Topic: voa Subject: U-N / TURKEY /IRAQ (S ONLY) by DOUGLAS ROBERTS/GENEVA From: Yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis) Topic: voa DATE=4/4/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-176557 TITLE=U-N / TURKEY /IRAQ (S ONLY) BYLINE= DOUGLAS ROBERTS DATELINE= GENEVA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-N OFFICIALS ARE VOICING RENEWED CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF A LARGE GROUP OF KURDISH REFUGEES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. TURKISH MEDIA REPORTS SAY KURDISH GUERRILLAS ARE OPERATING IN TWO U-N RUN REFUGEE CAMPS NEAR THE IRAQI VILLAGE OF ATTROUSH. V-O-A'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN GENEVA REPORTS OFFICIALS OF THE U-N HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES ARE DENYING THE REPORTS WHICH THEY FEAR COULD BE A PRELUDE TO A TURKISH ATTACK AGAINST THE CAMPS. TEXT: THERE ARE ABOUT 13-THOUSAND KURDISH REFUGEES AT THE ATTROUSH CAMPS. MANY WERE ESCORTED THERE BY THE U-N FROM TOWNS AND VILLAGES FARTHER NORTH, AFTER TURKISH TROOPS LAUNCHED THEIR OFFENSIVE INTO IRAQ LAST MONTH. U-N OFFICIALS SAY THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED REPEATED ASSURANCES THAT THE CAMPS WILL NOT BE ATTACKED UNLESS THEY ARE USED AS SPRINGBOARDS FOR RAIDS BY GUERRILLAS OF THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY. BUT THAT IS PRECISELY THE ALLEGATION APPEARING IN TURKISH MEDIA REPORTS. U-N-H-C-R SPOKESMAN RON REDMOND CALLS THE REPORTS UNSUBSTANTIATED. /// REDMOND ACT /// U-N-H-C-R CONSIDERS THE ALLEGATIONS NOT ONLY TO BE UNWARRANTED, BUT TO CONSTITUTE A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF CIVILIAN REFUGEES IN THESE CAMPS. PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES INCOMPATIBLE WITH THEIR REFUGEE STATUS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THESE CAMPS. /// END ACT /// MR. REDMOND SAYS U-N OFFICIALS MONITOR THE TWO CAMPS AT ALL TIMES, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO INDICATIONS OF ANY UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITY. ANOTHER U-N OFFICIAL SAYS THE MEDIA REPORTS COULD BE AN ATTEMPT TO PREPARE THE TURKISH PUBLIC FOR AN ATTACK AGAINST THE CAMPS. AND WITH TURKISH TROOPS ONLY 20 KILOMETERS AWAY, HE ADDS, THE SITUATION IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS. (SIGNED) NEB/DBR/MH/JWH 04-Apr-95 12:22 PM EDT (1622 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America