Topic: voa
Subject: TURKEY / KURDS (L-ONLY) by AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA
From: Yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)
 
Topic: voa

DATE=4/6/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-176691
TITLE=TURKEY / KURDS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  TURKISH SEPARATIST REBELS HAVE KILLED SEVEN OF THE
EIGHT MEN THEY KIDNAPPED FROM A HAMLET IN HATAY PROVINCE, NEAR
THE SYRIAN BORDER, LATE WEDNESDAY.  AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM 
ANKARA. 

TEXT:  IT WAS THE LARGEST ATTACK EVER TO BE STAGED BY
GUERRILLAS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, OR P-K-K, IN HATAY
-- A MAINLY ARAB-POPULATED PROVINCE NEAR THE SYRIAN BORDER.

TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY THE REBELS SEIZED THE EIGHT FROM A
CLUSTER OF SUMMER COTTAGES ON A PLATEAU IN THE AMANOS
MOUNTAIN RANGES.  TROOPS SEARCHING THE MOUNTAINS LATER FOUND
BODIES OF SEVEN OF THOSE KIDNAPPED AFTER BEING ALERTED BY THE
THE ONLY SURVIVOR IN THE GROUP.  HE WAS LEFT BY THE REBELS
FOR DEAD.

IT WAS  NOT  IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHY THE REBELS HAD SINGLED OUT
THE GROUP FOR ATTACK.  BUT TURKISH OFFICIALS POINT OUT THAT
THERE IS LITTLE SYMPATHY FOR THE P-K-K  AMONG THE SMALL
POCKETS OF ETHNIC ARABS WHO LIVE IN THE MAINLY KURDISH-
POPULATED SOUTHEAST REGION.



THE REBELS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE CROSSED INTO HATAY FROM
SYRIA, WHERE THE P-K-K IS BELIEVED TO STILL HAVE BASES
DESPITE PLEDGES FROM DAMASCUS TO CRACK DOWN ON THE P-K-K.

ANALYSTS HERE SAY THE ATTACK HAS ONCE AGAIN EXPOSED
THE DIFFICULTY OF SECURING TURKEY'S BORDERS WITH ITS ARAB
NEIGHBORS BECAUSE OF THE MOUNTAINOUS NATURE OF THE  TERRAIN,
SO FAMILIAR TO THE REBELS, BUT SO HARD TO CONTROL BY A REGULAR
ARMY.

LAST MONTH TURKEY SENT 35-THOUSAND TROOPS INTO NORTHERN IRAQ TO 
DESTROY P-K-K BASES THERE.  ANKARA HAS COME UNDER MOUNTING
PRESSURE FROM WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO WITHDRAW ITS FORCES AMID 
CONCERN OVER CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AND SPECULATION
THAT TURKEY WANTS TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT MILITARY PRESENCE
IN THE REGION.

IRAQ HAS RENEWED ITS DEMANDS THAT TURKEY PULL OUT IMMEDIATELY
AND PUT AN END TO WHAT IT DESCRIBES AS USE OF TURKISH
TERRITORY AS A BASE FOR AMERICAN-BRITISH AGGRESSION AGAINST
IRAQ'S SOVEREIGNTY.  THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT WAS REFERRING TO THE 
U-S-LED WESTERN FORCE BASED IN SOUTHERN TURKEY TO PROTECT THE 
IRAQI KURDS AGAINST POSSIBLE ATTACK FROM SADDAM HUSSEIN.

TURKEY HAS SAID IT WILL WITHDRAW FROM IRAQI TERRITORY ONCE
ALL P-K-K CAMPS IN THE AREA ARE DESTROYED. AND DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER HIKMET CETIN TOLD REPORTERS ON HIS WAY TO LONDON

 
THURSDAY THAT THE WITHDRAWAL COULD BEGIN WITHIN A MATTER OF
WEEKS.

IT IS THE FIRST TIME A SENIOR TURKISH OFFICIAL HAS SPECIFIED
A POSSIBLE TIMETABLE FOR A WITHDRAWAL -- A SURE SIGN, WESTERN
DIPLOMATS HERE SAY, THAT TURKEY IS BEGINNING TO YIELD TO
PRESSURE TO ORDER ITS TROOPS BACK HOME. (SIGNED)

NEB/AZ/MH/BG

06-Apr-95 11:04 AM EDT (1504 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America