Turkey: 'A Kurdish state in northern Iraq is our main worry'

[english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl]

TDN: 13 February 1998

Prime Minister Yilmaz: 'A Kurdish state in northern Iraq is our main
   worry'

  * _US assures Ecevit:_ 'No plan for an independent Kurdish state'
 
  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Ankara- The Iraqi crisis and predictions about post-crisis
developments continue to be the number one concern of Turkish
politicians.

On his way to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz told reporters on
Thursday that the possibility of the establishment of an independent
Kurdish state in northern Iraq is Turkey's main concern.

"We should be prepared for such a development and must be alert,"
Turkish Prime Minister said.

He also said that the United States is well aware of Turkey's
concerns.

The prime minister told the reporters that Turkey's border with Iraq
is completely under control.

  Ecevit assured by the US
  
In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said he
had been assured by the United States that there is no plan to
establish a Kurdish state. "I will take their word for it," Ecevit
said.

Ecevit made his comments after a meeting in Istanbul organized by the
Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, where he answered reporters' questions
about the current crisis in Iraq.

Ecevit also compared the policies of the United States and the
European nations on the Middle East. "Britain has been the leading
country causing chaos in the Middle East since World War I," said
Ecevit.

Despite the U.S. assurances, Ecevit noted that Iraq is already divided
into Kurdish and non-Kurdish regions.

  Logan denies British plans to set up a Kurdish state
  
Meanwhile, British Ambassador to Ankara David Logan said that Ecevit's
statements that Britain supports the breakup of Iraq and the creation
of an independent Kurdish state "are utterly false."

A statement concerning British policy on Iraq was released after
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said Wednesday that Britain could
be in favor of the disintegration of Iraq and the setting up of a
Kurdish state in that country's north after a possible U.S. attack to
overthrow the Saddam regime.

The statement referred to the statement made by British Foreign
Secretary Robin Cook in the British Parliament on Feb. 12. "We support
the territorial integrity of Iraq and would like to see it rejoin the
international community," Cook said.

"To assert falsely that, despite this clear and public statement, the
U.K. is pursuing an undeclared policy aimed at the breaking-up of Iraq
is to question the integrity of the British government. This is
unacceptable and incompatible with the friendly relations which the
U.K. wishes to maintain with its ally Turkey," the statement said.

In a related development, the Turkish ambassador in London was
summoned to the British Foreign Office by the deputy political
director of the Foreign Office, Peter Recketts, TDN's London
correspondent Orya Sultan Halisdemir reported.

Despite official visits to various Middle Eastern countries both by
Cook and Derek Fatchett, Turkey was left out of these visits.

  [INLINE] Sezgin: 'Measures are being taken'
  
In addition, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin
said that preventive measures are being taken for the possible
negative affects of a second war in the Gulf region.

Visiting the Fleet Command in Golcuk, Izmit, Sezgin repeated that Iraq
should implement all U.N. resolutions.

  OHAL governor: No migration, no operation, no buffer zone
  
Aydin Arslan, the governor of the Emergency Rule Region (OHAL), said
on Thursday that no migrations have taken place from northern Iraq
towards Turkey because of the crisis in Iraq.

Briefing reporters in his office on Thursday, Arslan said that no
buffer zone was established in northern Iraq nor was an operation
started.

Arslan is a member of the High Coordination Board chaired by State
Minister Sukru Sina Gurel and is in charge of the Emergency Rule
region.

He was in Ankara on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the board.

-- 
Press Agency Ozgurluk
For justice, democracy and human rights in Turkey and Kurdistan!
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