Subject: TURKEY / U-S (L-ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA
Topic: voa
From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)
 
DATE=4/11/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-176928
TITLE=TURKEY / U-S (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  A TEAM OF TOP U-S OFFICIALS LED BY DEPUTY SECRETARY
OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT IS HOLDING TALKS WITH TURKISH
LEADERS.  AS AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA, PART OF THE U-S 
DELEGATION'S MISSION IS TO PRESS TURKEY TO SET  A DATE FOR THE 
WITHDRAWAL OF ITS TROOPS IN NORTHERN IRAQ.
 
TEXT:  WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY THE U-S GOVERNMENT WOULD IDEALLY 
LIKE TURKEY TO ANNOUNCE A DATE FOR A TROOP WITHDRAWAL AHEAD OF 
PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON ON SUNDAY.
 
TURKEY HAS COME UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM ITS WESTERN
ALLIES TO PULL OUT ITS ESTIMATED 35-THOUSAND TROOPS, WHO SWEPT 
INTO THE KURDISH-CONTROLLED ENCLAVE LAST MONTH IN PURSUIT OF
REBELS OF THE SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K.
 
IRAN AND IRAQ HAVE ALSO STEPPED UP CALLS FOR TURKISH TROOPS
TO LEAVE IRAQI TERRITORY AMID SPECULATION THAT TURKEY WANTS
TO ESTABLISH A BUFFER ZONE THERE.
 
TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER HAS ISSUED REPEATED
ASSURANCES THAT TURKISH TROOPS ARE  NOT  IN FOR AN EXTENDED
STAY.  BUT SHE HAS ALSO STRESSED THAT TURKISH FORCES WILL  NOT
BE CALLED HOME UNTIL THEIR MISSION IS COMPLETED.
 
CRITICS ACCUSE MRS. CILLER OF YIELDING TO WESTERN PRESSURE 
DESPITE STRONG PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE DRIVE AGAINST THE REBELS.  
THE ANALYSTS SAY THAT SUPPORT WILL MAKE IT ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT
FOR MRS. CILLER TO ANNOUNCE A WITHDRAWAL DATE DURING MR TALBOTT'S
VISIT.
 
AFTER MEETING WITH TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ERDAL INONU, MR. 
TALBOTT SAID THE U-S GOVERNMENT UNDERSTANDS TURKEY'S NEED TO DEAL
FIRMLY WITH THE P-K-K, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A VICIOUS TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATION.  MR. TALBOTT ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE UNITED STATES
ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ASSURANCES BY THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT
THAT ITS MILITARY OPERATION WILL BE LIMITED IN SCOPE AND 
DURATION.
 
HE DESCRIBED THE WITHDRAWAL OF THREE-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS FROM
NORTHERN IRAQ LAST SUNDAY AS A POSITIVE FIRST STEP.
 
TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY A FULL WITHDRAWAL CANNOT TAKE PLACE
UNTIL A SECURITY ARRANGEMENT IS WORKED OUT THAT WOULD PREVENT 
P-K-K ATTACKS FROM BEING LAUNCHED FROM NORTHERN IRAQ IN THE 
FUTURE.
 
ONE PROPOSAL IS TO REVIVE AN AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH THE MAIN IRAQI
KURDISH FACTIONS IN 1992, UNDER WHICH THEY WOULD POLICE THEIR 
SIDE OF THE POROUS IRAQI - TURKISH BORDER IN RETURN FOR FINANCIAL
AID FROM ANKARA.
 
BOTH MASSOUD BARZANI AND HIS KURDISTAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY OR K-
D-P AND JALAL TALABANI AND HIS PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN
OR P-U-K HAVE EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE WITH
ANKARA.  BUT BEFORE THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY DO SO, ANALYSTS SAY,
THEY WILL NEED TO END THEIR OWN YEAR-LONG BATTLE FOR CONTROL OF 
NORTHERN IRAQ. (SIGNED)

NEB/AZ/SKH/GPT

 
 

11-Apr-95 11:40 AM EDT (1540 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America