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DATE=2/18/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245680
TITLE=OCALAN / GREECE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ANTHEE CARASSAVA
DATELINE=ATHENS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  GREEK PRIME MINISTER COSTAS SIMITIS HAS DISMISSED THREE 
OF HIS CABINET MINISTERS AMID POLITICAL FALLOUT AFTER THE ARREST 
OF KURDISH-REBEL LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN.  ANTHEE CARASSAVA 
REPORTS FROM ATHENS.
TEXT:  GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER THEODORE PANGALOS, INTERIOR 
MINISTER ALEKOS PAPADOPOULOS, AND PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER PHILLIPOS
PETSALNIKOS WERE ASKED TO SUBMIT THEIR RESIGNATIONS FOR WHAT WAS 
CALLED A BOTCHED HANDLING OF THE FATE OF REBEL KURDISH LEADER 
ABDULLAH OCALAN.
THE POLITICAL FALLOUT FOLLOWED WIDESPREAD ACCUSATIONS THAT THE 
THREE MINISTERS HAD BREACHED THEIR DUTIES DURING EVENTS THAT LED 
TO MASS KURDISH UNREST IN EUROPE AGAINST GREEK EMBASSIES AND 
NATIONALS.
THE ALLEGED BREECH OF DUTIES ALSO LED TO WHAT THE GREEK 
GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN CALLED THE UNFORTUNATE OUTCOME OF MR. 
OCALAN'S ARREST BY TURKISH INTELLIGENCE FORCES IN NAIROBI KENYA.
MR. PANGALOS ADMITTED TO HAVING HARBORED THE KURDISH REBEL FOR 12
DAYS AT THE GREEK EMBASSY IN NAIROBI, AFTER SNEAKING HIM IN AND 
OUT OF GREECE, TWICE SINCE JANUARY.
ALTHOUGH MYSTERY CONTINUES TO CLOUD THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES OF 
MR. OCALAN'S ARREST, PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS HAS ORDERED AN 
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR TO EXAMINE ANY CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITIES
THE THREE MINISTERS MAY RESPONSIBLE FOR.
OBSERVERS SAY MR. SIMITIS' MOVE AIMS TO RID THE GREEK GOVERNMENT 
OF ITS BATTERED IMAGE FOLLOWING THE OCALAN AFFAIR, AND TO 
RE-AFFIRM ITS SOLIDARITY WITH THE KURDISH INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE 
IN TURKEY.
GREECE'S ADMISSION THAT IT PROVIDED SHELTER TO MR. OCALAN IN 
KENYA, FOLLOWED A NEAR MONTH OF ADAMANT DENIALS THAT THE GREEK 
GOVERNMENT KNEW ANY DETAILS OF MR. OCALAN'S WHEREABOUTS.
THE ADMISSION BOLSTERED CLAIMS BY TURKEY THAT GREECE WAS INDEED 
SUPPORTING MR. OCALAN'S KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, WHICH THE U-S 
GOVERNMENT CALLS A TOP INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
OBSERVERS SAY THEY EXPECT PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS TO USE THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO PROCEED WITH A RADICAL SHAKE-UP OF THE GOVERNMENT.
BUT, OFFICIALS REJECT THE IDEA THAT THE POLITICAL FALLOUT MIGHT 
SPARK CALLS FOR NATIONAL ELECTIONS.  (SIGNED)
NEB/AC/JWH
18-Feb-99 10:25 AM EST (1525 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.