Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-02-17
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 17, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PREMIER ISSUES STATEMENT ON OCALAN ISSUE
[02] PKK OCCUPATIONS END IN MOST GREEK EMBASSIES
[03] WESTERN GOVERNMENTS REQUEST A FAIR TRIAL FOR OCALAN
[04] MOST GREEK EMBASSIES IN EUROPE FREED, IN AUSTRALIA TOO
[05] GREEK FM: EUROPE BEARS RESPONSIBILITY IN THE OCALAN MATTER
[06] OCALAN ISSUE: OPPOSITION CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING
[07] DUTCH FINANCE MINISTER TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS TOMORROW
[08] US CONGRESSMEN TO VISIT GREECE TOMORROW
[09] EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO SAVE OCALAN'S FOUR ASSOCIATES
[10] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN BACKED THE FOREIGN MINISTER ON THE
OCALAN AFFAIR
[11] GREECE IS TOO SMALL FOR SUCH A DISHONESTY
[12] ONLY TWO GREEK EMBASSIES REMAIN UNDER OCCUPATION BY THE KURDS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] UN OFFICES IN GENEVA UNDER SIEGE BY KURDS
[14] WASHINGTON POST: FBI GAVE AWAY OCALAN'S WHEREABOUTS
[15] U.S. DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN OCALAN'S APPREHENSION, TRANSFER
[16] OCALAN IS IN ISOLATION OUTSIDE IZMIR, ACCORDING TO REPORTS
[17] OCALAN'S TRANSFER WAS CONDUCTED BY KENYA, ACCORDING TO U.S.
[18] HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH APPEALS FOR A FAIR TRIAL OF OCALAN
[19] GREECE'S ALTERNATE FM THANKS AUSTRIAN AUTHORITIES
[20] GREECE'S AGRICULTURE MINISTER IN BRUSSELS
[21] ALBANIA: SECURITY PUMPED UP AT GREEK, TURKISH EMBASSIES
[22] THREE KURDISH DEMONSTRATORS WERE KILLED IN BERLIN
[23] THE TURKISH TELEVISION SHOWED A VIDEO WITH OCALAN ON BOARD
THE PLANE THAT TOOK HIM TO TURKEY
[24] THE EURO-PARLIAMENT FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ISSUED A
STATEMENT ON THE OCALAN CASE
[25] NO OFFICIAL STATEMENT BY THE UN ON THE OCALAN AFFAIR
[26] THE TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY STATED THAT INTERNATIONAL
OBSERVERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE OCALAN TRIAL
[27] MILOSEVIC IS AGAINST THE DEPLOYMENT OF A MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE
IN KOSSOVO
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PREMIER ISSUES STATEMENT ON OCALAN ISSUE
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis issued a written
statement yesterday evening, referring to the tragic outcome of
Abdullah Ocalan's odyssey, wherein he states that the Kurdish
leader opted to negotiate with third parties in order to conduct
talks with the Kenyan government and the moves that ensued where
of his own doing.
Mr. Simitis added that Mr. Ocalan did not inform the Greek
government on the actions he took and the negotiations he engaged
in. The Premier stated that this matter contains a number of gaps
and traps and urged everyone to refrain from weaving covert
scenarios and hurling accusations.
The Greek Premier further stressed that there is no political
reason or alibi for PKK's contemptible action of seizing Greek
embassies.
[02] PKK OCCUPATIONS END IN MOST GREEK EMBASSIES
Occupations have ended in most of the Greek embassies where
PKK protesters had burst in yesterday and took hostages, accusing
Greece of complicity in their leader's , Abdullah Ocalan, arrest
by Turkey.
Specifically, the embassies at The Hague and Vienna have been
freed, along with the diplomats and staff members taken hostage
therein. Also, one of two hostages at the Zurich embassy has been
freed.
Meanwhile, a number of Kurds gathered outside Greece's
embassy in Nicosia and declared a hunger strike late yesterday
night.
[03] WESTERN GOVERNMENTS REQUEST A FAIR TRIAL FOR OCALAN
A number of European states have now expressed their
interest in the fate of PKK's leader Abdullah Ocalan and request
that Turkey grant him a fair trial.
