Subject: TURKEY / KURDS (L) By AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA From: Stratos Safioleas INTRO: TURKISH TROOPS HAVE CROSSED INTO NORTHERN IRAQ IN A MILITARY OFFENSIVE AGAINST KURDISH SEPARATIST GUERRILLAS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K. TURKISH OFFICIALS CONFIRM IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS EVER LAUNCHED AGAINST THE REBELS. AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA. TEXT: A TURKISH MILITARY SPOKESMAN SAYS ABOUT 35-THOUSAND TROOPS, BACKED BY TANKS AND FIGHER JETS, ARE INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION, WHICH IS AIMED AT DESTROYING KURDISH REBEL BASES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY TROOPS HAVE PENETRATED 40 KILOMETERS INTO NORTHERN IRAQ, MAINLY IN THE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS OF SINAT-HAFTANIN, METINA, SIVE-MEZI-KERVADARI AND KHARKURK. THE OFFICIALS ADD THAT THE TURKISH DRIVE EXTENDS ALONG A 220-KILOMETER FRONT. ABOUT THREE-THOUSAND GUERRILLAS BELONGING TO THE KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K, ARE REPORTED BASED IN NORTHERN IRAQ. ONE OF THE MAIN IRAQI KURDISH FACTIONS HAS CONDEMNED THE TURKISH INCURSION AS UNJUSTIFIED AND HAS CALLED UPON WESTERN GOVERNMENTS AND THE UNITED NATIONS TO PUSH FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF TURKISH TROOPS FROM THE AREA. IN A STATEMENT MONDAY, MASSOUD BARZANI'S KURDISTAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, OR K-D-P, SAID THE DRIVE WAS TAKING PLACE IN THE HEART OF THE SECURITY ZONE ESTABLISHED BY COALITION FORCES TO PROTECT KURDS FROM IRAQI ATTACKS. THE K-D-P CLAIMS THAT THE TARGETTED AREA INCLUDES NO P-K-K BASES AND IS POPULATED ONLY BY IRAQI KURDS. TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY LEADERS OF THE MAIN IRAQI KURDISH FACTIONS WERE INFORMED ABOUT THE OPERATION BUT ONLY AFTER IT BEGAN. THE MOVE AGAINST THE REBELS FOLLOWS A P-K-K ATTACK AGAINST A TURKISH MILITARY CONVOY IN THE EASTERN PROVINCE OF TUNCELI ON SATURDAY, WHICH LEFT 15 SOLDIERS DEAD AND 19 OTHERS WOUNDED. TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY THE OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE P-K-K IS INTENDED TO PREVENT REBELS FROM STAGING FURTHER HIT-AND-RUN ATTACKS FROM THEIR NORTHERN IRAQI BASES AGAINST MILITARY PERSONNEL AND KURDISH CIVILIANS SIDING WITH THE GOVERNMENT. THIS MILITARY OPERATION, THEY SAY, WOULD ENSURE THE SECURITY OF IRAQI KURDISH CIVILIANS LIVING IN THE BORDER REGION. THEY ADD THAT THE DRIVE IS BEING CARRIED OUT WITH WHAT THEY TERM DUE RESPECT TO THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF IRAQ. THE OFFICIALS ADD THAT ONGOING FIGHTING BETWEEN MASSOUD BARZANI'S K-D-P AND JALAL TALABANI'S PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN, OR P-U-K, HAS CREATED A POWER VACUUM WHICH THE P-K- K HAS BEEN EXPLOITING TO ITS ADVANTAGE. KURDISH GUERRILLAS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING SINCE 1984 FOR AN INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE. MORE THAN 13-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE P-K-K'S ARMED STRUGGLE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT BEGAN. (SIGNED) NEB/AZ/SKH/GPT 20-Mar-95 8:21 AM EST (1321 UTC) NNNN