Subject: TURKEY / IRAQ (L) [2] By DAVID GOLLUST/WASHINGTON From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/22/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175896 TITLE=TURKEY / IRAQ (L) BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: FORMER TURKISH PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ SAYS HE BACKS HIS COUNTRY'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST KURDISH GUERRILLAS IN IRAQ -- PROVIDED IT DOES NOT GO BEYOND ITS STATED OBJECTIVES. BUT AS V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS, MR. YILMAZ -- IN WASHINGTON FOR TALKS WITH ADMINISTRATION CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIALS -- SAYS THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT IN ANKARA HAS MIS-HANDLED THE KURDISH ISSUE OVERALL. TEXT: MR. YILMAZ -- WHO HEADS TURKEY'S MAIN OPPOSITION "MOTHERLAND" PARTY -- SAYS HE SUPPORTS THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO SEND ITS TROOPS AND PLANES AGAINST THE KURDISH GUERRILLAS IN NORTHERN IRAQ. BUT HE ACCUSES THE GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER OF MAKING A MAJOR ERROR BY WHAT HE SAYS IS ITS TENDANCY TO TREAT THE KURDISH ISSUE AS A TERRORISM PROBLEM ONLY. MEETING REPORTERS AMID TALKS WITH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AND CONGRESSMEN, MR. YILMAZ SAID THE TURKISH DRIVE INTO NORTHERN IRAQ SHOULD END PROMPTLY -- ONCE THE BASES OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY OR P-K-K IN THE AREA ARE ELIMINATED: /// YILMAZ ACTUALITY /// AS THE MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY, WE ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT DECISION, PROVIDED IT REMAINS TRUE TO ITS DECLARED GOAL. OFFICIALLY, THE GOAL OF THE OPERATION IS DECLARED TO NEUTRALIZE THE SPECIFIC TERRORIST BASES IN NORTHERN IRAQ WHICH ARE USED AS LAUNCHING PADS FOR ATTACKS AGAINST TURKEY. I THINK THE OPERATION SHOULD BE TERMINATED AS SOON AS THIS GOAL IS ACHIEVED. /// END ACT /// THE TURKISH OPPOSITION LEADER DISMISSED INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM THAT TURKEY HAS VIOLATED IRAQ'S TERRITORIAL INTERGRITY WITH THE MILITARY OFFENSIVE -- SAYING THE AGGRESSION OF IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE TURMOIL IN THE REGION. MR. YILMAZ -- WHO WAS PRIME MINISTER IN 1991 AND 1992 -- SAID TERRORISM IS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF THE PROBLEM REGARDING THE KURDISH MINORITY IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY, WHICH CANNOT BE SOLVED BY SECURITY MEASURES ALONE. HE SAID ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL ISSUES AFFECTING THE KURDS ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT, BUT ARE BEING NEGLECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER. THE OPPOSITION LEADER REJECTED THE NOTION THAT TURKEY'S TRADITIONAL SECULAR GOVERNMENT IS THREATENED BY ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM. HE SAID AT LEAST HALF OF THE SUPPORT ENJOYED BY THE MILITANT ISLAMIC "WELFARE" PARTY IN RECENT LOCAL ELECTIONS IS A PROTEST VOTE AGAINST HIGH INFLATION AND OTHER PROBLEMS. NONE-THE-LESS, HE SAID HIS PARTY WILL PRESS FOR A TWO-ROUND PROCESS FOR THE NEXT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS -- SET FOR LATE 1996 -- WHICH WOULD LIMIT THE IMPACT OF THE FUNDAMENTALIST VOTE. (SIGNED) NEB/DAG/JWH 22-Mar-95 12:53 PM EST (1753 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------