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RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1156
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
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RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1214

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000114 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 
 
 
¶1.      This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for 
September 26, 2007.  Please note Turkish press reports often 
contain errors or exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not 
vouch for the accuracy of the reports summarized herein. 
 
        POLITICAL: 
 
¶2.      HURRIYET: Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad Al-Bolani came to 
Ankara to reportedly discuss reviving a now ineffective 
anti-terror agreement signed earlier with Saddam Hussein's 
regime.  In bilateral meetings, issues such as the recognition 
of the PKK as a terrorist organization, hot pursuit against PKK 
terrorists, prevention of PKK activities in Iraq, etc. are on 
the agenda.  During the meetings, the Turkish Interior Ministry 
will request the extradition from Iraq of 150 PKK terrorists. 
 
¶3.      ZAMAN: The daily reports despite intelligence indicating 
he was the target of a suicide bomb threat, President Abdullah 
Gul was adamant about conducting his first official visit to 
southeastern Turkey in mid-September. 
 
¶4.      ZAMAN / EKSPRES: In his book titled "I Witnessed 
Infidelity," a retired colonel revealed that in the past there 
were interesting methods to convince locals not to allow 
terrorists into towns or cities.  In one example, the military 
staged a fabricated conflict, opening fire with machine guns and 
rockets at predetermined targets in Semdinli under cover of 
nightfall.  The following morning they would tell how such 
conflicts could harm the city and the people, wrote the colonel 
in his book. 
 
¶5.      GUNDEM ONLINE: On the online edition of Gundem daily, DTP 
Deputy National Chairperson Nurettin Demirtas called on local 
people, DTP party organizations, civil society organizations and 
unions to embrace and support Gundem in the of a recent 
one-month ban imposed by an unspecified court. 
 
 
¶6.      OZGUR GUNDEM ONLINE: Diyarbakir Governor Huseyin Avni 
Mutlu, appointed to his position on September 13 when the former 
governor was assigned to a position at the PM's 
Undersecretariat, gave his personal cell phone number to local 
journalists, demonstrating open access to his office.  The 
governor said he wanted to ease office appointment procedures so 
as to facilitate direct contact with the people. 
 
        SECURITY 
 
¶7.      HURRIYET / ZAMAN / SABAH: A PKK terrorist stole a vehicle 
carrying bread to a jandarma station located 10 kilometers from 
Tunceli.  The suicide bomber detonated the vehicle near the gate 
of the station, causing the death of one soldier.  Two soldiers 
were seriously wounded and two soldiers sustained minor 
injuries.  Sabah and Hurriyet dailies report on the same 
incident, with conflicting details on the bomb itself.  The army 
launched a military operation with air support in several 
districts of the province following the incident.  Jandarma also 
detained six people in the bakery in Tunceli, which supplied 
bread to the jandarma unit. Separately, a PKK mine detonated 
when a herd of sheep was passing a road near a jandarma station 
in Tunceli's Pulumur district. Many of the animals were killed. 
 
¶8.      ZAMAN ONLINE:   Upon receiving a bomb tip-off, police 
stopped a passenger train which departed Adana at 1915 yesterday 
for Islahiye district.  The police evacuated passengers and 
searched the train.  The Ceyhan district governor visited the 
site to investigate. 
 
¶9.      ZAMAN / HURRIYET / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Hakkari police and 
jandarma raided a house in Yuksekova district, uncovering arms 
and other materials used in improvising weapons.  The arms found 
included one Kalashnikov, one G-3, one 9-mm modified gun, 11 
hunting rifles, 18 barrels, 11 broken pistol parts, 4 
binoculars, etc. 
 
¶10.     SABAH: While attending UNGA's 62nd session Foreign 
Minister and Chief EU Negotiator Ali Babacan, expressed Turkey's 
frustration about pro-PKK Roj TV that has been continuing to 
broadcast programs from Denmark. 
 
        ECONOMY 
 
¶11.     HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): A Turkish economic journal conducted 
a survey and listed 21 companies from the Cukurova and GAP 
 
ADANA 00000114  002 OF 002 
 
 
region among Asia Minor's 100 largest companies.  Eleven of 
those companies are reportedly from Gaziantep.  Gaziantep's 
Sanko was ranked third. 
 
        CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT 
 
¶12.     SABAH (GUNEY): The Syriac Church and a businessman in 
Mardin paid for two municipality iftaar dinners for nearly 3300 
people. 
 
¶13.     HURRIYET:       A 3.8-magnitude earthquake shook Hakkari at 
0150 yesterday.  No casualties were reported. 
 
¶14.     BOLGE: Deputy Chairman of Turkey's Sports Federation for 
Handicapped People presented Adana Mayor Aytac Durak a plaque on 
behalf of Jan Berteling, Chairman of the International 
Wheelchair basketball Federation, to express gratitude for 
Adana's support in holding wheelchair basketball tournament for 
the last three years. 
 
¶15.     SABAH (GUNEY): Mersin's governor, mayor and provincial 
sports director returned to Mersin from their trip to France. 
The delegation attended a meeting held with Mediterranean 
Olympics Committee in France.  Mayor Ozcan said they have 
expended every effort to convince the committee to hold the 2013 
Olympics in Mersin. 
GREEN