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DATE=6/29/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251227
TITLE=TURKEY VERDICT REACT (S/L)
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  EUROPEAN CAPITALS ARE ON ALERT FOR A POSSIBLE VIOLENT 
BACKLASH AS KURDS REACT TO TURKEY'S DEATH SENTENCE FOR REBEL 
LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN.  CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS 
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ARE APPEALING TO TURKEY  NOT  TO CARRY OUT 
THE DEATH SENTENCE.
TEXT:  ABOUT 200 KURDS DEMONSTRATED IN FRONT OF THE U-S EMBASSY 
IN LONDON AND MARCHED THROUGH THE CITY CENTER.  OTHER PROTESTS 
HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED IN BERLIN, MOSCOW, AND AMSTERDAM.  PROTESTERS
HAVE SCUFFLED WITH POLICE IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN CITIES.
ZENAR HOGIR OF THE LONDON-BASED KURDISH INFORMATION CENTER WARNS 
OF KURDISH VIOLENCE IN TURKEY AND ELSEWHERE.  HE CALLS THE 
VERDICT A DEATH SENTENCE FOR THE WHOLE KURDISH NATION. 
                        /// HOGIR ACT ///
         IF THE (TURKISH) STATE DOES  NOT ACCEPT THE MINIMUM 
         DEMANDS OF THE KURDISH PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THEM 
         TO DO?  YOU CAN NOT EXPECT THEM TO LAY DOWN THEIR HEADS 
         AND SAY OKAY WE ARE A SACRIFICING HERD AND WE ARE 
         PREPARED TO DIE FOR IT.  
                         /// END ACT ///
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE APPEALED TO KURDISH COMMUNITIES TO SHOW
RESTRAINT.  THE 41-NATION COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND INDIVIDUAL 
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE APPEALED TO TURKEY TO REFRAIN FROM 
EXECUTING OCALAN.  
                ///OPT THE REST FOR LONG CR /// 
MANY EUROPEAN STATES, WHICH HAVE CALLED ON TURKEY TO ABOLISH THE 
DEATH PENALTY AND IMPROVE ITS HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD, NOW WARN THAT 
TURKEY WILL DISTANCE ITSELF FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION IF IT 
EXECUTES OCALAN.  TURKEY HAS BEEN TRYING TO JOIN THE EUROPEAN 
UNION FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES
KURDISH REBELS HAVE ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING KURDS SHOULD  NOT  
BE EXPECTED TO ACCEPT THE VERDICT IN SILENCE.  
EUROPEAN AUTHORITIES ARE BRACING FOR VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY IN 
GERMANY, WHICH HAS EUROPE'S LARGEST KURDISH COMMUNITY.  THE SWISS
GOVERNMENT HAS WARNED THAT CARRYING OUT THE DEATH SENTENCE WOULD 
PROVOKE A NEW SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE AND WOULD NOT HELP RESOLVE THE 
KURDISH QUESTION PEACEFULLY.
LAST FEBRUARY, KURDISH DEMONSTRATORS ACROSS EUROPE CLASHED WITH 
POLICE, AND STONED SEVERAL GREEK AND OTHER DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS.  
THEY WERE PROTESTING THE GREEK ROLE IN OCALAN'S ARREST. 
ABDULLAH OCALAN WAS CONVICTED OF TREASON FOR HIS LEADERSHIP OF 
THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, WHICH HAS WAGED A 15-YEAR CAMPAIGN 
FOR AUTONOMY IN THE MOSTLY-KURDISH SOUTHEASTERN REGION OF TURKEY.
THE BLOODSHED HAS CLAIMED MORE THAN 37-THOUSAND VICTIMS.  
THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAD REFUSED TO EXTRADITE OCALAN TO 
TURKEY LAST YEAR, SAYS IT WILL APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO
TRY TO BLOCK AN EXECUTION.   (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/GE/RAE
29-Jun-99 10:49 AM EDT (1449 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.