Subject: TURKEY-IRAQ (L ONLY) [2] By PEYMAN PEJMAN/CAIRO From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/23/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175946 TITLE= TURKEY-IRAQ (L ONLY) BYLINE=PEYMAN PEJMAN DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKISH ARMED FORCES HAVE CONTINUED TO POUND KURDISH REBEL BASES IN NORTHERN IRAQ FOR THE FOURTH DAY. BUT AS PEYMAN PEJMAN REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU IN CAIRO, ANKARA IS FACING INCREASING OPPOSITION TO ITS MILITARY OPERATION. TEXT: FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM GERMANY, FRANCE AND SPAIN, REPRESENTING THE EUROPEAN UNION, ARE IN THE TURKISH CAPITAL, ANKARA, TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO PUT AN END TO ITS ATTACKS AGAINST THE KURDS. TURKEY'S DRIVE AGAINST THE KURDS HAS COMPLICATED ITS RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER KLAUS KINKEL WARNS THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF A CUSTOMS AGREEMENT TURKEY SIGNED WITH THE UNION EARLIER THIS MONTH COULD BE DELAYED IF TURKISH TROOPS REMAIN IN THE REGION FOR A LONG TIME. TURKEY SENT ABOUT 35-THOUSAND TROOPS, BACKED BY TANKS, ARTILLERY AND JETS, INTO NORTHERN IRAQ ON MONDAY, SAYING IT WANTS TO PUT AN END TO ATTACKS ON TURKISH TARGETS BY THE KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR THE P-K-K. AN ESTIMATED THREE-THOUSAND P-K-K REBELS HAVE BEEN WAGING AN ARMED CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE ANKARA GOVERNMENT SINCE 1984 TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. TURKEY SAYS MORE THAN 25-HUNDRED TURKISH MILITARY PERSONNEL AND CIVILIANS WERE KILLED IN P-K-K ATTACKS LAST YEAR. TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY 200 KURDISH REBELS HAVE BEEN KILLED SO FAR IN THIS WEEK'S MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN IRAQ. AT LEAST 13 GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS HAVE ALSO DIED IN THE FIGHTING. PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER SAYS THE TURKISH MILITARY OPERATION IS AIMED AT HITTING ONLY KURDISH REBEL ENCAMPMENTS, AND THAT KURDISH REFUGEES ARE NOT BEING TARGETED. BUT SEVERAL EUROPEAN NATIONS, INTERNATIONAL RELIEF AGENCIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT IN THE INTENSE FIGHTING, ANKARA MAY NOT KEEP ITS PROMISE. KURDISH SOURCES IN TURKEY ARE REPORTED AS SAYING SOME CIVILIANS HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED IN THE TURKISH RAIDS. (SIGNED) NEB/PP/SKH 23-Mar-95 10:50 AM EST (1550 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------