DATE=2/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245771
TITLE=TURKEY/KURDS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBARIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TURKISH PRIME MINISTER BULENT ECEVIT RULED OUT AUTONOMY
FOR TURKEY'S ESTIMATED 12-MILLION KURDS SAYING THE TURKISH STATE
WOULD NOT RESPOND TO OR NEGOTIATE WITH WHAT HE CALLED "MARGINAL
TERRORIST GROUPS." AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA, MR. ECEVIT
WAS RESPONDING (SUNDAY) TO CALLS IN THE WESTERN MEDIA FOR KURDISH
AUTONOMY.
TEXT: TURKISH OFFICIALS CLAIM THE KURDS IN TURKEY ENJOY THE FULL
RIGHTS OF EVERY TURKISH CITIZEN, WHICH THEY SAY CANNOT BE SAID OF
KURDS IN EITHER IRAN, IRAQ, OR SYRIA.
SPEAKING AT A NEWS CONFERENCE FOR THE FOREIGN PRESS, MR. ECEVIT
CALLED FOR GREECE TO STOP SUPPORTING WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS
TERRORISM AS A MEANS OF ADDRESSING ITS LONG-STANDING PROBLEMS
WITH TURKEY. HE SAID GREECE SHOULD OPT FOR DIALOGUE INSTEAD.
THREE GREEK CABINET MINISTERS AND THE CHIEF OF GREEK INTELLIGENCE
RESIGNED LAST WEEK, FOLLOWING NEWS OF THEIR ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT
IN HARBORING THE NOW CAPTURED KURDISH-REBEL CHIEF ABDULLAH OCALAN
IN NAIROBI.
THE LEADER OF THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, THE P-K-K,
WAS SEIZED BY A TURKISH SPECIAL FORCES TEAM IN THE KENYAN CAPITAL
LAST MONDAY WHILE TRAVELLING BY CAR TO NAIROBI AIRPORT.
A TEAM OF TURKISH PROSECUTORS TRAVELLED SUNDAY TO THE SMALL
PRISON ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF ISTANBUL WHERE MR. OCALAN IS BEING
HELD TO CONTINUE WITH HIS INTERROGATION.
THE P-K-K LEADER IS WIDELY EXPECTED TO BE OFFICIALLY CHARGED WITH
TREASON SOME TIME THIS WEEK. TREASON IS A CRIME THAT IS
PUNISHABLE BY DEATH UNDER TURKISH LAW.
MR. ECEVIT REPEATED HIS PERSONAL AVERSION TO CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
SUNDAY, BUT SAID IT COULD ONLY BE LIFTED BY THE TURKISH
PARLIAMENT.
MR. ECEVIT ALSO ANNOUNCED A FIVE-DAY CROSS BORDER OFFENSIVE
AGAINST P-K-K STRONGHOLDS IN KURDISH CONTROLLED NORTHERN IRAQ HAD
ENDED. HE GAVE NO FURTHER DETAILS. MORE THAN 30-THOUSAND PEOPLE
HAVE DIED SINCE THE P-K-K LAUNCHED ITS BLOODY CAMPAIGN FOR
KURDISH SELF RULE IN 1984. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/DW/RAE
21-Feb-99 1:06 PM EST (1806 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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