DATE=1/12/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=OCALAN / SENTENCE
NUMBER=2-258010
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Turkey's government announced late
Wednesday that it had decided to suspend the
execution of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan
until the Strasbourg based European Court of
Human Rights delivered its verdict on the case.
From Ankara, Amberin Zaman has the details.
TEXT: After meeting for seven straight hours the
three leaders who share power in Turkey's ruling
coalition announced their decision at a news
conference.
Turkey's left wing prime minister Bulent Ecevit
was very brief. He merely said the leaders had
decided that it was in their country's best
interest to await the decision of the European
Court for the time being.
He warned however that if any negative
developments affecting Turkey's security occurred
then Ocalan's case would be sent to the
Parliament.
Analysts say the outcome of the meeting was a
resounding victory for Mr. Ecevit who has long
argued that hanging Ocalan would damage Turkey's
chances of joining the European Union. The
execution would also likely provoke Ocalan's
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party known as the
PKK.
Clashes between the army and the PKK in Turkey's
largely Kurdish southeast provinces have sharply
dec
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