in Adiyaman province, which averaged
30,000 barrels a day ten years ago, shrunk to 10,000 barrels a
day.
CRIME / LAW ENFORCEMENT:
BOLGE / RADIKAL: Diyarbakir police seized 101 kilograms of
heroin and 3 kilograms of substance used in producing heroin
hidden in sections of a truck traveling from Van to Istanbul,
during two narcotics operations in Diyarbakir. Six people were
detained in connection with the event. Separately, Hatay police
seized 23.5 kilograms of hashish in two separate operations in
Hatay and apprehended six people.
ZAMAN / EKSPRES: Police from Organized Crime and Smuggling
Department of Mersin conducted an operation against an illegal
criminal ring and detained 16 people.
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT
BOLGE / ZAMAN / EKSPRES / EVRENSEL: Sorrow stricken family
members of two workers in Adana, who died in last week's plane
crash in Baghdad, are still waiting anxiously to get hold of the
coffins of their dead kin. Family members of the victims are
claiming that if the DNA tests were conducted for all the
coffins at the onset, coffins would not get mixed with each
other. Officials at Prosecutor's Office, who are admitting that
such crisis came upon them unawares since they were not
expecting to receive burned and hardly identifiable bodies,
further state that they did not conduct an initial DNA test for
all of the corpses: therefore, some bodies might not be matched
with the families who primarily identified the casualties from
personal belongings or body parts. Officials are also looking
for ways to find out about who or what is the cause of the
crash, in face of legal concerns arising from compensation
issues. Separately, AKP Provincial Chairman in Adana is paying
visits to the families of victims to pay condolences; however,
Evrensel daily reports a family member as complaining that PM
ADANA 00000011 002 OF 002
Erdogan did not extend condolences to the families, but to the
owner of the Turkish construction company. Chairperson of
Turkish Iraqi Businessmen Association said that whereas the
plane crash raised concerns about safety, the trade activities
with Iraq would still continue incessantly.
CUMHURIYET: Adana Mayor Aytac Durak announced that the hospital,
the mosque and the school that were planned to be built on a
portion of land belonging to Adana's Cukurova University, which
is a public university, would be built on a more spacious and
appropriate plot of land located elsewhere.
YENI SAFAK: Atilla Koc, Minister of Tourism, opened several
cultural and tourism related venues in the citadel of Gaziantep
whose renovation processes have been completed under the GAP
(Southeastern Region Project) Regional Cultural Heritage
Development Program.
GREEN