VOA: US/Turkey

[root at newsdesk.aps.nl]

From: newsdesk at newsdesk.aps.nl (Newsdesk Amsterdam)
Subject: Re: VOA: US/Turkey
Reply-To: root at newsdesk.aps.nl

------ Forwarded from : Haldun Haznedar <haldun at avalanche.micro.ti.com> --------

date=3/21/95
byline= David Gollust

Intro: The United States is closely monitoring Turkey's military
offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. As VOA's
David Gollust reports, US officials say neither the Turkish
incursion itself -- nor Turkey's probable use of American-supplied
arms in the operation -- appears to violate international law.

text:  the clinton administration declines to flatly endorse the
Turkish drive against bases of the Kurdistan workers party, or
p-k-k, in northern iraq. But it does express "Understanding" for
Turkey's motives in launching the attack. And it says state
department lawyers believe the operation does  not  violate
international law.

france and the european union have criticized the offensive as a
violation of iraqi sovereignty and of international law. But
state department spokesman david johnson said u-s experts believe
it can be defended as a legitimate exercise -- by Turkey -- of
its right to self-defense -- given the history of p-k-k attacks
from iraqi territory:

                     ///Johnson actuality///

         A country has the right to use force to protect itself
         from attacks from a neighboring country -- if that
         neighboring state is unwilling or unable to prevent the
         use of its territories for such attack. That right --
         flowing from the right of self-defense -- is of course
         limited to such use of force as is necessary and
         appropriate to protect itself.

                       //end actuality///

Mr. Johnson also said Turkey is not barred from using American
weapons in military actions considered defensive in nature.
Turkey's armed forces are largely equipped with weapons either
supplied by the united states or made in Turkey under US license
-- and officials here assume that some have been used in the
Iraqi incursion.

The spokesman stressed that the defense of Turkey's action in
legal terms does not amount to a US endorsement of every facet
of the operation. He said Turkey has committed itself to
avoiding civilian casualties in the drive -- and that the united
states expects it to live up to that commitment.

The State Department officials say western relief flights from
Turkey to Kurdish and other refugees in northern Iraq were
suspended Monday when the Turkish offensive -- which included air
strikes -- began. But they say the humanitarian airlift by the
United States, Britain, France, and Turkey -- called operation
provide comfort -- could resume as early as Wednesday.

21-Mar-95 3:48 pm EST (2048 utc)

Source: Voice of America

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