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DE RUEHDA #0108/01 2600554
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170554Z SEP 07
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4602
INFO RUEUITH/AFOSI DET 521 ANKARA TU
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1147
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0994
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUETIAA/DIRNSA FT MEADE MD
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1205

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000108 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 13 AND 14, 
¶2007. 
 
 
¶1.      This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for 
September 13 and 14, 2007.  Please note Turkish press reports 
often contain errors or exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does 
not vouch for the accuracy of the reports summarized here. 
 
        POLITICAL: 
 
¶2.      RADIKAL / BOLGE / EVRENSEL / ZAMAN / HURRIYET:  President 
Abdullah Gul conducted the first official visit of his term to 
southeastern Turkey.  Following his travel to Van, Gul arrived 
in Hakkari province's Siirt where he was welcomed by an 
enthusiastic crowd.  Zaman daily reported the visit to the 
province was the first by a Turkish president in 25 years. In 
Siirt, Gul called on the Governor and provincial NGOs. Gul 
reportedly forget he was fasting for Ramazan and drank a glass 
of water.  Evrensel daily quotes Hakkari Bar Association 
Chairman Nevzat Anuk as telling Gul the issues in the region 
were all linked to the Kurdish issue.  Anuk told reporters 
President Gul did not made any single comment on what he said 
and remained silent and taking notes. Gul did not invite local 
DTP administrators, administrators of Human Rights Association, 
or KESK (Confederation of Public Employee Unions) leaders to the 
meeting held with local figures at the Governor's Office. Gul 
later flew to Sirnak in a military helicopter and landed in the 
23rd Jandarma Border Division Command to chat with soldiers on 
duty.  Gul's last stop in his trip in the region will be 
Diyarbakir today.   Representatives of nearly 30 civil society 
organizations in Diyarbakir, including GUNSIAD (South-eastern 
Businessmen Association) and KAMER (Women's Center), will come 
together to convey the common issues of concern in the province. 
 Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir, who said they would be pleased 
to see the president in Diyarbakir, hoped that they would be 
able to give Gul a report generated by the Municipality. 
 
¶3.      SABAH (GUNEY):  A U.S. delegation headed by Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy  Colleen 
Graffy called on the Deputy Governor of Mersin reports the 
September-13 edition of the daily.  Deputy Mayor Ertan briefed 
Dr. Graffy about Mersin and the issues of importance in the 
province.  Dr. Graffy expressed sincere American appreciation 
for Mersin's support during the evacuation of U.S. nationals 
from Lebanon following Israel's offensive in early summer in 
¶2006. 
 
¶4.      RADIKAL:        On the 1996 case of a military captain fatally 
beating a shop owner in Diyarbakir's Cermisk district, the 
European Court of Human Rights decreed that fair prosecution 
process was not observed, a person's right to life was 
transgressed, and torture was tolerated; the Court fined Turkey 
in the amount of 30,000 Euros. 
 
        SECURITY 
 
¶5.      HURRIYET / YENI SAFAK:  Three village guards were wounded 
when a PKK mine exploded during a night patrol in Siirt's Eruh 
district.  Separately, in Bingol's Genc district, in clashes 
with PKK terrorists three security guards were wounded. 
 
¶6.      ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET:     A commissioned officer died when a 
military vehicle had an accident in a village of Agri. Four 
soldiers were wounded in the accident. 
 
¶7.      HURRIYET:       Four PKK members were killed in clashes in 
rural areas of Siirt.   Security personnel separately found a 
PKK shelter in Siirt's Pervari district where 12 Kalashnikov 
guns and ammunition were stored. (This summary is from September 
13 edition.) 
 
        CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT 
 
¶8.      SABAH (GUNEY):  Marine Forces Command staged a live 
environmental disaster exercise off the port of Mersin. The 
exercise aimed to strengthen coordination between military and 
civilian forces to better respond to sea-based environmental 
disasters. 
 
¶9.      HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / ZAMAN:    Malatya and Sanliurfa 
Municipalities set up tents in several locations of the two 
provinces to provide iftaar dinner to nearly 1500 people every 
day in two provinces. 
 
¶10.     BOLGE:  The community of the Antakya Christian 
Orthodox Church issued a celebratory statement in honor of the 
 
ADANA 00000108  002 OF 002 
 
¶2007. 
 
month of Ramadan on a banner hung in the city center. 
GREEN