DATE=10/8/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41551
TITLE=TURKEY SYRIA
BYLINE=DOUG ROBERTS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: LONG-SIMMERING TENSIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND NEIGHBORING
SYRIA REACHED A CRISIS POINT THIS WEEK, WITH ANKARA WARNING OF
POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION UNLESS SYRIA ENDS SUPPORT FOR THE
INSURGENTS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY. THE P-K-K IS
FIGHTING FOR AN INDEPENDENT HOMELAND IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. THE
SABER-RATTLING FROM ANKARA HAS PROMPTED EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN
FROM U-S OFFICIALS AND INDEPENDENT ANALYSTS IN WASHINGTON, AS WE
HEAR IN THIS BACKGROUND REPORT FROM CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS
ROBERTS.
TEXT: A TOP TURKISH MILITARY COMMANDER (GENERAL HUSEYIN
KIVRIKOGLU) SAYS AN UNDECLARED STATE OF WAR ALREADY EXISTS WITH
SYRIA. PRESS REPORTS IN ANKARA SAY TURKEY HAS DISPATCHED TROOP
REINFORCEMENTS TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER, AND STEPPED UP HELICOPTER
PATROLS ALONG THE SYRIAN FRONTIER.
PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ SAYS TURKEY HAS GIVEN DAMASCUS ITS
FINAL WARNING -- STOP SUPPORT FOR THE P-K-K INSURGENTS OR BE
PREPARED TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES. ANKARA'S HARDLINE STANCE
HAS GARNERED OVERWHELMING SUPPORT IN THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT.
THE HEAD OF THE TURKISH STUDIES PROGRAM AT WASHINGTON'S CENTER
FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, BULENT ALIREZA, SAYS THE
LONG-SIMMERING TENSIONS BETWEEN ANKARA AND DAMASCUS HAVE REACHED
THE BOILING POINT.
/// ALIREZA ACT ///
CLEARLY, WE HAVE ENTERED A NEW PHASE AND A VERY
DANGEROUS PHASE IN THE TURKISH-SYRIAN RELATIONSHIP
WHICH, STRETCHING BACK DECADES, HAS BEEN A VERY
DIFFICULT ONE.
/// END ACT ///
THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS URGING BOTH SIDES TO RESOLVE THEIR
DIFFERENCES PEACEFULLY, AND WASHINGTON IS PUBLICLY BACKING
EFFORTS BY EGYPT'S PRESIDENT, HOSNI MUBARAK, TO MEDIATE A
SETTLEMENT OF THE CRISIS.
BUT WHILE APPEALING TO ANKARA TO EXERCISE RESTRAINT, THE U-S
GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO MADE CLEAR ITS SUPPORT FOR TURKEY'S MAIN
DEMAND -- AN END TO SYRIAN BACKING FOR THE P-K-K, WHICH
WASHINGTON CONSIDERS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
DAMASCUS FLATLY DENIES IT SUPPORTS THE P-K-K, OR THAT IT SHELTERS
THE GROUP'S LEADER, ABDULLAH OCALAN. BUT TURKISH AND WESTERN
OFFICIALS SAY MR. OCALAN RESIDES IN DAMASCUS, AND THE P-K-K
MAINTAINS BASES BOTH IN SYRIA, AND IN THE BEKAA VALLEY OF
NEIGHBORING LEBANON.
THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT ACCUSES ANKARA OF FABRICATING THE CRISIS,
IN LEAGUE WITH ISRAEL. THAT ALLEGATION HAS BEEN WIDELY ECHOED IN
OTHER ARAB CAPITALS, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN SHARP AND SUSTAINED
CRITICISM OF TURKEY'S GROWING TIES WITH ISRAEL, INCLUDING
MILITARY ACCORDS.
UNDER AN AGREEMENT WITH ANKARA, ISRAEL IS UPGRADING AND
MODERNIZING MORE THAN 100 OF TURKEY'S U-S BUILT WARPLANES.
ISRAEL HAS SOLD TURKEY 100 OF ITS "POPEYE" MISSILES, AND THE TWO
SIDES HAVE TENTATIVELY AGREED TO JOINTLY PRODUCE A MORE ADVANCED
VERSION OF THE MISSILE IN A DEAL VALUED AT ONE-HALF-BILLION
DOLLARS.
ARAB COMMENTATORS SAY THIS SHOWS THE DEPTH OF WHAT THEY DESCRIBE
AS THE ISRAELI-TURKISH ALLIANCE AGAINST SYRIA.
BUT MR. ALIREZA, THE WASHINGTON-BASED TURKISH ANALYST, DISMISSES
THE ASSERTION.
/// ALIREZA ACT ///
THERE IS A GENUINE GRIEVANCE ON THE PART OF TURKEY
VIS-A-VIS SYRIA THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE TURKISH-ISRAELI
RELATIONSHIP BLOSSOMED RECENTLY.
/// END ACT ///
ANKARA HAS LONG DEMANDED THAT SYRIA DROP ITS (IRREDENTIST) CLAIM
TO TERRITORY IN SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY, AND THE TWO SIDES ARE ALSO
EMBROILED IN A LONG-STANDING DISPUTE OVER THE SHARING OF THE
WATERS OF THE EUPHRATES RIVER.
A SENIOR TURKISH ENVOY TRAVELLED THE DAMASCUS OVER THE SUMMER TO
DISCUSS THESE DISPUTES AS WELL AS THE QUESTION OF SYRIAN SUPPORT
FOR THE P-K-K. BUT MR. ALIREZA SAYS THAT DIALOGUE PRODUCED
NOTHING. HE ADDS IT WAS AT THAT POINT TURKEY DECIDED TO ESCALATE
THE RHETORIC, ADDING ITS WARNING OF POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION.
MR. ALIREZA SAYS IT IS DIFFICULT TO GAUGE WHERE THE CRISIS IS
HEADING, BUT ADDS HE IS NOT OPTIMISTIC.
/// ALIREZA ACT ///
THIS ONE SEEMS TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT ONE TO SETTLE, AND
THERE IS, I AM AFRAID, GENUINE CONCERN ON MY PART THAT
THIS COULD WELL DEGENERATE INTO WAR.
/// END ACT ///
MR. ALIREZA SAYS ANKARA WOULD LIKELY BE SATISFIED IF SYRIA
EXPELLED THE P-K-K LEADERSHIP. BUT HE SAYS THERE IS NO
INDICATION DAMASCUS IS WILLING TO DO THAT.
HE SAYS FOR THE MOMENT THERE IS NO SIGN OF A FORMULA THAT WOULD
RESOLVE THE CRISIS. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/RAE
08-Oct-98 11:52 AM EDT (1552 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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