• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=11/4/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-241177
TITLE=RUSSIA / KURDS  (L ONLY)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: RUSSIA'S PARLIAMENT IS ASKING PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN TO  
GRANT ASYLUM TO A KURDISH REBEL LEADER WANTED ON TERRORISM 
CHARGES IN TURKEY.  V-O-A CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS 
FROM MOSCOW.
TEXT:  THE DUMA, OR LOWER HOUSE, WEDNESDAY OVERWHELMINGLY THREW 
ITS SUPPORT BEHIND AN APPEAL FOR ASYLUM FROM ABDULLAH OCALAN, THE
LEADER OF THE REBEL KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY  (P-K-K). THE VOTE 
WAS 298 TO ZERO, WITH ONE ABSTENTION.
EVEN THOUGH THE RESOLUTION IS NON-BINDING, THE VOTE IS CERTAIN TO
IRRITATE TURKEY, WHICH CONSIDERS MR. OCALAN ITS MOST WANTED 
CRIMINAL. 
THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT LAST WEEK ASKED RUSSIA TO EXTRADITE MR. 
OCALAN.  UNOFFICIAL SOURCES SAY TURKEY HAD SOLID INFORMATION THE 
KURDISH LEADER WAS HIDING IN A MOSCOW SUBURB.  BUT THE RUSSIAN 
FOREIGN MINISTRY SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING SECURITY 
FORCES HAD FAILED TO TURN UP ANY TRACE OF MR. OCALAN. 
MORE RECENT TURKISH MEDIA REPORTS SUGGEST THE REBEL LEADER HAS  
LEFT MOSCOW FOR ARMENIA, WHICH HAS  NO  DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH
TURKEY.  BUT AN ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN DENIED THOSE 
REPORTS.
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV TRAVELLED TO ANKARA LAST  
WEEK FOR TALKS WITH TURKISH PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ ABOUT  
THE OCALAN MATTER.  NEWS AGENCIES QUOTED THE TURKISH LEADER AS  
SAYING HE HAD BEEN ASSURED RUSSIA WOULD  NOT  ALLOW MR. OCALAN TO
OPERATE FROM ITS SOIL.
THE DUMA RESOLUTION PASSED WEDNESDAY CONDEMNS TURKEY'S RAIDS 
AGAINST KURDISH REBELS, AND DEMANDS THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 
WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM KURDISH REGIONS. 
THERE WAS  NO  IMMEDIATE REACTION TO THE RESOLUTION FROM RUSSIA'S
FOREIGN MINISTRY.  BUT THE MINISTRY HAS IN THE PAST ISSUED 
STATEMENTS CRITICAL OF TURKISH MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST KURDS.
NEWS AGENCIES ESTIMATE AT LEAST 30-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 
KILLED IN TURKEY'S LONG-RUNNING KURDISH CONFLICT.  (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH
04-Nov-98 9:33 AM EST (1433 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.