Subject: TURKEY / KURDS (L ONLY) By PEYMAN PEJMAN/CAIRO From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/22/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175888 TITLE=TURKEY / KURDS (L ONLY) BYLINE=PEYMAN PEJMAN DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKISH PLANES AND TANKS CONTINUE TO BLAST MOUNTAIN HIDEOUTS OF KURDISH SEPARATISTS INSIDE IRAQ FOR THE THIRD DAY, WHILE U-S OFFICIALS CAUTION TURKEY TO KEEP THE OPERATION SHORT AND TO THE POINT. PEYMAN PEJMAN IS MONITORING THE SITUATION FROM V-O-A'S MIDDLE EAST BUREAU IN CAIRO. TEXT: TURKISH REPORTS SAY SCORES OF TURKISH JETFIGHTERS TOOK OFF TODAY (WEDNESDAY) FROM BASES IN EASTERN TURKEY AND ATTACKED AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER OF KURDISH CAMPS IN NORTHERN IRAQ. FIGHTING HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE MONDAY WHEN TURKEY ORDERED ABOUT 35-THOUSAND TROOPS, BACKED BY TANKS AND PLANES, INTO IRAQ TO SUBDUE KURDISH SEPARATISTS WHO HAVE BEEN CARRYING OUT RAIDS IN TURKEY. TURKEY'S ASSAULT HAS SO FAR BEEN LIMITED TO ATTACKING CAMPS BELONGING TO THE ESTIMATED THREE-THOUSAND MEMBERS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, THE P-K-K. THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT SAYS P-K-K ATTACKS KILLED 12-HUNDRED SECURITY PERSONNEL AND 13-HUNDRED CIVILIANS IN TURKEY IN 1994. THE P-K-K HAS BEEN FIGHTING THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT FOR YEARS IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE LATEST ROUND OF FIGHTING. EVEN TURKISH OFFICIALS HAVE GIVEN CONTRADICTORY ESTIMATES. THE COUNTRY'S GENERAL STAFF SPOKESMAN SAID ON TUESDAY THAT AT LEAST 24 P-K-K MEMBERS AND EIGHT SOLDIERS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES. THE DEFENSE MINISTER TOLD REPORTERS THE SAME DAY THAT 200 P-K-K MEMBERS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO CASUALTIES AMONG HIS MEN. /// REST OPTIONAL /// THE UNITED STATES AND SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE CALLED ON TURKEY TO RESPECT CIVILIANS DURING ITS ATTACKS AGAINST THE P-K-K. U-S SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER, SPEAKING IN PARIS, SAID THE UNITED STATES HAS ASKED THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS AND END THE OPERATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT HAS CONDEMNED THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT, ACCUSING TURKISH TROOPS OF VIOLATING IRAQI BORDERS. TURKEY'S PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER SAID WEDNESDAY THERE HAVE BEEN NO CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. BUT A KURDISH GROUP IN TURKEY SAID SOME CIVILIANS HAVE DIED IN TURKISH AIR RAIDS. MRS. CILLER ALSO SAID THAT THE CURRENT OPERATION WILL END ONLY WHEN THE P-K-K IS DEALT WHAT SHE CALLS A FINAL BLOW. (SIGNED) NEB/PP/MH/JWH 22-Mar-95 10:05 AM EST (1505 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------