DATE=2/22/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245807
TITLE=TURKEY / OCALAN (L ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TURKISH OFFICIALS HAVE ANGRILY REJECTED A CALL FROM
EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN MINISTERS FOR TURKEY TO ALLOW FOREIGN
OBSERVERS TO MONITOR THE TRIAL OF CAPTURED KURDISH REBEL CHIEF
ABDULLAH OCALAN. AMBERIN ZAMAN IN ANKARA REPORTS TURKISH
OFFICIALS SAY EUROPE SHOULD NOT INTERFERE IN TURKEY'S INTERNAL
AFFAIRS.
TEXT: TURKISH PRIME MINISTER BULENT ECEVIT MADE HIS GOVERNMENT'S
POSITION CLEAR SHORTLY BEFORE EUROPEAN UNION MINISTERS MET MONDAY
IN LUXEMBOURG AND CALLED ON TURKEY TO TRY THE KURDISH REBEL
LEADER IN AN INDEPENDENT COURT. THE E-U MINISTERS ALSO CALLED ON
TURKEY TO ALLOW MR. OCALAN ACCESS TO FOREIGN LAWYERS.
MR. ECEVIT SAID TURKEY WOULD VIEW OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE IN THE
TRIAL AS AN UNACCEPTABLE AFFRONT TO THE TURKISH JUSTICE SYSTEM.
ABDULLAH OCALAN -- THE LEADER OF THE OUTLAWED KURDISH REBEL GROUP
KNOWN AS THE P-K-K -- HAS BEEN ON A PRISON ISLAND SINCE LAST
TUESDAY AFTER TURKISH SPECIAL FORCES CAPTURED HIM IN KENYA'S
CAPITAL, NAIROBI.
A TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAYS THE TRIAL OF THE REBEL
LEADER WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THAT OF ANY
TURKISH CITIZEN WHO HAD COMMITTED A SIMILAR CRIME. OBSERVERS
HERE SAY IT IS HARD TO THINK OF ANY SIMILAR CASE. THE P-K-K
LEADER IS BLAMED BY TURKEY FOR THE DEATHS OF 30-THOUSAND TURKISH
CITIZENS, INCLUDING MANY UNARMED CIVILIANS.
LEGAL EXPERTS SAY ABDULLAH OCALAN'S LEADERSHIP OF A 14-YEAR ARMED
CAMPAIGN FOR KURDISH SELF-RULE IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY MEANS THAT
HE WILL LIKELY BE CHARGED WITH TREASON. TREASON IS , AN OFFENSE
PUNISHABLE BY EXECUTION HERE, ALTHOUGH THE DEATH PENALTY HAS NOT
BEEN CARRIED OUT IN TURKEY FOR 15 YEARS.
/// REST OPT ///
TURKISH OFFICIALS DESCRIBE EUROPEAN CALLS FOR A FREE AND FAIR
TRIAL FOR THE P-K-K LEADER AS "HYPOCRITICAL," ESPECIALLY, THEY
SAY, BECAUSE AT LEAST ONE EUROPEAN COUNTRY -- GERMANY -- FAILED
TO PUT MR. OCALAN ON TRIAL WHEN IT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
A WARRANT FOR MR. OCALAN'S ARREST IS PENDING IN GERMANY OVER HIS
ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE SLAYING OF TWO P-K-K DEFECTORS. BUT
FEARING A VIOLENT BACKLASH FROM ABOUT ONE-HALF-MILLION KURDS
LIVING IN GERMANY, THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT DID NOT SEEK THE KURD
REBEL LEADER'S EXTRADITION WHEN HE WAS BEING HELD IN ITALY
EARLIER THIS YEAR.
ANGER WITH GREECE IS ALSO MOUNTING IN TURKEY BECAUSE OF THE
ALLEGED GREEK GOVERNMENT ROLE IN SUPPORTING ABDULLAH OCALAN.
THREE GREEK CABINET MINISTERS WERE FORCED TO RESIGN LAST WEEK
OVER THEIR ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN HARBORING MR. OCALAN AT THE
GREEK AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE IN NAIROBI.
TURKISH PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL THREATENED UNSPECIFIED ACTION
AGAINST GREECE, SAYING TURKEY RESERVES THE RIGHT -- IN HIS WORDS
-- TO TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONS IF GREECE CHOOSES TO CONTINUE WHAT HE
TERMED ITS ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR.
IN REPLY, GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN DIMITRIS REPPAS
ACCUSED TURKEY OF SEEKING TO DIVERT INTERNATIONAL OPINION AWAY
FROM WHAT HE CALLED TURKEY'S HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/JWH/JO
22-Feb-99 12:16 PM EST (1716 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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