GAMA: russia-turkey-kurds

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        GLOBAL ALTERNATIVE MEDIA ASSOCIATION - GAMA - PRESENTS:
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SOURCE: XINHUA
HEAD:   russia concerned over turkey-planned "buffer zone" in iraq

    moscow, august 7 (xinhua) -- russia is very concerned with a
 "buffer zone" planned by turkey to be established in iraq's
 northern kurdish region.

    the move will seriously damage the territorial integrity of a
 sovereign state and cause further instability in the region,
 itar-tass reported today, quoting a statement of the russian foreign
 ministry.

    russia urged turkey to give up such a plan which threatens the
 security not only of iraq, but also of other countries around the
 region, the ministry said.

    it added stopping war and restoring dialogues between rival
 kurdish factions and between kurds and the iraqi government are
 ways to normalize the situation in northern iraq.

    however, turkish foreign minister tanyu ciller friday said the
 planned buffer zone will deter infiltration from iraq by the army
 of the kurdistan workers party (pkk), fighting for self-rule in
 turkey's kurdish southeast.

    the turkish troops reportedly have been massing on the border
 with iraq to create the planned security zone up to 10 kilometers
 deep in iraq.

    meanwhile, u.s. secretary of state warren christopher has said
 in london that the united states understands turkey's reasons for
 establishing such a zone and has been assured it would be
 temporary and involve no permanent troops.

    but france and syria have opposed the plan while iraq has said
 it "unacceptable."
    [end]