SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 05, 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000076 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 05, 2007 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for June 05, ¶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. EVRENSEL / GUNDEM: The Gundem daily reports that independent candidates of DTP (Democratic Society Party),SDP (Socialist Democracy Party),EMEP (Labor Party),ODP (Freedom and Solidarity Party) submitted their applications to provincial election boards in Van, Mus, Sirnak, Siirt, Sanliurfa, Adiyaman, Elazig, Malatya, Tunceli, Bingol, Adana, Mersin, Izmir and Mardin. Ahmet Turk, the former DTP National Chairperson, who will be running as candidate from Mardin, was reportedly welcomed by hundreds of people in Mardin yesterday evening. Turk addressed the crowd and said that their struggle would not be only for the Kurds, but for all of Turkey. The candidates started their election campaigns in their respective provinces. ¶3. GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: Diyarbakir Prosecutor's Office prepared an indictment against Ahmet Turk, for 'praising the crime and the criminals' under Turkish Penalty Law's Article 215/1. Turk allegedly committed this crime in a speech he delivered during Newroz celebrations in March in Diyarbakir. The daily further claims that the prosecutor also prepared a summary against Turk allegedly to prevent discontinuation of a prosecution process that might ensue from the indictment, in case Turk gets elected as a lawmaker from Mardin and becomes entitled to immunity. ¶4. GUNDEM: Policemen clad in civilian attire allegedly did not allow distribution of Gundem daily in Gaziantep and they seized 55 editions. Gaziantep representative of the daily said they would file a complaint with the Human Rights Association. SECURITY ¶5. CUMHURIYET / YENI SAFAK / HURRIYET / BOLGE / GUNDEM / EKSPRES / EVRENSEL: PKK terrorists attacked a Jandarma station in Tunceli's Pulumur district at 12:45 pm yesterday. Eight soldiers were killed and six soldiers were wounded. The Tunceli Governor said the terrorists could have attacked as a suicide bomb attack at the onset. Turkish Armed Forces launched an extensive military operation following the attack. Gundem daily claims that eight soldiers were wounded. Separately, terrorists attacked with rocket propelled grenades at a jandarma station in Hakkari's Semdinli district the previous day at 5 p.m. The papers reported no casualties. Gundem daily claims that, following the remarks of head of the Turkish General Staff concerning cross-border operations, Turkish Armed Forces' cannon fire against northern Iraq increased. ¶6. GUNDEM: The coffin of a PKK member, who was killed during a military operation in Van's Muradiye district on an unspecified date, has been brought to Adana. Hundreds of people attended the funeral ceremony and people held PKK flags. Separately, the daily notes that the coffins of two of the 7 terrorists, who were killed in the rural sections of Siirt, have been claimed by their family. The funerals will be held separately in Hakkari's Yuksekova district and Van. Four coffins are still at the mortuary of Eruh district's state hospital in Siirt. CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ¶7. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Diyarbakir Jandarma conducted an anti-drug operation in a farm house located near a road between Diyarbakir and Elazig. Ten kilograms of heroin was found hidden in sections of the farm's field. Jandarma detained 3 people in connection with the illegal drug. ECONOMY ¶8. SABAH (GUNEY): On the June 4 anniversary of the first loading of petroleum to a vessel called The British Hawthorne at the terminal of BTC (Baku-Tibilisi-Ceyhan) at Ceyhan district of Adana, BTC Turkish Director said that the revenues from the pipeline reached 620 million USD. The total number of vessels loaded to date is reported as 172 and the total amount of petroleum exported is 137,940 million barrels. (This summary is from June 4 editions.) ¶9. SABAH (GUNEY): The surveys the Turkish Mineral Research ADANA 00000076 002 OF 002 and Exploration Authority (MTA) have been conducting in Nigde's Bor district revealed oil reserves in the area. (This summary is from June 4 editions.) ¶10. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Chairmen of the Board of the Exporters' Unions in Southeastern Turkey announced exports figures for the first five months of 2007 from the southeastern region. He said they were pleased about the figures which showed an increasing trend. CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT ¶11. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): 23rd Motorized Infantry Brigade Command delivered apparel and stationary aid to people in a village of Sirnak's Silopi district. ¶12. SABAH (GUNEY): Primary school and high school students held a march under "Fesivity for Education, Culture, Arts and Love" in Malatya. Wife and children of Tilman Geske, a German national, who was slain with other two people at a publishing house for bibles in Malatya in mid-April, attended the march and freed doves of peace. The festival will last three days. ¶13. BOLGE: The hydrofoil trips between Mersin and Syria's port of Lazkiye will start again on June 21. Two trips will be held per week. ¶14. EVRENSEL: Seventh Diyarbakir Culture and Arts Festival ended. Thousands of people reportedly attended concert held on the last day of the festival. GREEN