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
.