DATE=1/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAN / TURKEY (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258141
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Iran's foreign minister is in Ankara for three
days of talks with Turkish officials, which likely
will be dominated by security issues and Turkey's
expanding ties with Israel. Amberin Zaman reports
from Ankara.
TEXT: The Iranian foreign minister, Kamal Kharazzi,
met with Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem and the
Prime Minister, Bulent Ecevit. Officials close to the
talks confirm the Iranian official raised the question
of Turkey's ties with Israel during his talks with the
Turkish officials.
Mr. Kharazzi also has met with Turkish President
Suleyman Demirel.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman (Hamidreza
Asefi) said earlier that Israel's growing cooperation
with Turkey is a matter of deep concern for Iran.
Just as Mr. Kharazzi began talks here, Israel's deputy
chief of staff, Uzi Dayan, also came to Ankara to meet
with senior Turkish military officials.
Both Iran and Syria have harshly criticized a military
training agreement signed in 1996 between Turkey and
Israel. Turkey insists, however, that the deal is
not aimed at third countries.
Turkey's relations with Iran have also been dogged by
Turkey's allegations that separatist Kurdish rebels of
the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, the P-K-K, have
set up bases in Iranian territory. Turkey complains
that Iran is not doing enough to crack down on the
rebels in its territory. Iran denies the charges.
Last year, Turkish fighter jets bombed a P-K-K camp in
what it said was Iraqi territory. Iran said the
Turkish planes had targeted Iranian territory, killing
five Iranian civilians. Iran is demanding
compensation for the victims.
Iran's huge population of Azeris, who speak a dialect
close to Turkish and have close ethnic ties with
Turkey, is another source of friction between the two
neighbors. Iran fears that Turkey is seeking to
encourage nationalist sentiment among the Azeris, who
are believed to make up around one-third of Iran's
total population. (Signed)
NEB/AZ/JWH/WTW
17-Jan-2000 11:17 AM EDT (17-Jan-2000 1617 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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