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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 29, 2007 
 
 
¶1.      This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 29, 
¶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) / CUMHURIYET:     Primary elections were held 
in 6 provinces on May 27 to determine the candidates of CHP (see 
press summary for May 25) for the May 22 parliamentary 
elections.  The primary elections stirred controversy and many 
candidates objected to the results.  Rumors are spreading that 
some of the voters sold their votes in exchange for certain 
benefits.   In Tarsus district of Mersin, it is claimed that the 
delegates held off on their election in order to first learn 
about the results of the other places in Mersin: Then, through a 
type of block voting, they were able to rank their two 
candidates first and second on the party ticket.  Sabab Guney 
daily also points out some controversies stirred in the CHP 
primary elections of Gaziantep: two former Gaziantep deputies 
from CHP, who were not elected as candidates, expressed 
frustration. 
 
¶3.      EKSPRES:        DP party grassroots and many businessmen 
reacted against Saban Bas's (Chairman of Adana Chamber of 
Commerce) reported recent efforts to secure a nomination as a DP 
candidate through support he reportedly obtained from Sinan 
Aygun (Chairman of Ankara Chamber of Commerce).  DP circles 
claim that it was unethical for Bas to turn to the DP after 
finding out that he would not be able to get nominated from CHP. 
 
 
¶4.      GUNDEM / CUMHURIYET:    The daily reports that two 
separate lawsuits were brought against DTP Adana Provincial 
Chairperson Ali Arslan because of his remarks during a congress 
of DTP youth branches on March 4 concerning the 8th anniversary 
of Abdullah Ocalan's arrest.  The speeches were carried on 
pro-Kurdish Roj TV, as well.  Separately, Sirnak Mayor Ahmet 
Ertak (from DTP) gave his statement to the Sirnak prosecutor's 
office concerning the investigation that was brought against him 
and other 54 mayors (from DTP) in the southeastern province 
because of their press announcement about the health condition 
of Ocalan under imprisonment on an unspecified date. 
Separately, a lawsuit was brought against DTP Erzincan 
provincial chairperson on charges of making "propaganda of the 
terrorist organization."  The daily claims that the telephone of 
the chairperson was tapped.  Separately, following completion of 
investigation process brought against former DTP Kars Provincial 
Chairperson Mahmut Alinak allegedly because of the Kurdish 
language posters hung at the party building during March 8 
Women's Day, Kars Prosecutor's Office asked for a lawsuit in 
line with the investigation to be brought against Alinak who has 
recently resigned from office to run in the parliamentary 
elections. 
 
¶5.      GUNDEM: A conference called "Democratic Unity for 
Peace" was held in the municipality hall of Tunceli.  Ways to 
resolve the Kurdish issue were discussed during the conference. 
 
¶6.      CUMHURIYET:     European Parliament's Turkey-EU Joint 
Parliamentary Commission Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk will visit 
several provinces in the eastern and southeastern Turkey ahead 
of the July 22 elections to observe the developments about 
elections there. 
 
SECURITY 
 
¶7.      CUMHURIYET:     During a time when Turkish Armed Forces has 
been carrying out military operations at the border areas with 
Iran and Iraq, PKK has reportedly been avoiding conflicts with 
security forces in those areas.  Instead, the terrorist 
organization has reportedly been intensifying efforts to send 
militants and ammunition to carry out suicide missions in the 
urban city centers reportedly to create chaos in the cities. 
The PKK is also resorting to methods such as using mines instead 
of entering into conflicts to decrease the number of their death 
toll. 
 
¶8.      EKSPRES / BOLGE:        Adana police heightened security 
measures in the province and increased the number of police 
patrolling the city.  Checkpoints have been set up at the 
entrance points from the main highway to the city.  It is 
reportedly noticed that the police paid attention to searching 
well-dressed women and their cars during their checks because it 
 
ADANA 00000075  002 OF 002 
 
 
was learned by the police that the recent terrorist activities 
would be carried by such women (see press summary for May 25). 
 
¶9.      GUNDEM: Bomb squad teams were sent to MHP party 
organization's building in Diyarbakir's Lice district upon 
receiving a bomb threat alert.  The box that was detonated 
safely turned out to be empty. 
 
¶10.     ZAMAN:  Gaziantep police reportedly caught two people 
who were making preparations to carry out a bomb attack on a 
police station in Gaziantep.  Police reportedly found a bomb 
device with a mobile phone in the vehicle of the two people 
caught. 
 
¶11.     CUMHURIYET:     A conflict broke out when security forces 
encountered a group of terrorists in Tunceli's Cemisgezek 
district.  Two terrorists were killed. 
 
¶12.     CUMHURIYET / ZAMAN:     Anti-terror branch of Konya Police 
conducted an operation against the PKK and detained 26 people in 
Konya.  Twenty-three of the people detained were university 
students.  DTP Konya Provincial Chairperson was among the 
detainees. 
 
CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT 
 
¶13.     SABAH (GUNEY):  Karatas District Jandarma Command teams, 
upon receiving a tip-off, caught 51 Iraqi nationals, who are 
illegal migrants waiting to set off for Northern Cyprus with a 
boat, in a beach area in Karatas district of Adana.  It is found 
out that the migrants paid 3000 USD each, except for the kids, 
for their illegal travel. 
 
¶14.     CUMHURIYET:     Diyarbakir Police seized 33 kilograms of 
hashish in an anti-drug operation in Diyarbakir.  Four of the 
eight people detained have been arrested. 
 
ECONOMY 
 
¶15.     SABAH (GUNEY):  A record was reportedly broken with a 
total of 60,000 visitors in five days at the International Iraqi 
Fair in Gaziantep this year. 
 
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT 
 
¶16.     GUNDEM / EVRENSEL / CUMHURIYET / ZAMAN: Two floods 
caused by heavy rain in Agri and Van killed 10 people.  Six of 
the casualties are children. 
GREEN