Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for July 17, 2006

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SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JULY 17, 2006

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for July 17, 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: The Bingol Governorate announced that a PKK/Kongra-Gel
terrorist had been killed in the ensuing clashes with the GOT
forces in rural Uckaya village of Bingol the previous night, and
that the operations in the region continued.

ZAMAN: A group consisting of approximately 15 persons held an
unauthorized demonstration in Daglioglu Quarter of Adana. The
crowd chanted pro-PKK and pro-Ocalan slogans and demanded that
isolation in prisons be abandoned. The crowd dispersed into the
side streets when police intervened.

HURRIYET/SABAH/GUNDEM/CUMHURIYET/YENI
SAFAK/EVRENSEL/RADIKAL/BOLGE: Five soldiers were martyred when a
military vehicle hit a PKK mine planted on a road in Bitlis the
previous day, and seven soldiers and one village guard were
killed during the clashes between GOT forces and PKK militants
in Eruh of Siirt yesterday. As a result of the increase in death
toll of GOT forces in the clashes, the Anti-terror High
Commission convened in Ankara urgently and discussed the
measures to be undertaken. Prime Minister Erdogan gave the
following message to PKK: "We have run out of our patience. You
will pay the cost heavily," and asked people in southeastern
Turkey to possess their state. During the meeting of the
Anti-terror High Commission presided by Foreign Affairs Minister
Gul the following topics were discussed: Possibilities for a
cross-border operation, an air raid at PKK's safe-heaven at
Kandil Mountain in Northern Iraq, application of stringent
security measures at Habur Border gate, sending diplomatic
demarches to Iraq and the United States, calling for an urgent
tripartite (Iraq-USA-Turkey) meeting, and renewing of "Hot
Pursuit Agreement" between Turkey and Iraq. Based on data given
by HPG -People's Protection Forces- Ulkede Ozgur Gundem
newspaper reported that Turkish forces had launched 66
operations and Iran had realized 10 operations in various parts
of the region, and that guerillas had retaliated 58 times. 5
officers, 2 village guards, 2 policemen, 102 soldiers, and 32
Iranian soldiers had been killed while 24 HPG guerillas lost
their lives in the ensuing clashes, the paper reported.

ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: A letter mailed from Karaman to Samsun read
that suicide assassinations would be organized by Mahmut
Yildirim, AKA "Yesil," who has been involved in many mysterious
killings and acts, against YOK -Higher Education Council-
President Prof. Dr. Erdogan Tezic, Rector of 19 Mayis University
of Samsun, Eskisehir Mayor, and Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir.

GREEN

REID

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