Turkish Premier Bulent Ecevit stated that no European country
has the right to admonish or advise Turkey on this matter.
Meanwhile, the Turkish state security court has called for
the death penalty, charging Mr. Ocalan with treason.
According to reports, Mr. Ocalan's defense counsel were
barred from seeing their client yesterday.
[04] MOST GREEK EMBASSIES IN EUROPE FREED, IN AUSTRALIA TOO
A great number of Greek embassies and consulates in various
European cities that were being occupied by protesting Kurds
yesterday have been released, namely, the embassies in Vienna,
Bonn, Moscow, Brussels, Copenhagen and Stockholm, as well as the
consulates in Frankfurt, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Paris, Marseilles,
Strasbourg and Stuttgart along with the UN mission in Yerevan.
Also, the Greek consulates embassies in Australia's Melbourne
and Sydney were freed after local police raided the premises. Five
Australian police officers were wounded during the raid
operations.
The embassies of Sidney and Bonn and the consulates of
Frankfurt, Berlin and Dusseldorf will remain closed for a small
number of days due to extensive material damages.
[05] GREEK FM: EUROPE BEARS RESPONSIBILITY IN THE OCALAN MATTER
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos gave a "head-
on" response to the criticism issued by the leader of the main
opposition Party, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis, on the
government handling of the Ocalan case.
Specifically, Mr. Pangalos made clear insinuations as to
Italy's role in the matter, as Mr. Ocalan had requested political
asylum from Rome, as well as to other countries, such as Germany
and the Netherlands, the latter being Mr. Ocalan's actual
destination.
Mr. Pangalos said that the PKK leader had been given
"temporary residence for humanitarian reasons" at the Greek
ambassador's residence in Kenya.
"But at his own responsibility and initiative, and despite
the Greek advice to the contrary, he tried to go to the
Netherlands," the Greek minister said.
He added that en route from the ambassador's house to the
airport, which was followed by Greek embassy cars, Mr. Ocalan's
car "deviated from the route, and the embassy cars lost visual
contact" with the vehicle.
[06] OCALAN ISSUE: OPPOSITION CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING
During a heated parliamentary session last night, the leader
of the main opposition New Democracy (ND) party Kostas Karamanlis
criticized the government's handling of the Ocalan issue,
describing it as "bizarre and dangerous".
Mr. Karamanlis stated that the government could have
acknowledged the presence of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in Greece
and to handle the matter publicly and within the venues of the
European Union.
The secretary-general of the Communist Party of Greece
accused the government of "handing over" Mr. Ocalan, the President
of the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) Nikos
Konstantopoulos said that the "dramatic developments constitute a
disgrace for Europe and Greece," while the President of the
Democratic Social Movement Dimitris Tsovolas accused the
government of collaborating with the United States.
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos responded that the Kenyan
government is responsible for whatever happened to Mr. Ocalan
after his departure from the Greek ambassador's residence in
Nairobi and added that the Greek government acted within its
powers to protect the PKK leader's life and the country's
interests.
[07] DUTCH FINANCE MINISTER TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS TOMORROW
The Netherlands' Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm is to visit
Athens tomorrow where he will be received by his Greek counterpart
Yiannos Papantoniou with whom he will discuss Agenda 2000 issues.
.
The Royal Netherlands embassy in Athens, in cooperation with
the Hellenic-Dutch Association of Commerce and Industry, will host
a business meeting tomorrow evening at the Athens Hilton.
[08] US CONGRESSMEN TO VISIT GREECE TOMORROW
A 12-member delegation of U.S. Congressmen will visit Greece
tomorrow, in order to meet with Greek government officials on
political and economic affairs and defense and security issues.
The delegation, led by Nebraska Republican Douglas Bereuter,
is on a six-day tour of the region and, in addition to Greece,
will also visit Belgium, France, Cyprus and Turkey.
The Athens talks are expected to focus on the security
situation in the eastern Mediterranean, relations between Greece
and Turkey and prospects for a resolution of the Cyprus issue.
[09] EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO SAVE OCALAN'S FOUR ASSOCIATES
Efforts are being made in Nairobi to save the four associates
of Ocalan who had accompanied him to Kenya.
