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

DATE=4/10/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-176864
TITLE=TURKEY/KURDS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  AT LEAST 12 KURDISH REBELS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN 
KILLED IN SEPARATE CLASHES WITH TURKISH SECURITY FORCES IN THE 
MAINLY KURDISH SOUTHEAST REGION.  AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM 
ANKARA.

TEXT:  TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY 11 REBELS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS' 
PARTY, OR P-K-K, WERE KILLED IN A CLASH WITH SECURITY FORCES NEAR
THE SOUTHEASTERN TOWN  OF SILOPI.  IN  A SEPARATE INCIDENT, ONE 
P-K-K FIGHTER WAS KILLED IN SIIRT PROVINCE, ALSO IN THE 
SOUTHEAST.

MEANHILE, TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER HAS ACCUSED 
TURKEY'S WESTERN ALLIES OF FAILING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE 
DESCRIBED AS THE MURDEROUS NATURE OF THE P-K-K.  // OPT // SHE 
MADE THE REMARKS  DURING AN ADDRESS TO VISITING JOURNALISM 
STUDENTS FROM EUROPE. // END OPT //

SHE WAS REFERRING TO MOUNTING PRESSURE FROM WESTERN GOVERNMENTS 
FOR TURKEY TO PULL OUT ITS TROOPS FROM NORTHERN IRAQ.

ABOUT 35-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS SWEPT INTO THE 
KURDISH-CONTROLLED ENCLAVE LAST MONTH TO DRIVE OUT P-K-K REBELS 
IN THE REGION AND TO DESTROY THEIR MOUNTAIN BASES.  REPORTS OF 
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES DURING THE TURKISH OFFENSIVE, COMBINED WITH 
CONCERN

 THAT TURKISH TROOPS ARE IN NORTHERN IRAQ FOR AN EXTENDED STAY, 
HAVE PROMPTED INCREASINGLY STRIDENT CALLS FROM FOREIGN 
GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING IRAQ AND IRAN, FOR TURKEY TO SET A DATE 
FOR A WITHDRAWAL.

TURKEY INSISTS IT WILL PULL OUT ONCE TURKISH TROOPS COMPLETE 
THEIR MISSION.  ON SUNDAY, ANKARA ANNOUNCED THE WITHDRAWAL OF 
SOME THREE THOUSAND TROOPS FROM NORTHERN IRAQ.  TURKISH FOREIGN 
MINISTER HIKMET CETIN DESCRIBED THE MOVE AS A SIGN OF TURKEY'S 
COMMITMENT TO WITHDRAW FROM THE AREA AS SOON AS IT CAN.

THE MAIN OPPOSITION PARTIES HAVE CRITICISED THE MOVE, ACCUSING 
THE GOVERNMENT OF SUCCUMBING TO WESTERN PRESSURE.  FORMER PRIME 
MINISTER BULENT ECEVIT, WHO LED TURKEY'S INTERVENTION IN CYPRUS 
IN 1974, SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THOUSANDS OF 
TURKISH MOTHERS WHOSE SONS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE 11-YEAR WAR 
AGAINST THE P-K-K.  HE SAYS THE GOVERNMENT HAS A MORAL OBLIGATION
TO KEEP TURKISH TROOPS  IN NORTHERN IRAQ UNTIL THEIR JOB IS DONE.

HIS REMARKS COME BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF A U-S DELEGATION IN ANKARA
LED BY DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT.   SO FAR, 
WASHINGTON HAS STOPPED SHORT OF OPENLY CRITICIZING THE TURKISH 
INCURSION, SAYING IT UNDERSTANDS TURKEY'S LEGITIMATE STRUGGLE 
AGAINST TERRORISM.  BUT THERE ARE GROWING SIGNS THAT WASHINGTON 
ALSO WANTS AN EXIT DATE FROM IRAQ TO BE ANNOUNCED, PREFERABLY 
BEFORE MRS. CILLER BEGINS A TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES ON SUNDAY. 
(SIGNED)



NEB/AZ/SKH/BG



10-Apr-95 11:11 AM EDT (1511 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America