Subject: TURKEY-KURDS (L) [2] By AL PESSIN/ANKARA From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/25/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-176050 TITLE=TURKEY-KURDS (L) BYLINE=AL PESSIN DATELINE=ANKARA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKEY'S OFFENSIVE AGAINST KURDISH GUERRILLAS IN NORTHERN IRAQ CONTINUED FOR THE SIXTH DAY SATURDAY. V-O-A'S AL PESSIN HAS THE LATEST IN THIS REPORT FROM ANKARA. TEXT: THE GENERAL COMMANDING THE OPERATION TOLD TURKISH TELEVISION SATURDAY HIS FORCES HAVE DESTROYED ALL 25 BASES USED BY KURDISH GUERRILLAS TO LAUNCH ATTACKS INTO TURKEY. GENERAL HASAN KUNDACI (HAH' SAHN KOON DAHK' CHEE) SAID MORE GUERRILLAS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND MANY WEAPONS HAVE BEEN CONFISCATED, INCLUDING AUTOMATIC RIFLES AND MORTARS. IN ADDITION, THE GENERAL'S SPOKESMAN SAID SATURDAY THE TURKISH MILITARY IS PRESSING ITS OFFENSIVE "ON ALL FRONTS," WITH MORE BOMBING RAIDS ON ALLEGED GUERRILLA HIDEOUTS AND CONTINUING OPERATIONS BY LAND FORCES. SOME HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE BOMBING RAIDS MIGHT ALSO BE HITTING CIVILIAN VILLAGES, BUT THE MILITARY SAYS IT IS DOING ITS BEST NOT TO HURT CIVILIANS. MEANWHILE, THE UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE AGENCY IS PREPARING TO MOVE TURKISH KURDISH REFUGEES OUT OF THE PART OF NORTHERN IRAQ WHERE THE TURKISH MILITARY IS OPERATING. SEVERAL HUNDRED REFUGEES HAVE ALREADY FLED TO A CAMP AT ATRUSH, SOUTH OF THE BATTLE ZONE, AND THE UNITED NATIONS IS PLANNING TO MOVE AS MANY AS TWO THOUSAND MORE TO THE CAMP IN A CONVOY ON SUNDAY. THE CAMP ALREADY HOLDS 10-THOUSAND TURKISH KURDS, BUT OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS ENOUGH SPACE FOR THE EXPECTED NEW ARRIVALS. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME COMPLAINTS THAT TURKISH FORCES IN NORTHERN IRAQ HAVE BEEN DISRUPTING BOTH RELIEF SUPPLIES AND COMMERCIAL SHIPMENTS OF FOOD AND OTHER ITEMS. THE TURKISH RED CRESCENT SOCIETY IS REPORTED TO HAVE DISPATCHED AN OFFICIAL FROM ITS NORTHERN IRAQ HEADQUARTERS TO INVESTIGATE. TURKISH OFFICIALS HAVE INDICATED THEY ARE PREPARED TO KEEP THEIR FORCES IN THE REGION FOR A LONG TIME, IF THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT CROSS-BORDER ATTACKS BY THE KURDISH SEPARATISTS. ONE SENIOR OFFICIAL TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES A QUICK STRIKE IS NOT ENOUGH, UNLESS SOME OTHER MECHANISM IS PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT THE GUERRILLAS FROM RETURNING TO THE AREA. NORTHERN IRAQ HAS BEEN CONTROLLED BY A COUNCIL OF IRAQI KURDS AND BY UNITED NATIONS FORCES SINCE THE GULF WAR, AND TURKEY SAYS THE AREA HAS BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE TURKISH KURDISH GUERRILLAS. THE GUERRILLAS OF THE KURDISH WORKERS PARTY HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS TO CREATE A KURDISH HOMELAND IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. THERE HAS BEEN MUCH VIOLENCE FROM BOTH SIDES AND ABOUT 15-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED. BUT TURKISH OFFICIALS AND TURKISH AND FOREIGN COMMENTATORS SAY THE MARXIST GUERRILLAS DO NOT REPRESENT THE DESIRES OF THE MAJORITY OF TURKEY'S 12-MILLION KURDS. STILL, U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY SAID FRIDAY A LONG-TERM TURKISH OCCUPATION OF NORTHERN IRAQ WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE. MR. PERRY SAID THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN ASSURED BY THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT THAT THE OPERATION WILL END QUICKLY. (SIGNED) NEB/AWP/DW /MMK 25-Mar-95 10:16 AM EST (1516 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------