According to information, one of them has already left for
Sweden after the intervention of the Swedish ambassador to Kenya,
while the rest of them request to be taken to Belgium and Greece.
The Greek foreign ministry gave assurances that for as long
as they are on Greek embassy grounds they face no threat
whatsoever. The information on the imminent arrest of Ocalan's
associates, who would have been taken to Turkey, came from right-
wing main opposition party of New Democracy honorary president
Konstantinos Mitsotakis, who informed the parliamentary committee
on foreign affairs and defense on the matter this morning.
[10] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN BACKED THE FOREIGN MINISTER ON THE
OCALAN AFFAIR
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that there
is not a question of resignation by foreign minister Theodoros
Pangalos or National Information Service chief Mr. Stavrakakis.
Mr. Reppas said that Mr. Pangalos is and he will continue to be
the Greek foreign minister backing him fully on his handling of
the Ocalan affair. Mr.Reppas said that Mr. Pangalos exercises his
duties responsibly taking under consideration the national
interests.
On the issue that has been created and the fact that the
Kurdish leader has ended up in the hands of the Turkish
authorities, Mr. Reppas said that Mr. Pangalos handled a problem
that was not created by the Greek government, adding that it is
sad that the government is being accused by certain individuals
who have contributed to the problem. He also reiterated that the
foreign minister implemented the Greek government's policy.
Mr. Reppas said that the position of Greece was to avoid to
be involved in the Kurdish issue. The political responsibility of
what happened belongs to those who encouraged Ocalan and his
associates to have illusions that led to the known result,
stressing that it is unfair to criticize the Greek government for
its handling of the situation.
On Ocalan's associates who stayed in Kenya, Mr. Reppas gave
the following picture. He said that they have travel papers from
different countries. Some of them are still in Kenya and others
are not, adding that they are not held prisoners in the Greek
embassy in Nairobi and efforts are being made to reach their
destination with the travel documents they have, while there has
been no request for their surrender by the government of Kenya.
Mr. Reppas said that the Greek ambassador to Kenya is expected
back to Athens in the following days and the case will be
discussed in greater detail.
Mr. Reppas pointed out that the Greek government is not
satisfied with the developments because Ocalan is in the hands of
Turkey. He said that there are reservations on whether Ankara will
secure for him a fair trial and for this purpose Greece has asked
for the necessary guarantees, stressing that it is very positive
the fact that the same positions are being expressed by many
European Union countries as well.
Meanwhile, Greek deputy foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou
will raise the issue in the EU General Affairs Council that will
meet on Monday.
[11] GREECE IS TOO SMALL FOR SUCH A DISHONESTY
Greece is too small to do such a dishonesty, stated president
Kostis Stephanopoulos, who returned to Athens from Austria where
he was on a formal visit.
Mr. Stephanopoulos also stressed that it is impossible for
him to accept that Greece has turned Ocalan over to Turkey and
added that the fact that foreign mass media blamed Greece for the
arrest of the Kurdish leader made him extremely unhappy.
President Stephanopoulos stated that the Greek people can not
accept that Greece has surrendered Ocalan and added that he is not
aware if errors were made in the handling of the situation,
stressing that no one can dispute the fact that in a difficult
situation mistakes can be made.
Mr. Stephanopoulos also said that for as long as this
misunderstanding with the Turks continues it is natural for the
Kurds to blame Greece for what happened, adding that this
misunderstanding should be resolved not only for the sake of
Greece's relations with the Kurds but in order for Greece's name
to be restored.
[12] ONLY TWO GREEK EMBASSIES REMAIN UNDER OCCUPATION BY THE KURDS
The meeting of the parliamentary committee of foreign affairs
and defense, which was held to discuss the Ocalan affair, was
interrupted this morning when right-wing main opposition party of
New Democracy honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis gave the
information that the four associates of Ocalan, who are still in
the residence of the Greek ambassador in Nairobi, will be arrested
by Kenyan officials within the next 3 hours and they will be taken
to Turkey.
According to information, a Turkish plane is already in
Nairobi to take to Turkey the associates of Ocalan who had
accompanied him to Kenya. They are three women and a man, who is
the only one with the option to escape through a foreign embassy,
while for the three women the Kenyan government exerts pressures
to be handed over to it in order to deport them to Turkey.
