DATE=1/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244761
TITLE=TURKEY/IRAQ/U-S (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ISMAIL CEM WEDNESDAY REPEATED
HIS GOVERNMENT'S WARNING THAT U-S WAR PLANES STATIONED AT A NATO
AIR BASE IN SOUTHERN TURKEY COULD NOT TAKE OFFENSIVE ACTION
AGAINST IRAQI TARGETS. FROM ANKARA, AMBERIN ZAMAN HAS THE
DETAILS.
TEXT: MR. CEM SAID THE ALLIED PLANES ARE BASED IN TURKEY TO
PROTECT THE KURDISH POPULATION IN NORTHERN IRAQ FROM POSSIBLE
ATTACK BY IRAQI GOVERNMENT FORCES. THE WAR PLANES, HE SAYS, ARE
NOT THERE TO CARRY OUT WHAT HE CALLED UNPROVOKED MILITARY ATTACKS
AGAINST IRAQI TARGETS.
MR. CEM WAS APPARENTLY RESPONDING TO SOME ALLEGATIONS THAT U-S
FIGHTER JETS TAKING OFF FROM TURKEY'S INCIRLIK AIR BASE WERE
DOING JUST THAT.
MR. CEM SAID UNDER THE TERMS OF THE FORCE'S MANDATE, THE WAR
PLANES CAN RESPOND, HOWEVER, IF ATTACKED. THE MANDATE IS
SUBJECT TO RENEWED APPROVAL BY THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT APPROVAL
EVERY SIX MONTHS.
OVER THE PAST MONTH, U-S WARPLANES PATROLLING NORTHERN IRAQ'S
SO-CALLED "NO FLY ZONE" HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY IRAQI SURFACE TO
AIR MISSILE BATTERIES. ANALYSTS SAY THE ATTACKS ARE IN LINE WITH
PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN'S INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE CHALLENGE TO
WESTERN MILITARY PROTECTION OF THE IRAQI KURDS LIVING IN THE
NORTH, AND THE SHI'A MUSLIMS LIVING IN THE SOUTHERN "NO FLY
ZONE."
TURKEY LAST WEEK ASKED THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR "PATRIOT"
ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILES IN ORDER TO SHIELD ITSELF FROM POTENTIAL
IRAQI MISSILE ATTACKS. THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE PATRIOTS AT THE
INCIRLIK AIRBASE HAS TRIGGERED ACCUSATIONS FROM THE MAIN
OPPOSITION ISLAMIST "VIRTUE" PARTY. THEY CHARGE THAT THE TURKISH
GOVERNMENT, LED BY THE NEW LEFTIST PRIME MINISTER BULENT ECEVIT,
IS DRAGGING THE COUNTRY INTO A WAR.
RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAQ HAVE SOURED OVER THE PAST FEW
MONTHS OVER ALLEGATIONS THAT BAGHDAD IS PROVIDING ARMS AND BASES
FOR REBELS OF THE SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY. THE REBEL
GROUP HAS BEEN WAGING AN ARMED CAMPAIGN FOR KURDISH SELF RULE IN
SOUTHEAST TURKEY FOR MUCH OF THE PAST DECADE-AND-A-HALF. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/PCF
27-Jan-99 11:54 AM EST (1654 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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