Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for September 28, 2007

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TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for
September 28, 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. RADIKAL / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET: Papers report Iraq's
Kurdistan Regional Authority leader Massoud Barzani objected to
clauses concerning hot-pursuit in Iraq and extraditing PKK
terrorists caught in Iraq to Turkey in the anti-terror agreement
that was the subject of three-day discussion by Iraq and Turky.
The talks on the agreement, which was expected to be signed
yesterday, have ended at an impasse.

SECURITY

3. ZAMAN / EVRENSEL / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET: During a regular
patrolling duty in a rural section of Bitlis, two soldiers were
reportedly killed by a PKK mine.

4. ZAMAN: The dailies report a PKK announcement that
their 35-year-old female regional commander, who oversaw
terrorist operations in Sirnak, Hakakri, Van and Siirt, was
killed in clashes with security officers along with 9 other
terrorists.

5. EVRENSEL: According to an online report on a website
aligned with the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Iran began shelling
Kurdish villages in the northeastern part of Iraq's Erbil
district.

ECONOMY

6. SABAH (GUNEY) / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): A 40-person
delegation from Istanbul's Chamber of Commerce (ITO) came to
Mersin in search of national investment opportunities. The
delegation paid a visit the Mersin Chamber of Commerce and
Industry. ITO's chairperson announced support for Mersin's bid
to host the 2013 Mediterranean Olympics.

7. SABAH (GUNEY): The chairperson of Gaziantep's Young
Businessmen Association complained about lack of a cargo hub at
the new Gaziantep airport.

8. EKSPRES / BOLGE: A delegation of 20 Adana-based
businessmen visited Rotterdam (Netherlands), calling it "one of
the energy hubs of the world."

CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

9. BOLGE: During anti-drug operations police searched a
house in Mersin and found 7.7 kilograms of heroin hidden there.
Three people were detained.

10. CUMHURIYET: Police caught 66 illegal foreign immigrants in
Agri's Dogubeyazit district. Sixty-one were Pakistani citizens
and three were Bangladeshis.

CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT

11. EVRENSEL: Diyarbakir Governor's Office, Diyarbakir
Municipality and Dicle University sponsored the sixth "Children
Living and Working in the Streets Symposium" last week. In
previous years, the conference was hosted in Izmir and Gaziantep.

12. EVRENSEL: Authorities compelled seasonal agricultural
workers, who have lived Adana's Karatas district for the last
several years, to evacuate the plot of land where they pitched
their tents. Workers reportedly reminded authorities that Adana
Governor Ilhan Atis's promise to provide permanent lodging for
them remains unfulfilled.

GREEN

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