This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0224 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          AUGUST 26, 2003 
 
 
¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for August 26, 2003.  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 
 
 
¶2. Zaman, Bolge, Milliyet, Expres, Cumhuriyet 
/ A group of people from the Adana 
Nationalist Association protested attacks 
by Americans and Kurds on the Turkmen in 
Kirkuk.  The group shouted slogans like 
"Kirkuk belongs to Turks," "Peshmerges will 
be buried in Kirkuk." 
 
 
¶3. Zaman, Sabah Guney, Cumhuriyet / The new 
head of the Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP) 
in Tarsus is Abdulkadir Filiz. 
 
 
¶4. Evrensel / The Adana Human Rights 
Organization announced that it is going to 
organize the celebrations for the September 
1 Peace Day.  Celebrations will start with 
a meeting in Mersin on September 1 and end 
on September 7. 
 
 
¶5. Sabah, Turkiye / The court case of Abdullah 
Aktas, the imam who killed restaurant owner 
Murat Arslan last month, commenced in 
Adana. 
 
 
¶6. Turkiye / In Batman province, security 
officials found 22 kg of marijuana and 
detained two people related with the 
incident. 
 
 
¶7. Turkiye / Government electric utility 
investigators in Mersin province discovered 
the consumption of unauthorized electricity 
in the office of Salim Tumen, a bar 
attorney. As a result, the electric utility 
is suing him. 
 
 
¶8. Cumhuriyet / Cumhuriyet reported the 
release of eleven people after their first 
court hearing, who shouted slogans praising 
PKK/KADEK during the banned 8th March 
celebrations in Mersin. 
 
 
¶9. Hurriyet / A bomb specialist checked a 
suspect bag as left unattended at an Adana 
bridge. Police warned the people about not 
touching suspicious items in the city. 
(Editor's Note: This is the second warning 
from Adana police to the public concerning 
suspicious unattended packages). 
 
 
¶10. Hurriyet / Police warned people at an Adana 
wedding ceremony who shouted slogans 
praising PKK/KADEK.  When people started to 
throw stones at the police, the police 
officers opened fire injuring five people. 
 
 
ECONOMIC 
 
 
¶11. Bolge, Sabah Guney, Expres / Ahmet Sari, 
head of the Adana Electrical Engineers' 
Association, announced that Sugozu 
thermoelectric power plant pollutes the 
water in Yumurtalik.  Sari stated that 
polluted water kills the tortoises in the 
area. 
 
 
¶12. Sabah Guney / Saban Bas, Head of the Adana 
Chamber of Commerce, announced that the 
Chamber has sold all the stands for the 
October International Industrial Fair. 
¶13. Turkiye / Due to the recent incidents in 
Iraq, the Southeastern Businessmen 
Association cancelled their business trip 
to Iraq, scheduled for this week. 
Bedrettin Karaboga, head of the 
association, stated that, for their 
personal safety, the delegation members 
rescheduled the trip to September 14. 
REID