Subject: TURKEY-KURDS (LONG) [4] By AL PESSIN/ANKARA From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/24/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-176017 TITLE=TURKEY-KURDS (LONG) BYLINE=AL PESSIN DATELINE=ANKARA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKISH FORCES PRESSED THEIR ASSAULT ON SEPARATIST KURDISH BASES IN NORTHERN IRAQ FRIDAY FOR THE FIFTH DAY, WITH BOMBING RUNS AND CLASHES ON THE GROUND, WHILE THE GUERRILLAS THREATENED TO STRIKE BACK WITH ATTACKS IN TURKISH CITIES. V-O-A'S AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM ANKARA. TEXT: TURKEY'S ANATOLIA NEWS AGENCY SAYS THE BOMBING RAIDS DESTROYED THREE GUERRILLA BASES IN NORTHERN IRAQ, WHILE TURKISH GROUND FORCES ENCOUNTERED GROUPS OF GUERRILLAS TRYING TO FLEE THE AREA. THE NEWS AGENCY REPORTS THE ARMY TOOK SOME SURRENDERING KURDISH FIGHTERS INTO CUSTODY FOR THE FIRST SINCE THIS OPERATION BEGAN ON MONDAY. THE TURKISH MILITARY SAYS THE OPERATION, INVOLVING 35-THOUSAND TROOPS, IS SUCCESSFULLY ENDING THE GUERRILLAS' ABILITY TO LAUNCH ATTACKS ACROSS THE BORDER. BUT OBSERVERS BELIEVE MANY GUERRILLAS FLED THE AREA BEFORE THE TURKISH FORCES CROSSED THE BORDER. AND IN GENEVA, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF A KURDISH POLITICAL GROUP THREATENED THAT GUERRILLA FORCES WILL STRIKE BACK WITH VIOLENT ATTACKS IN TURKISH CITIES. THE OFFICIAL, ALI GARZAN OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT OF KURDISTAN, WARNED FOREIGN TOURISTS TO STAY OUT OF THE COUNTRY. MR. GARZAN SPOKE AT A NEWS CONFERENCE BEFORE JOINING A DELEGATION OF KURDS WHO MET WITH OFFICIALS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE FOREIGN SYMPATHY FOR WHAT SOME SEE AS TURKEY'S CULTURAL REPRESSION OF THE TURKISH KURDS, AND SOME OF THAT SYMPATHY SPILLS OVER TO THE GUERRILLA GROUP CALLED THE P-K-K, WHICH IS THE TARGET OF THE CURRENT TURKISH MILITARY OPERATION. THE GROUP HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR AUTONOMY IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS. BUT THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS TURKISH AND FOREIGN COMMENTATORS, SAYS THE GROUP DOES NOT REPRESENT THE WISHES OF MOST OF TURKEY'S 12-MILLION KURDS. THE KURDISH-EUROPEAN MEETING IN GENEVA DREW PARTICULAR ATTENTION HERE IN TURKEY BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO WIN FINAL APPROVAL OF A TRADE AGREEMENT FROM THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT. ANALYSTS SAY THE GOVERNMENT IS WILLING TO TAKE SOME CRITICISM FOR WHAT IT SEES AS A NECESSARY OPERATION IN NORTHERN IRAQ, BUT IT CAN NOT AFFORD TO OVERLY ANTAGONIZE EUROPEAN PUBLIC OPINION. // OPT // AT THE SAME TIME, THE ANALYSTS SAY, THE PRIME MINISTER'S PROGRAM OF HUMAN RIGHTS REFORMS, ANNOUNCED TEN DAYS AGO, IS DESIGNED IN PART TO SATISFY EUROPE. BUT THE ANALYSTS SAY TO GET IT APPROVED BY A RELUCTANT PARLIAMENT THE GOVERNMENT MUST FIRST DEMONSTRATE TO TURKISH CONSERVATIVES THAT IT IS WILLING TO ACT STRONGLY AGAINST THE GUERRILLAS. // END OPT // PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER RESPONDED FRIDAY TO PRESSURE FROM EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES TO LIMIT THE SIZE, SCOPE AND DURATION OF THE CURRENT MILITARY OPERATION IN NORTHERN IRAQ. SHE SAID IF THAT IS WHAT THE WEST WANTS, IT MUST HELP ENSURE THAT THE GUERRILLAS CAN NOT OPERATE IN NORTHERN IRAQ. // OPT // THE AREA HAS BEEN CONTROLLED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AND A COUNCIL OF IRAQI KURDS SINCE THE GULF WAR. TURKEY SAYS DURING THAT TIME THE AREA HAS BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE TURKISH KURDISH GUERRILLAS. // END OPT // MEANWHILE IN GENEVA, UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS SAY KURDISH REFUGEES FROM THE CURRENT FIGHTING ARE BEGINNING TO FLOW INTO U-N FACILITIES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. U-N OFFICIALS HAVE WARNED TURKEY NOT TO BOTHER TURKISH KURDISH REFUGEES IN CAMPS AND VILLAGES IN THE AREA WHERE TURKISH FORCES ARE OPERATING IN NORTHERN IRAQ. HERE IN ANKARA, THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED NOT TO. (SIGNED) NEB/AWP/ MH/GPT 24-Mar-95 2:43 PM EST (1943 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------