SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 24, 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000073 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 24, 2007 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 24, ¶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: ¶2. SABAH (GUNEY): Initial studies were completed for the opening of the border gate in Mardin's Nusaybin district and the governor's office will be holding a tender for de-mining of the area around the envisaged border gate. The construction will be sponsored by the TOBB (Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange). ¶3. CUMHURIYET: CHP will start its election campaign in Mersin and will hold its first political rally there on May 26. Deputy national chairperson of CHP said that they wanted the "May 26 Republic Rally" in Mersin to have great impact nationwide. ¶4. GUNDEM: The daily reports that KKK, the political wing of the PKK, denied any links with the explosion that took place in Ankara. It further pointed out that the attack, which coincided with a political turmoil in the pre-election period, would be used to stoke hostility against the Kurds and the PKK. Meanwhile, DTP (Democratic Society Party),ODP (Freedom and Solidarity Party),and EMEP (Party of Labor) held a joint press announcement in Istanbul and condemned the Ankara bombing. ¶5. GUNDEM: The daily reminds that the perpetrators of the September 2006 bombing that took place in Diyarbakir's Kosuyolu Park have not been found despite that 9 months have passed since then. A person, who lost his wife and 4 children in that bomb attack, said he would file a petition against the authorities with the European Court of Human Rights. ¶6. GUNDEM: Ozlem Aktan, a journalist from the Gundem daily, has been sentenced to three years in prison because of a September 2006 article which included PKK statements and made propaganda for the PKK. Separately, the daily reported that the number of people extending support to hunger strikes initiated in several cities in Europe and Turkey in order to draw attention to the health condition of Abdullah Ocalan in his prison conditions was increasing. Currently, a total of 1364 people are reportedly participating in the hunger strikes. SECURITY ¶7. SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / EKSPRES / CUMHURIYET: Upon receiving a tip-off which said that a female terrorist would come to Adana, Anti-Terror Branch of the Turkish Police stopped a taxi they followed in the Yuregir district of Adana. Police found 11 kilograms of A-4 plastic explosives, 12 fuses and two hand grenades in the trunk of the car. Police detained the female suicide bomber who was in the car, the taxi driver and a suspected third person. Police reportedly heightened security measures in the province. Adana Governor Ilhan Atis congratulated the police for catching the suicide bomber. CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ¶8. SABAH (GUNEY): Police caught 14 illegal migrants in a small passenger bus parked in an area in Mersin's Silifke district. Thirteen of them were Syrians and one of them was an Iraqi national. ECONOMY ¶9. BOLGE / EKSPRES: One of the leading iron and steel producers of Russia, MMK (Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works),and the biggest coal exporter company of Turkey, signed a deal to build an iron and steel factory in Hatay's Iskenderun district. CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT ¶10. EKSPRES: The opening ceremony of the "Second Annual YOK-SUNY Collaboration for Sustainable Development Symposium" was held in the Cukurova University of Adana. Ilhan Atis, the Adana Governor; SUNY (State University of New York) representatives; Atilla Eris, YOK (Higher Education Council) member; Eric Green, U.S. Consul in Adana and many invitees attended the ceremony. ¶11. GUNDEM: A 30-year-old woman, who was reportedly ADANA 00000073 002 OF 002 kidnapped by an (unspecified) person in Diyarbakir's Ergani district and brought to the Corlu province, ran away and found refuge at his brother's house in Istanbul. However, she feared that her relatives may kill her in the name of honor; therefore, she could not return to Ergani. The woman, who was convinced by her kin that nobody would do any harm to her, was stabbed and killed by her husband when she returned two days ago to Ergani. ¶12. BOLGE: Belarusian Embassy announced that they will open an honorary consulate in Adana. ¶13. SABAH (GUNEY): A gas explosion took place in an iron and steel factory located at the organized industrial zone of Hatay's Iskenderun district. One person died and 10 people were wounded. GREEN