mainstream news

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

l (V-MailServer 2.20)
           id VT22089; Wed, 04 Oct 1995 23:21:31 -0800


GREECE-PKK CONNECTION CONFIRMED

According to  Foreign  Ministry  advisor  Onur  Oymen,  is  firm
evidence  of  strong ties between the PKK terrorist organization
and Greece.  One of the points mentioned  over  the  weekend  by
Oymen  was  that  Greek  parliamentarian  Siguridis was recently
given an award by PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Interestingly, other sources have also confirmed that there is a
connection  between  the  PKK  and  Greece.   The  "Defence  and
Diplomacy" magazine that is circulated in Greece referred to the
connection   in   its   September  issue.   Bringing  everything
together, Oymen added that many of the problems  in  the  Aegean
region  stemmed from outside sources.  Oymen again stressed that
Turkey still wanted "real dialogue" with Greece.  /Cumhuriyet/


EUROPE PUTTING ON THE PRESSURE

Turkey is coming under pressure from  the  European  Union  (EU)
from  all  sides.   Both the EU and EU parliament want Turkey to
make more changes  in  the  current  reforms,  and  to  be  more
"flexible" in some areas of change.

Diplomatic sources note the contacts between Ankara and the  EU,
especially  as  the days grow shorter in connection with a final
decision on Turkey's membership in the EU customs union.

Supporters of Turkey among the EU member  countries  have  again
said  that  they  will  do  all  they  can  to  promote Turkey's
membership.  /Milliyet/


TURKEY DOES NOT WANT RAPID EXPANSION OF NATO

Turkey said  on  Monday  that  it  was  not  against  a  planned
expansion of NATO that would include east European states in the
Western allience, but was concerned that this process should  be
carried our carefully and gradually.

"We are in favor of NATO's  expansion  in  principle,  but  this
should  be  done  very  carefully  and on a step-by-step basis,"
Foreign  Ministry  deputy  spokesman,  Nurettin   Nurkan,   told
reporters./All Papers/

UNITED STATES WARNS SYRIA OVER KURDISH MILITANTS

The United States has warned Syria on the issue of  its  support
for  the  Kurdistan  Workers'  Party  (PKK),  a  high ranking US
official said.

Robert Pelletrau, assistant Secretary of State in Charge of Near
East Affairs, said that the tension between Syria and Turkey was
the cause of potential instability in the region, the  Anatolian
news agency reported on Monday.  "There are some difficulties in
Turkey's relations with Syria.  We are drawing Syria's attention
to the PKK issue.  This situation is a source of concern for us.
It is also another reason for us to improve our  relations  with
Damascus.   Dialogue  will  help  us  to  to solve these sort of
problems," he concluded.


SEAWOLF-2/95 NAVAL EXERCISES START IN AEGEAN AND MARMARA

The Turkish Naval Forces launched their scheduled "Seawolf-2/95"
exercises on Monday.

Troops and ships taking part left their  respective  main  bases
and  ports  in  Mugla, Kocaeli, and Istanbul for the Marmara Sea
and Aegean, where the exercise is taking place in  international
waters and airspace.

The exercise will end on October 11 with the  return  of  troops
and ships to main bases and ports./All Papers/



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 * Origin: APS Amsterdam (aps.nl), bbs +31-20-6842147 (16:31/2.0)