Meanwhile, only the Greek embassies in London and Bern are
still under the occupation of protesting Kurds.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] UN OFFICES IN GENEVA UNDER SIEGE BY KURDS
A group of about 25 Kurdish demonstrators used a fake
delivery vehicle to enter United Nations offices in Geneva early
Tuesday morning, according to UN spokesman. Fred Eckhard.
Mr. Eckhard said that the group got through the gate at
approximately 4:30 a.m., Geneva time, broke open the main entrance
of the Palais des Nations building, and then moved quickly to one
of the main conference rooms in the New Building.
The head of UN security in Geneva was trying to persuade the
Kurdish protesters to leave the building as about 100 other Kurds
demonstrated outside, the spokesman said.
[14] WASHINGTON POST: FBI GAVE AWAY OCALAN'S WHEREABOUTS
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, stationed in
Nairobi, Kenya, informed the Turkish authorities of the
whereabouts of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, according to the US
daily "Washington Post".
According to the article, which quotes Turkish officials, Mr.
Ocalan was traced through his mobile phone which he made use of
without taking precautions.
[15] U.S. DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN OCALAN'S APPREHENSION, TRANSFER
US State Department spokesperson James Foley has
categorically denied that Washington had any involvement in the
apprehension or transfer of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey.
In the regular briefing session yesterday, Mr. Foley stated
that while the United States has designated the PKK as a terrorist
organization, it "did not apprehend or transfer Ocalan or
transport him to Turkey."
He added that Mr. Ocalan should be brought to justice in a
manner consistent with international standards of due process for
the terrorist crimes of which he is accused.
[16] OCALAN IS IN ISOLATION OUTSIDE IZMIR, ACCORDING TO REPORTS
The PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan is confined in isolation by
the Turkish authorities at an unknown location outside the city of
Izmir, according to reports.
Meanwhile, United Nations officials have expressed fears that
Mr. Ocalan will be subject to torture.
[17] OCALAN'S TRANSFER WAS CONDUCTED BY KENYA, ACCORDING TO U.S.
The United States have stated that the transfer of PKK leader
Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey was conducted by the Kenyan authorities.
On a similar note, Turkey's Bulent Ecevit stated that Greece
had no involvement whatsoever in the transfer operation.
[18] HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH APPEALS FOR A FAIR TRIAL OF OCALAN
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) organization has appealed that a
fair trial be granted to PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan who was
abducted yesterday in Kenya and transported to Turkey where he
will be tried for treason.
According to the French news agency AFP, HRW has forwarded a
letter to Turkish Premier Bulent Ecevit wherein it supports that
Mr. Ocalan should be tried on the charges brought against him, but
the trial should adhere to due process and abide by international
standards.
Moreover, the HRW announced that it intends to dispatch an
observer at the trial and has expressed its concern over the death
penalty faced by Ocalan in Turkey.
[19] GREECE'S ALTERNATE FM THANKS AUSTRIAN AUTHORITIES
Greece's alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who
accompanied the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis
Stephanopoulos during his visit to Austria, publicly expressed his
gratitude towards the Austrian authorities for the manner with
which they handled the occupation of the Greek embassy in Vienna
by Kurdish protesters.
Mr. Stephanopoulos is returning to Athens today, having
canceled a non-official portion of his stay in Austria.
Meanwhile the Kurdish protesters abandoned the embassy after
midnight last night, following negotiations carried out with the
Austrian police authorities. They were unarmed and caused no
damages.
President Stephanopoulos appealed to his Austrian counterpart
Thomas Klestil, as well as Austria's Minister of Justice, that the
Kurds not be brought to trial in case they departed from the
Ministry and freed the hostages, which they did.
[20] GREECE'S AGRICULTURE MINISTER IN BRUSSELS
Greece's Agriculture Minister George Anomeritis is presently
in Brussels where he will embark on a series of contacts related
to Agenda 2000, in light of the imminent EU Council of Agriculture
Ministers.
Mr. Anomeritis will meet with the European Commissioner for
Agriculture and his German counterpart.
The Greek state aims at minimizing consequences borne by
Agenda 2000 on Greece's agricultural economy.
