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DATE=10/9/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239982
TITLE=TURKEY/SYRIA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KAMAL KHARAZI HAS BEEN MEETING 
WITH TURKISH LEADERS IN ANKARA, TRYING TO DEFUSE RISING TENSIONS 
BETWEEN SYRIA AND TURKEY OVER KURDISH SEPARATIST REBELS.  AMBERIN
ZAMAN REPORTS FROM THE TURKISH CAPITAL, MR. KHARAZI SAYS HE HOPES
THE CRISIS CAN RESULT IN A PEACEFUL SETTELMENT.
TEXT:  MR. KHARAZI ARRIVED IN ANKARA FRIDAY -- ONE DAY AFTER 
HOLDING TALKS IN DAMASCUS WITH SYRIAN PRESIDENT HAFEZ AL-ASSAD. 
HE BROUGHT A MESSAGE FROM THE SYRIAN LEADER TO TURKISH PRESIDENT 
SULEYMAN DEMIREL, SAYING SYRIA WANTS TO RESOLVE ITS DIFFERENCES 
WITH TURKEY THROUGH DIPLOMATIC MEANS.
DURING HIS DAY-LONG MEDIATION MISSION, MR. KHARAZI ALSO MET 
TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ISMAIL CEM. FOLLOWING TALKS WITH FOREIGN
MINISTER CEM, MR. KHARAZI SAID IF -- IN HIS WORDS -- EVERYTHING 
GOES RIGHT, THERE MAY SOON A PEACEFUL SOLUTION.
BUT TURKISH OFFICIALS WARN EVERYTHING MAY GO HORRIBLY WRONG, 
UNLESS DAMASCUS RESPONDS TO TURKEY'S DEMAND TO END SUPPORT FOR 
SEPARATIST KURDISH GUERRILLAS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, THE
P-K-K.  TURKEY ALSO IS DEMANDING THAT SYRIA HAND OVER KURDISH 
REBEL CHIEF ABDULLAH OCALAN, WHO IS WIDELY KNOWN TO LIVE IN 
DAMASCUS, AND THE RENUNCIATION OF SYRIAN TERRITORIAL CLAIMS OVER 
A TURKISH PROVINCE ON THE SYRIAN BORDER, HATAY.
OVER THE PAST WEEK, TURKISH LEADERS INCLUDING PRESIDENT DEMIREL 
AND PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ HAVE DELIVERED THINLY-VEILED 
THREATS TO TAKE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST SYRIA.  STILL, TURKISH 
LEADERS INSIST THEY WILL EXHAUST ALL DIPLOMATIC MEANS BEFORE THEY
CONSIDER USING FORCE AGAINST THEIR ARAB NEIGHBOR.  THESE WILL 
INCLUDE TRIPS TO ARAB CAPITALS AND THE WEST BY FOREIGN MINISTER 
CEM, WHERE HE WILL EXPLAIN TURKEY'S CASE.
SYRIA DENIES IT SUPPORTS THE P-K-K, AND SYRIAN OFFICIALS CHARGE 
THAT TURKEY'S BELLICOSE STANCE IS A DIRECT RESULT OF ITS 
DEEPENING MILITARY TIES WITH ISRAEL. 
                        /// REST OPT ///
TURKEY AND ISRAEL SIGNED A MILITARY COOPERATION ACCORD IN 1996 
WHICH PROVOKED A STORM OF PROTEST IN THE ARAB WORLD.  TURKEY AND 
SYRIA ARE ALSO AT LOGGERHEADS OVER THE STATUS OF THE EUPHRATES 
RIVER, A VITAL SOURCE OF WATER FOR SYRIAN FARMERS.  SYRIA WANTS 
TURKEY TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT PLEDGING TO RELEASE A FIXED AMOUNT OF
WATER DOWNSTREAM.  TURKEY SAYS IT RELEASES MORE THAN ENOUGH 
WATER, AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DISCUSS WITH SYRIA UNTIL IT ENDS ITS
SUPPORT FOR WHAT ANKARA TERMS "TERRORISTS."   (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/PCF/WTW
09-Oct-98 10:45 AM EDT (1445 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.