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Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for September 20, 2005

Published: Thu 22 Sep 2005 09:16 AM
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ADANA 000166
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 20, 2005
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for September 20,
2005. 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
SABAH / ZAMAN / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET: Chief of the Turkish
General Staff Hilmi Ozkok, who issued a message that marked the
September 19 Veterans' Day, said that, at a time when the
Turkish national identity and unitary state structure was under
the attack of "ethnical nationalism," the very presence of the
veterans and the essence they have always carried, provided
extraordinary source of power.
RADIKAL / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: Hamit Ergin, mayor of Diyarbakir's
Hazro district, resigned from his party (DEHAP) because of a
feud directed against him in the district which has hindered
Ergin from going to his district area for six months and from
serving his term.
ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET / SABAH: The dailies reported that the
terrorist organization PKK/Kongra-Gel had not abided by the
rules of the ceasefire it declared between August 20 and
September 20. Reportedly, the organization killed 10 and
wounded 13 security officials in the meantime. Moreover, 19
terrorists have been killed and 3 terrorists have been caught
alive. Furthermore, the PKK allegedly kidnapped the muhtar of
Hakkari's Catalca village two days ago.
ZAMAN: According to the daily, the PKK/Kongra-Gel has not
been able to fulfill its terrorist goals of committing attacks
in big cities like Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara thanks to the
efforts and caution of the Turkish police.
RADIKAL / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: The national chairperson of
Hak-Par (Rights and Liberties Party), Abdulmelik Firat, who has
been accused of speaking Kurdish at a party congress and of
sending invitations to state protocol offices in Kurdish,
defended himself at the court in Ankara in Kurdish. Firat
stated that he saw court's permission to speak in court in
Kurdish as indicative of the state of democratic development in
Turkey.
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Gaziantep Governor Lutfullah Bilgin
warned citizens to be cautious against provocative acts, which
jeopardize the unity and solidarity of the country.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily claimed that, on September 20, the
day that marked the end of the (PKK) ceasefire, the state had
not been able to seize the opportunity which had been created by
PM Erdogan's visit to Diyarbakir and his meeting with the
intelligentsia, to resolve (regional) issues.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
1. ZAMAN: Saban Bas, Chairperson of Adana Chamber of
Commerce, said that foreign companies would take part for the
first time in the third of the annual Cukurova Industry and
Commerce Fair that will be held in September 26 in Adana. Bas
said that 11 companies from Nahcevan (part of Azerbaijan) have
already enrolled their names in the fair. A total of 330
companies will be participating the fair, he said.
REID
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