• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=10/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240512
TITLE=TURKEY / SYRIA (L ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  TURKEY AND SYRIA HAVE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WHICH TURKISH 
OFFICIALS SAY ENDS WHAT THEY CALL SYRIA'S SUPPORT FOR KURDISH 
REBELS FROM TURKEY.  AMBERIN ZAMAN IN ANKARA REPORTS THE DEAL 
WILL LIKELY EASE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WHICH MANY 
FEARED COULD ERUPT INTO A REGIONAL CONFLICT
TEXT:  THE AGREEMENT -- ANNOUNCED  (LATE TUESDAY)  BY THE TURKISH
FOREIGN MINISTRY -- WAS REACHED AFTER TWO DAYS OF SECRET TALKS 
BETWEEN TURKISH AND SYRIAN OFFICIALS.  
TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY THE DEAL STIPULATES THAT SYRIA WILL  NO  
LONGER ALLOW THE SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, P-K-K, TO 
OPERATE IN SYRIA.  AND IT SAYS THAT P-K-K LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN 
WILL  NOT  BE PERMITTED TO RETURN TO SYRIA.  IN THE PAST, SYRIA 
HAS ALWAYS DENIED THAT IT SUPPORTS THE P-K-K REBELS.
TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ISMAIL CEM DESCRIBED THE AGREEMENT AS A 
POSITIVE AND WELCOME DEVELOPMENT.  BUT HE SAID TURKEY WILL BE 
WATCHING CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE SYRIA HONORS ITS  PLEDGES. FOREIGN 
MINISTRY SPOKESMAN NECATI UTKAN SAID TURKEY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO
TAKE MILITARY ACTION SHOULD SYRIA RESUME ITS SUPPORT FOR THE 
P-K-K.
TURKEY'S THREATS TO USE FORCE AGAINST SYRIA HAD TRIGGERED 
WIDESPREAD FEARS OF A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO NEIGHBORS.  
EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK HAS BEEN LEADING DIPLOMATIC 
EFFORTS TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS.
TURKISH PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ SAID TUESDAY HE HAD RECEIVED 
INFORMATION THAT THE P-K-K LEADER IS NOW IN MOSCOW.  AND MEDIA 
REPORTS SAY TURKEY IS ASKING RUSSIA TO EXTRADITE HIM.   RUSSIAN 
OFFICIALS HAVE DENIED THE P-K-K LEADER IS IN MOSCOW.
RUSSIA RECENTLY ALLOWED THE P-K-K'S POLITICAL WING, THE E-R-N-K, 
TO SET UP AN OFFICE IN MOSCOW.  ANALYSTS SAY THE MOVE WAS IN 
RETALIATION FOR TURKEY'S ALLEGED SUPPORT FOR CHECHEN 
SEPARATISTS..
FOR THE PAST 14 YEARS, THE P-K-K HAS BEEN WAGING AN ARMED 
CAMPAIGN FOR SELF-RULE IN TURKEY'S MAINLY KRUDISH SOUTHEASTERN 
PROVINCES.  NEARLY 40-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE CONFLICT. 
(SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/JWH
21-Oct-98 7:47 AM EDT (1147 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.