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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Turkey Wrapping Up Mission In Iraq

Compiled From Wire Services

With Turkish troops now winding down their 5-week-old operation in northern Iraq, senior Turkish officials said Wednesday that the army has succeeded in its mission to wipe out the base camps, arms depots and supply routes used by Kurdish separatist guerrillas.

But the officials acknowledge that the hard part comes now, as Turkey tries to find a way to keep secure the mountainous border area that had become a launching pad for armed forays into Turkey by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

Turkey also faces pressure to clean up its human-rights record, if a customs union with Europe is to be ratified by the European Parliament.