TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review

[newsdesk_aps_nl at apsf.aps.nl]

From: newsdesk_aps_nl at apsf.aps.nl (newsdesk at aps.nl)
Subject: TRKNWS-L  Turkish Press Review


                               TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
                                  MARCH 28, 1995

          Summary of the political and economic news  in  the  Turkish
          press this morning.

          SEEK AND DESTROY OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ

          Turkish military forces are combing the  hills  in  northern
          Iraq  -flushing  out  pockets  of PKK separatist resistence.
          Operations in and around the central point of Zakho continue
          at  maximum  intensity  as military units try to block every
          avenue of escape.

          Some reports from the region say that more mobile units  are
          being  deployed  to reach the more inaccessible areas in the
          mountains.   Although  reports  do  suggest  that  many  PKK
          terrorists  have already fled the region, Turkish forces are
          still finding large caches of weapons and other materiel.

          There are even some reports that military units  penetrating
          deep  into  PKK  country  have discovered poppy fields being
          cultivated by the PKK, with a view to using the drug product
          as a way of financing their terrorist attacks.

          In the meantime, messages of  concern  about  the  deepening
          complications in northern Iraq and the likelihood of Turkish
          forces staying longer than first anticipated have come  from
          the US and some European Union (EU) countries.

          So far in the military operations, 172 terrorists have  been
          killed,  and  twelve  have  been taken alive.  Losses in the
          Turkish forces are reported to be low.  /All papers/

          NATO'S CLAES TO VISIT TURKEY

          North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)  Secretary-General
          Willy  Claes  will  visit Turkey on March 29-30 for official
          talks, the Foreign Ministry said in  a  statement.   In  his
          first  visit  to  Turkey  since he took office in September,
          Claes  will  confer  with  Foreign  Minister  Erdal   Inonu,
          President  Suleyman  Demirel,  Prime  Minister Tansu Ciller,
          Deputy Prime Minister  Hikmet  Cetin  and  Defence  Minister
          Mehmet Golhan.  /All papers


          EU AND TURKISH YOUTHS MEET IN SILIFKE

          Silifke will welcome a group  of  60  youths  from  European
          Union  countries  on  June  26-29 for a "warming-up" meeting
          with young Turks, the Anatolian news agency  reported.   The
          TL  1 billion gathering, funded by the European Council, was
          the  idea  of  the  Council's  Youth  for  Development   and
          Cooperation  (YDC)  and  the  Turkish volunteer-run Friendly
          Surroundings Group (ACG).