Subject: TURKEY/KURDS (L ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA
Topic: voa
From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)
 
DATE=4/25/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-177512
TITLE= TURKEY/KURDS (L ONLY) 
BYLINE= AMBERIN ZAMAN 
DATELINE= ANKARA 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  TURKEY HAS WITHDRAWN 20-THOUSAND SOLDIERS FROM NORTHERN 
IRAQ, FIVE WEEKS AFTER THEY SWEPT INTO THE KURDISH CONTROLLED 
ENCLAVE TO TRACK DOWN REBELS OF THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS' 
PARTY, OR P-K-K.  AS AMBERIN REPORTS FROM ANKARA, THE PULLOUT 
FOLLOWS EARLIER STATEMENTS BY TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS THAT 
TURKISH TROOPS HAD COMPLETED THEIR MISSION IN NORTHERN IRAQ.

TEXT:  TURKISH MILITARY SPOKESMAN COLONEL DOGU SILAHCIOGLU 
CONFIRMS THAT FIVE BRIGADES COMPOSED OF FOUR THOUSAND SOLDIERS 
EACH HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN TO THE PROVINCES OF HAKKARI AND SIRNAK 
IN TURKEY'S MAINLY KURDISH SOUTHEAST REGION, SAYING THEIR MISSION
HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

 ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS WERE WITHDRAWN EARLIER THIS 
MONTH IN THE FIRST SIGN THAT THE OPERATION WAS AS STATED EARLIER 
BY TURKISH OFFICIALS LIMITED IN DURATION AND SCOPE.

AFTER TUESDAY'S MASS WITHDRAWAL ABOUT 11-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS 
REMAIN IN NORTHERN IRAQ.

ADDRESSING THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT ON TUESDAY, PRIME MINISTER 
TANSU CILLER WARNED THAT IF NEED BE TURKISH TROOPS WOULD REPEAT 
THE OFFENSIVE LAUNCHED ON MARCH 20TH AGAINST GUERRILLAS OF THE  
P-K-K. 

SHE SAID THOSE WHO THOUGHT THEY HAD ESTABLISHED WHAT SHE 
DESCRIBED AS A LIBERATED ZONE IN NORTHERN IRAQ HAD BEEN TAUGHT A 
TOUGH LESSON. 

THE INCURSION -- DESCRIBED AS THE LARGEST MILITARY OPERATION IN 
MODERN TURKISH HISTORY -- PROVOKED A FLURRY OF PROTESTS FROM 
TURKEY'S WESTERN ALLIES AMID REPORTS OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

BOTH EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN URGING 
TURKEY TO ADDRESS THE KURDISH PROBLEM THROUGH POLITICAL MEANS, 
SAYING IT CANNOT BE SOLVED THROUGH FORCE ALONE.

BUT MRS. CILLER TOLD PARLIAMENT THERE WAS  NO  QUESTION OF A 
POLITICAL SOLUTION.  AND IN AN APPARENT REFERENCE TO WESTERN 
GOVERNMENTS, SHE SAID THOSE WHO SPOKE OF A POLITICAL SOLUTION 
OBVIOUSLY DID  NOT  UNDERSTAND TURKEY'S PROBLEM, WHICH WAS IN HER
WORDS, ONE OF TERRORISM.

WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY MRS. CILLER'S COMMENTS ARE LARGELY DIRECTED
AT THE TURKISH PUBLIC, WHICH IS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE 
MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE REBELS.

MEANWHILE, A MONTH-OLD OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE P-K-K IN THE EASTERN
PROVINCE OF TUNCELI IS CONTINUING.  MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT 
20-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS ARE CONTINUING THEIR HUNT FOR SOME TWO
THOUSAND GUERRILLAS CONCEALED IN THE MUNZUR MOUNTAIN RANGE. 
(SIGNED)

NEB/AZ/MH/MMK

25-Apr-95 8:36 AM EDT (1236 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America