DATE=11/7/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-241353
TITLE=KURDS / IRAQ (L ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE LEADER OF ONE THE MAIN KURDISH FACTIONS IN NORTHERN
IRAQ SAYS HE IS OPPOSED TO U-S PLANS TO OVERTHROW IRAQI PRESIDENT
SADDAM HUSSEIN. MASSOUD BARZANI, LEADER OF THE KURDISTAN
DEMOCRATIC PARTY, OR K-D-P, SAYS HIS PARTY DOES NOT AGREE WITH
THE U-S GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF OPPOSITION GROUPS IN IRAQ.
AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA.
TEXT: SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN
ANKARA SATURDAY, MR. BARZANI SAID HIS TRIP TO WASHINGTON IN
OCTOBER DID NOT MEAN THAT HIS PARTY WOULD END ITS DIALOG WITH
BAGHDAD.
//BEGIN BARZANI ACT I//
IT DOESN'T MEAN WHEN I GO TO WASHINGTON THAT OUR POSITION WILL
SHIFT ACCORDINGLY. NO, WE LIVE IN IRAQ AND OUR FUTURE WILL BE
DECIDED IN THAT COUNTRY EVEN IF WE ARE AT WAR WITH THE
GOVERNMENT, HAVE DIFFERENCES WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND WE HAVE TO
SEEK A SETTLEMENT WITHIN THE IRAQI STATE.
//END BARZANI ACT //
SOURCES CLOSE TO THE K-D-P LEADER SAY MR. BARZANI DESCRIBES AS
"UNREALISTIC" U-S PLANS AS OUTLINED IN THE "IRAQ LIBERATION ACT"
THAT WAS RECENTLY PASSED BY THE U-S CONGRESS.
K-D-P SOURCES SAY THE IRAQI OPPOSITION MOVEMENT -- A LOOSE
COALITION OF SUNNI AND SHIA MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS, ARABS AND KURDS
-- REMAINS DEEPLY SPLIT ALONG IDEOLOGICAL, ETHNIC AND SECTARIAN
LINES. THEY SAY THE U-S GOVERNMENT MUST COME UP WITH A VIABLE
ALTERNATIVE TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S REGIME BEFORE SUPPORTING ANY
MOVES TO OVERTHROW THE IRAQI LEADER.
MR BARZANI ADDED THAT HE DOES NOT FAVOR A MILITARY CONFRONTATION
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND IRAQ OVER BAGHDAD'S CONTINUED
REFUSAL TO ALLOW U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS. HE SAID HE HOPED THE
CRISIS WOULD BE RESOLVED THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS.
MR. BARZANI ALSO REPEATED ASSURANCES THAT A PEACE AGREEMENT HE
SIGNED WITH RIVAL IRAQI KURDISH LEADER JALAL TALABANI IN
WASHINGTON LAST MONTH WAS NOT A FIRST STEP TOWARD KURDISH
INDEPENDENCE. TURKEY WAS DEEPLY ANGERED BY ITS EXCLUSION FROM
THE U-S-BROKERED AGREEMENT, WHICH BRINGS TO AN END MORE THAN
FOURS YEARS OF FACTIONAL FIGHTING BETWEEN MR. BARZANI'S K-D-P AND
MR. TALABANI'S PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN, THE P-U-K. TURKEY
WAS ESPECIALLY CONCERNED BY A PROVISION IN THE AGREEMENT SETTING
UP A KURDISH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITHIN IRAQ.
ANKARA FEELS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH A GOVERNMENT WOULD
ENCOURAGE SEPARATIST ASPIRATIONS AMONG TURKEY'S ESTIMATED
12-MILLION KURDS. MR. BARZANI SAID HE HAD REASSURED TURKISH
LEADERS THAT THE AGREEMENT WAS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH
RECONCILIATION AND POSED NO THREAT TO ANY COUNTRY. HE ADDED THAT
TURKEY'S SUPPORT WOULD BE "CRUCIAL" IN IMPLEMENTING THE
AGREEMENT.
MR. BARZANI ADDED THAT BOTH HIS PARTY AND THE P-U-K WERE
COMMITTED TO STOPPING TURKISH KURD REBELS OF THE OUTLAWED
KURDISTAN WORKER'S PARTY -- THE P-K-K -- FROM LAUNCHING ATTACKS
AGAINST TURKEY FROM NORTHERN IRAQ.
MR. TALABANI IS TRAVELING TO TURKEY FOR A MEETING WITH MR.
BARZANI SUNDAY TO DISCUSS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WASHINGTON
PEACE AGREEMENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/DW/GE
07-Nov-98 12:12 PM EST (1712 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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