22 October 1998
TEXT: U.S. WELCOMES TURKEY-SYRIA AGREEMENT
(Syria agrees to ban all activities of PKK in Syria) (260) Washington -- The United States welcomes the October 20 agreement between the governments of Turkey and Syria, according to a statement October 22 by James Rubin, State Department spokesman. Rubin said that in this agreement "Syria agreed, among other things, to ban all activities of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Syria. The two sides also established mechanisms to work together to implement the agreement." Following is the text of the statement: (Begin text) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 22, 1998 STATEMENT BY JAMES P. RUBIN, SPOKESMAN U.S. WELCOMES TURKEY-SYRIA AGREEMENT Representatives of the Governments of Turkey and Syria signed on October 20, 1998, an important agreement under which Syria agreed, among other things, to ban all activities of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Syria. The two sides also established mechanisms to work together to implement the agreement. The United States welcomes the October 20 accord signed by Turkey and Syria. We commend both countries for their efforts to resolve their differences peacefully. Syria's statement that it has prohibited the activities of the PKK, among other terrorist groups in Syria, is significant and welcome, and should be fully implemented. The United States also commends the constructive role played by other parties in the region to help reduce tensions between Turkey and Syria. Egyptian President Mubarak and Foreign Minister Moussa played particularly helpful roles in this regard. (Embassies Damascus and Ankara both cleared this as well) (End text)
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