[21] ALBANIA: SECURITY PUMPED UP AT GREEK, TURKISH EMBASSIES
Draconian security measures have been drawn at the Greek and
Turkish embassies in Tirana, following yesterday's occupations of
Greek embassies throughout Europe by Kurdish protesters.
Also, according to police sources, added security measures
have also been taken at the Greek consulates of Koritsa and
Gjirocaster.
[22] THREE KURDISH DEMONSTRATORS WERE KILLED IN BERLIN
Three Kurdish protesters were killed and 14 people were
injured among them a German police officer, when shots were fired
during a demonstration outside the Israeli consulate in Berlin.
The bloody incident occurred when the demonstrators tried to force
their way in the consulate building.
The demonstration was held against Israel as the Kurds accuse
the Israeli secret service Mossad of involvement in the plan for
the abduction of Ocalan. The fact that among the injured is a
German police officer leads to the conclusion that the shots were
fired by the Israeli consulate guards.
Meanwhile, 30 Kurds occupied the SDP offices in Hamburg
earlier this afternoon.
The Kurds continue to occupy the Greek embassies in London,
Bern and Zurich while all the hostages have been freed and 25
Kurds are still in the conference hall of the UN building in
Zurich.
[23] THE TURKISH TELEVISION SHOWED A VIDEO WITH OCALAN ON BOARD
THE PLANE THAT TOOK HIM TO TURKEY
The Turkish television showed a video with Ocalan taped while
he was on board the plane taking him to Turkey.
The Kurdish leader was visibly shaken, he was handcuffed and
apparently he had been mistreated.
Turkish prime minister Bulent Ecevit in an interview with the
US television channel CNN confirmed that Ocalan is being held and
interrogated at Imrali island in the Sea of Marmara and stated
that he does not know when his trial will start. However, he
pointed out that it is certain that the trial will not last long
as the crimes of which he is accused are known.
Responding to a question on Turkey's refusal to allow
Ocalan's three European lawyers and international observers to
enter the country, the Turkish prime minister stated that the
Kurdish leader will be represented by Turkish lawyers because the
foreign lawyers are not familiar with the Turkish legal system.
Referring to the issue of the death penalty, he stated that
many are those who want it to be abolished but it is the Turkish
public opinion that reacts to such a likelihood.
[24] THE EURO-PARLIAMENT FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ISSUED A
STATEMENT ON THE OCALAN CASE
The Euro-Parliament foreign affairs committee issued a
statement on the Ocalan case at noon today in the form of a
directive addressed to the joint EU-Turkey parliamentary
committee.
The Euro-Parliament committee calls on Turkey not to use the
death penalty, while at the same time requests guarantees from
Ankara that human rights will be respected and asks for assurances
that he will have a fair trial based on international law and the
democratic principles.
[25] NO OFFICIAL STATEMENT BY THE UN ON THE OCALAN AFFAIR
UN secretary-general deputy spokesman Manuel De Almeira
stated that there is no official statement by the United Nations
on the issue of the arrest of Ocalan as no details are available
on what happened.
Referring to the mobilizations of the Kurds, Mr. Almeira
stated that about 25 Kurds stormed the UN building in Geneva at
4pm and their occupation of a conference hall continues. The
building has been evacuated and appeals are being made to the
Kurds to leave peacefully. About 100 Kurds demonstrated outside
the building in a show of support to Ocalan.
Responding to the question if there were demands made by the
Kurds to the UN in Geneva, Mr. Almeira stressed that leaflets have
been distributed to the UN personnel.
[26] THE TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY STATED THAT INTERNATIONAL
OBSERVERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE OCALAN TRIAL
Turkey rejected European calls to allow international
observers in the trial of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Sermet Atancanli stated
that it is impossible for Turkey to accept actions from outside
the country which might be an intervention in the Turkish judicial
process, adding that for this reason the presence of international
observers can not be allowed.
[27] MILOSEVIC IS AGAINST THE DEPLOYMENT OF A MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE
IN KOSSOVO
Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic reiterated that he is
against the deployment of a multi-national force in Kossovo based
on the proposal made during the peace talks currently underway in
Rambouillet, France.
NATO reiterated the threat of air strikes against Serb
targets if no agreement is reached by Saturday.
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