Subject: TURKEY / US (L-ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA Topic: voa From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis) DATE=4/12/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-176963 TITLE=TURKEY / US (L-ONLY) BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN DATELINE=ANKARA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: SENIOR AMERICAN OFFICIALS, IN ANKARA TO DISCUSS TURKEY'S MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN IRAQ, SAY PRIME MINSTER TANSU CILLER HAS REITERATED HER COMMITMENT TO PULLING OUT TURKISH TROOPS AS SOON AS THEIR MISSION IS COMPLETED. BUT AS AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA, THERE IS NO WORD ON A WITHDRAWAL DATE. TEXT: WINDING UP A TWO DAY VISIT TO ANKARA WHERE HE MET WITH WITH TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER, U-S DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE THAT HE HAD RECEIVED ASSURANCES FROM TURKISH LEADERS THAT TURKEY'S THREE WEEK INCURSION INTO NORTHERN IRAQ WOULD BE LIMITED IN NATURE AND SCOPE. BUT MR. TALBOTT DODGED QUESTIONS ABOUT POSSIBLE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A WITHDRAWAL DATE -- SOMETHING THAT SOURCES CLOSE TO THE TALKS SAY THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR AHEAD OF MRS. CILLER'S SCHEDULED VISIT TO WASHINGTON SUNDAY. MR. TALBOTT ECHOED WESTERN CONCERNS FOR CIVILIAN CASUALTIES DURING THE OPERATION AIMED AT DRIVING OUT REBELS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K, FROM NORTHERN IRAQ. // TALBOTT ACT // THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN NORTHERN IRAQ SHOULD BE RESPECTED AND ANY COLLATERAL CIVILIAN CASUALTIES BE KEPT TO AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, ONE WOULD HOPE TO ZERO, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. WE MADE THAT CONCERN CLEAR TO THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT AT THE VERY BEGINNING. // END ACT // MR. TALBOTT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WHAT HE TERMED TACTICAL DIFFERENCES REMAINED BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT OVER IRAQ POLICY. BUT HE SAID THE SIDES AGREED ON THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES AND ON WHAT HE TERMED THE GRAND STRATEGY. ONE OF THE MAIN DIFFERENCES, TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY, IS ANKARA'S BELIEF THAT ONLY THE RESUMPTION OF BAGHDAD'S AUTHORITY OVER THE KURDISH-CONTROLLED ENCLAVE IN NORTHERN IRAQ CAN EFFECTIVELY SOLVE TURKEY'S SECURITY CONCERNS, AND THAT IT IS TIME TO LIFT U-N SANCTIONS AGAINST THE IRAQI REGIME. MR. TALBOTT WARNED, HOWEVER, THAT IRAQ REMAINS AS MUCH A THREAT TO TURKEY AS IT IS TO OTHER COUNTRIES. // 2ND TALBOTT ACT // TURKEY HAS, OF COURSE, HAD TO PAY A PRICE FOR ITS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WILL OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND IN THE CONTINUING IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS AGAINST THE IRAQ REGIME. WE DO NOT BELITTLE THE HARDSHIPS THIS MEANS FOR TURKEY. AT THE SAME TIME, FOR PRECISELY THAT REASON TURKEY DOES BEAR THOSE HARDSHIPS, NAMELY, ITS PROXIMITY TO IRAQ. IT ALSO STANDS, MORE THAN MANY MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, TO GAIN IF THE UNITED NATIONS POLICIES ARE ULTIMATELY SUCCESSFUL. // END ACT // FOR NOW, SOURCES CLOSE TO THE TALKS SAY, THE UNITED STATES BELIEVES TURKEY SHOULD COOPERATE WITH THE MAIN IRAQI KURDISH FACTIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ TO HELP STOP THE P-K-K FROM RESUMING ITS CROSS-BORDER ATTACKS AGAINST TURKISH SECURITY TARGETS. THERE IS NOW TALK OF REVIVING AN AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN TURKEY AND MASSOUD BARZANI'S KURDISTAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY OR K- D-P AND JALAL TALABANI'S PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN OR P-U-K, UNDER WHICH THEIR FIGHTERS WOULD POLICE THE BORDER IN EXCHANGE FOR FINANCIAL AID. A TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAYS BOTH MR. TALABANI AND MR. BARZANI HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR WILLINGESS TO COOPERATE WITH ANKARA. MR TALBOTT SAYS HE SHARES TURKEY'S VIEW THAT THE TWO GROUPS MUST END THEIR YEAR LONG BATTLE AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR CONTROL OVER NORTHERN IRAQ, BEFORE COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO SUCH PLANS. TURKISH AND U-S OFFICIALS ARE HOPING THIS TIME, UNLIKE PREVIOUS CEASE-FIRES BETWEEN THE SIDES WHICH HAVE BEEN SIGNED SINCE FIGHTING FIRST BROKE OUT LAST MAY, A TRUCE ANNOUNCED BY MR. BARZANI AND MR. TALABANI LAST WEEKEND WILL HOLD. (SIGNED) NEB/AZ/SKH/MMK 12-Apr-95 10:37 AM EDT (1437 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America