Topic: voa
Subject: U-S/TURKEY/IRAQ O'NITER (S ONLY) by VICTOR BEATTIE/WASHINGTON
From: Yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)
 
Topic: voa

DATE=4/5/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-176599
TITLE=U-S/TURKEY/IRAQ O'NITER (S ONLY)
BYLINE=VICTOR BEATTIE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  TURKEY'S FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH SECRETARY OF STATE 
WARREN CHRISTOPHER IN WASHINGTON TODAY (WEDNESDAY).  IT IS A PART
OF ANKARA'S MISSION TO DEAL WITH WESTERN CRITICISM OF ITS 
MILITARY OFFENSIVE AGAINST KURDISH REBELS IN IRAQ.  V-O-A'S 
VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE VISIT TO WASHINGTON COMES AS THE U-S 
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SAYS TURKEY IS TRYING TO ABIDE BY HUMAN RIGHTS
STANDARDS:

TEXT:  TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ERDAL INONU'S MEETING TODAY 
(WEDNESDAY) WITH SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER WILL UNDERSCORE TURKEY'S 
POSITION.  HE SPENT TWO DAYS IN BONN WITH GERMAN OFFICIALS 
ADDRESSING THEIR CONCERNS OVER THE OFFENSIVE -- NOW IN ITS 17TH 
DAY.  GERMANY HAS FROZEN MILITARY AID TO ITS NATO ALLY.

WESTERN NATIONS AND AID GROUPS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE MILITARY
INCURSION AIMED AT DESTROYING THE TERRORIST CAPABILITIES OF 
KURDISH SEPARATISTS.  THEY CHARGE IT IS RESULTING IN CIVILIAN 
CASUALTIES.  SEVERAL FRENCH AID GROUPS ACCUSE ANKARA OF VIOLATING
BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND HAVE CALLED ON THE UNITED NATIONS TO 
CONDEMN THE MILITARY OFFENSIVE. 

U-S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN DENNIS BOXX SAYS THE 35 THOUSAND
TURKISH TROOPS INSIDE IRAQ ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO AVOID SERIOUS 
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.  MR. BOXX SAYS THERE IS NO INDICATION 
NOR ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE OTHERWISE.

THE PENTAGON SPOKESMAN SAYS HE HAS NOT SEEN REPORTS BY TURKISH 
MEDIA ALLEGING TURKISH TROOPS MURDERED SEVEN SHEPHERDS WHILE 
SEARCHING FOR KURDISH REBELS.  ANKARA HAS DENIED THE ALLEGATION 
-- CALLING IT REBEL PROPAGANDA, BUT SAYS IT IS INVESTIGATING THE 
CLAIM.  (SIGNED).

NEB / WOD

 

05-Apr-95 2:01 AM EDT (0601 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America