TRKNWS-L NEWS from Vic McDonald

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

From: tabe at newsdesk.aps.nl
Subject: TRKNWS-L NEWS from Vic McDonald
Reply-To: kurdeng at aps.nl


Iraq Warns Turkey Over Border

    By Leon Barkho

    BAGHDAD, May 4 (Reuter) - Iraq, wary of Turkey's direct contacts with
Iraqi Kurdish rebels, said on Thursday it would use all means at its disposal
to stop Ankara changing their mutual border.

    On the day Turkey's defence minister said all Ankara's troops had
withdrawn from northern Iraq after a six-week operation against rebel Kurds,
the ruling Revolutionary Council (RCC) said Iraq would oppose any unilateral
step by Turkey that would violate its national borders.

    ``Iraq will resist any action of this kind with all legitimate means and
nothing will stop it from that,'' an RCC spokesman said in statement handed
to foreign reporters.

    The ruling Baath party newspaper al-Thawra had said earlier Iraq would
overcome any obstacle to defend its borders if Ankara translated statements
on frontier demarcation into action.

    The RCC's reaction and Thawra's editorial, the harshest on Ankara since
Turkey sent about 35,000 troops into northern Iraq in March to hunt down
guerrillas of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), were an indication that
Baghdad was taking what is described here as ``Turkey's covetous intentions''
very seriously.

    Baghdad newspapers published on Wednesday what they said were statements
by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel in which he said a demarcation of the
border was being considered to prevent PKK rebels from entering Turkey.

    ``Iraq has received with strong renunciation statements attributed to Mr
Suleyman Demirel in which he called for a redemarcation of the borders
between Iraq and Turkey under the pretext of combating terrorism,'' the
unnamed spokesman said.

    Turkey's foreign ministry, in a statement issued in Ankara on Monday, had
denied the Turkish press report about the border demarcation.

    The Iraqi foreign ministry summoned Turkish charge d'affaires, Saadi
Calislar, on Wednesday to ask for an explanation. Calislar submitted a paper
to the Iraqi authorities on Turkey's attitude on Thursday but the RCC said it
found it unsatisfactory.

    ``What came in the explanation of the Turkish government does not
preclude in reality that Turks are discussing this issue...before consulting
Iraq and taking its opinion, a matter which we strongly denounce.

    ``Iraq refuses to discuss the issue and warns Turkey of taking any
unilateral step that violates the national boundaries,'' the spokesman
warned.

    He did not say what measures Baghdad would take as its Kurdish rebel
foes, under Western protection, control most of Iraqi Kurdistan and are
currently conducting talks with Turkish officials on security in the region.
The rebels have turned down a Baghdad offer for dialogue.

    Baghdad-based diplomats said they doubted Turkey would try to change the
geopolitics of a volatile region.

    ``They have enough problems in their own territory to grapple with,''
said a Western diplomat.

    Turkish Defence Minister Mehmet Golhan said on Thursday Turkish troops
had completely withdrawn from northern Iraq after the operation again PKK
bases.


Iraqi Kurds Will Prevent Attacks on Turkey by PKK

      ANKARA, May 3 (Reuter) - Iraqi Kurds said on Wednesday they would not
allow a restive area on the porous border with Turkey to be used as a base
for rebel attacks on their neighbour.

    ``We have a joint border of some 340 kilometres (200 miles)...We will not
allow anyone in our region to upset our neighbours,'' Nachirvan Barzani,
nephew of Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, told Anatolian news agency.

    Barzani, heading a delegation from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP),
spoke after initial talks with Turkish officials, including foreign ministry
undersecretary Ozdem Sanberk. Talks were to continue later on Wednesday and
on Thursday.

    Ankara wants Iraqi Kurdish guerrillas to guard the border from the
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebel infiltration.

    About 35,000 Turkish troops drove into northern Iraq on March 20 to root
out bases used by the PKK in its fight for a separate state in southeast
Turkey. Ankara says it has brought home more than 30,000 of the troops.

    Barzani said the delegations also discussed the KDP's desire for Turkey
to help rebuild Iraqi Kurdish villages near the border.

    The villages were emptied by the Iraqi government in 1988 and 1991 and
residents have been afraid to return because of PKK threats and Turkey's air
raids, the KDP says.

    Turkey has offered to pay KDP guerrillas to hold strategic points on the
frontier, Turkish officials have said.

    KDP leader Massoud Barzani had not yet set a date for an expected visit
to Ankara.

    In southeast Turkey, troops killed 17 PKK rebels in separate clashes,
Anatolian said.
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 * Origin: APS Amsterdam (aps.nl), bbs +31-20-6842147 (16:31/2.0)