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DATE=10/19/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240405
TITLE=TURKEY / KURDS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE LEADER OF TURKEY'S SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS 
PARTY, P-K-K, SAYS HE IS  NO  LONGER IN SYRIA.  AMBERIN ZAMAN IN 
ANKARA REPORTS THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE TURKISH KURD REBEL LEADER 
COULD EASE TENSIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND SYRIA.
TEXT:  IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE THROUGH THE GERMAN-BASED 
PRO-KURDISH NEWS AGENCY DEM, P-K-K LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN SAID HE
HAS -- IN HIS WORDS -- BEEN IN SYRIA FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT THAT 
HE IS  NO  LONGER THERE.
IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHERE EXACTLY THE REBEL LEADER IS.  HE SAYS HE
IS "SOMEWHERE IN KURDISTAN."  THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE IN A WIDE 
AREA OF SYRIA, IRAN, IRAQ, TURKEY, AND ARMENIA -- ACROSS WHICH AN
ESTIMATED 30 MILLION KURDS ARE SCATTERED.
THE P-K-K LEADER'S ANNOUNCEMENT CAME HOURS BEFORE SENIOR TURKISH 
AND SYRIAN OFFICIALS HELD SECRET TALKS AT AN UNKNOWN LOCATION 
ALONG THE BORDER BETWEEN TURKEY AND SYRIA.  SYRIAN OFFICIALS WERE
EXPECTED TO PROVIDE WHAT THEY CALL DETAILED EVIDENCE TO TURKISH 
OFFICIALS SHOWING THAT THE P-K-K AND ITS LEADER  NO  LONGER 
OPERATE OUT OF SYRIAN TERRITORY.
ARAB DIPLOMATS SAY THEY HOPE THE MOVES WILL PROVE ENOUGH TO 
SATISFY ANKARA AND HEAD OFF A POTENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN TURKEY 
AND SYRIA.  EGYPT AND IRAN HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN DIPLOMATIC 
EFFORTS TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS.
FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, TURKEY HAS BEEN THREATENING TO TAKE 
MILITARY ACTION AGAINST SYRIA OVER ITS SUPPORT FOR THE P-K-K. 
TURKEY SAYS SYRIA IS USING THE P-K-K TO PRESS ITS CLAIMS OVER A 
SOUTHERN PROVINCE, HATAY, AND TO PRESSURE TURKEY INTO SIGNING  AN
AGREEMENT TO SHARE THE WATERS OF THE EUPHRATES RIVER WHICH ARE 
CRUCIAL TO SYRIAN FARMING.  SYRIA DENIES THE CLAIMS.
TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER ISMET SEZGIN REPEATED WARNING LATE 
SUNDAY THAT TURKEY WOULD TAKE WHAT HE TERMED "ALL NECESSARY 
MEASURES WHERE DIPLOMACY FAILS."
NEARLY 40-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED SINCE THE P-K-K LAUNCHED ITS 
ARMED CAMPAIGN FOR KURDISH SELF-RULE IN TURKEY'S MAINLY KURDISH 
SOUTHEAST PROVINCES IN 1984.  (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/JWH/JO
19-Oct-98 10:21 AM EDT (1421 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.