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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000193 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 31, 2006 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for August 31, 
¶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, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
ZAMAN / ABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / CUMHURIYET:      An explosion in 
a trash can took place and wounded one person in a Mersin 
neighborhood around 1 p.m. yesterday (08/31).  Two people were 
detained because of their suspected connection with the 
incident. 
 
EKSPRES / ZAMAN:        Umit Ozgumus, Chairperson of Chamber of 
Industry, said that they defined a new route, namely Iran, in 
line with their goals to foster economic ties with the 
neighboring countries.  Ozgumus further said they would take a 
business trip to Tehran and Tabriz at the start of November. 
 
EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY):        Mustafa Ozyurek, CHP Deputy 
National Chairperson and Mersin deputy, attended August 30 
Victory Day celebrations in Mersin.  Ozyurek reportedly 
expressed CHP's disapproval of contributing troops to U.N. 
peacekeeping force in Lebanon.  Onder Sav, CHP's general 
secretary, expressed the same concerns in Adana.  Mr. Sav also 
 
SIPDIS 
said that grounds of the August 25 bombing in front of the CHP 
building in Adana had not been found out yet, but the attack 
reportedly definitely targeted CHP, said Sav.  Meanwhile, Kilis 
deputy from AKP said that if the Turkish Parliament approves 
dispatch of troops to Lebanon, the best point for departure for 
the transportation operations will be Kilis's Cobanbey Train 
Station and Oncupinar Border Gate.  Separately, Kahramanmaras 
deputy from AKP said that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, 
regarding the dispatch of troops to Lebanon, must respect the 
decisions taken at the Turkish Parliament. 
 
SABAH / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET:     Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesperson of 
the U.S. State Department, said that Joseph Ralston, Special 
Envoy to Counter PKK, is talking to the Government of Turkey and 
the Government of Iraq. The U.S. Government is not engaged in 
conversations with the PKK or with any other terrorist 
organization, according to Casey's statements.  Cumhuriyet daily 
however claims that PKK is also pleased that an envoy was 
designated on matters concerning the PKK. 
 
EKSPRES:        Hasan Yaman, MHP Seyhan district chairperson of 
Adana, dubbed the government as "two-faced" about its consent on 
dispatch of Turkish troops to Lebanon especially during a time 
when bomb incidents were increasingly targeting tourism places, 
a situation which reportedly made life in the urban city centers 
unsustainable. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE:  Police found and seized 20 kilograms of 
hashish in luggage during a search on a bus in Hatay's Dortyol 
district.  Three people were detained during the operation. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The daily reported that despite alleged 
incitements and attempts to provoke Kurdish people, Kurds will 
reportedly not stray from their demands for peace.  The daily 
cites an article authored by a Hurriyet daily columnist which 
reportedly had a provocative character. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Batman Mayor Huseyin Kalkan was not allowed to 
participate in the August 30 Victory Day celebrations at the 
Garrison Command allegedly on grounds that the celebrations had 
nothing to do with the mayor.  The daily brands that move as 
segregation. 
 
CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM:      The summer camp for children, 
which was established by the Diyarbakir Municipality two months 
ago in Elazig's Gezin district, was ended as the children 
performed local dances around the camp fire together with 
Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir and Gezin district's Jandarma 
Commander (This summary is from August 29 edition). 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Reportedly, Elazig Central Jandarma Command 
started a probe against Gezin Jandarma Commander allegedly after 
commander's photographs showing him dancing folk dances with 
children and with Baydemir appeared in the daily. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   A forest area was allegedly started in 
Hakkari's Cukurca district.  Allegedly, nearly 50 acres of 
forest land was burned in an area near Narli village. 
 
 
ADANA 00000193  002 OF 002 
 
 
OZGUR GUNEM:    The daily reports that thousands of people 
will take part in tomorrow's September 1 Peace Day activities. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Turkish Military is reportedly continuing to 
shell the areas in northern Iraq.  The villagers around the area 
bombed reportedly escaped to the caves in the environs. 
 
SABAH / OZGUR GUNDEM:   People, who incurred material damage 
during the November 9 Semdinli bombing in 2005, filed complaints 
with the Ministry of Interior. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The decision to shut down offices of PCDK 
(Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party) in Iraq's Suleymaniyah 
province has been suspended reportedly upon an objection filed 
by PCDK with the Iraqi authorities. 
GREEN