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DATE=11/25/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-242135
TITLE=TURKEY / OCALAN (L ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  TURKEY SEEMS TO BE EASING ITS DEMAND THAT ITALY HAND OVER
KURDISH REBEL LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN TO FACE TRIAL IN TURKEY.  
AMBERIN ZAMAN IN ANKARA REPORTS THAT A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAYS 
TURKEY WOULD BE SATISFIED IF THE KURDISH LEADER WERE PUT ON TRIAL
IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. 
TEXT:  TURKEY AND ITALY HAVE BEEN EMBROILED IN A DIPLOMATIC 
DISPUTE BECAUSE ITALY IS REFUSING TO EXTRADITE KURDISH REBEL 
LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN.  TURKISH AUTHORITIES SAY THE KURDISH 
LEADER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF NEARLY 30-THOUSAND 
PEOPLE.
ABDULLAH OCALAN -- THE LEADER OF THE SEPARATIST GROUP KNOWN AS 
THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, OR P-K-K -- WAS ARRESTED MORE THAN 
TWO WEEKS AGO AS HE ARRIVED IN ROME AFTER A FLIGHT FROM MOSCOW.  
BUT ITALY REJECTED TURKEY'S EXTRADITION DEMANDS BECAUSE ITALIAN 
LAW FORBIDS EXTRADITION TO A COUNTRY WITH THE DEATH PENALTY. 
TURKISH GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN AHAD ANDICAN SAID THAT IDEALLY, 
TURKEY WANTS ABDULLAH OCALAN TO FACE TRIAL IN TURKEY WHERE HE IS 
WANTED ON TREASON CHARGES.  BUT THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IF THIS 
DID  NOT  HAPPEN, TURKEY WOULD BE SATISFIED IF THE P-K-K LEADER 
IS PUT ON TRIAL FOR TERRORISM IN A THIRD COUNTRY.  
OBSERVERS SAY MR. ANDICAN'S COMMENTS SHOW THAT TURKEY WOULD BE 
WILLING TO SEE THE KURDISH LEADER PROSECUTED IN GERMANY.
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER MASSIMO D'ALEMA HAS SAID HE EXPECTS 
GERMANY TO ASK ITALY TO HAND OVER THE P-K-K LEADER.  GERMAN 
AUTHORITIES ISSUED A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST IN 1990 IN CONNECTION
WITH HIS ALLEGED ROLE IN THE SLAYING OF SEVERAL REBEL DESERTERS 
IN GERMANY.
BUT GERMAN AUTHORITIES APPEAR RELUCTANT TO OFFICIALLY SEEK THE 
KURDISH REBEL LEADER'S EXTRADITION.  THERE ARE NEARLY 
THREE-MILLION TURKS IN GERMANY -- ABOUT ONE-HALF-MILLION OF THEM 
ETHNIC KURDS.  SOME GERMAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY FEAR AN OUTBREAK OF
VIOLENCE IF THE THE P-K-K LEADER WERE PUT ON TRIAL IN THEIR 
COUNTRY.
THE P-K-K HAS BEEN WAGING A 14-YEAR ARMED CAMPAIGN FOR SELF RULE 
IN TURKEY'S MAINLY KURDISH SOUTHEASTERN REGION.  (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/JWH
25-Nov-98 8:54 AM EST (1354 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.