-Caveat Lector- Spain Vows All-Out Effort to Halt Kurd Assembly Reuters 17-FEB-99 MADRID, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar on Wednesday branded the Kurdish parliament in exile a "terrorist" propaganda tool and vowed to use all legal means to block its planned meeting in northern Spain. Just one day after Turkey's capture of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan, Aznar strongly urged Spain's Basque nationalists to rescind their invitation to the Kurdish body to meet in the Basque region in July. "I want to appeal to the common sense and responsibility of those who made this decision to reconsider it," Aznar said during a parliamentary question-and-answer session. Aznar charged that the Kurdish parliament in exile did not legitimately represent the Kurdish people and that its members were in league with Ocalan's Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a separatist guerrilla war against Turkey. "It is a progaganda instrument of the PKK," Aznar said. "The PKK is an organisation of a terrorist nature responsible for numerous attacks inside and outside of Turkey." Juan Maria Atutxa, president of the Basque regional legislature -- which is dominated by nationalists seeking independence from Spain -- said he saw no reason to go back on the decision to host the Kurdish assembly in Vitoria. But Atutxa told state radio that Basque authorities would review the situation closer to the meeting date and decide "whether it really is advisable or not at that moment." The Basque legislature voted its approval last week for the Kurdish meeting, and Turkey immediately condemned it. The group, based in Brussels, meets in European cities several times a year, and previous gatherings have created tensions between Turkey and the host nation. Aznar expressed concern the controversy could hurt relations with Turkey, a NATO ally and key trading partner. "The government will use every means at its disposal under the rule of law to make sure the meeting does not take place," he said. Spanish officials have accused Basque nationalists of trying to embarrass the central government and chip away at Madrid's dominance of foreign policy. The nationalists, who want to carve a separate Basque nation out of parts of northern Spain and southern France, have expressed solidarity with the Kurdish separatist cause. Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited.All rights reserved. ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP. ____________________________________________________________________ More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at http://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
