Turkish prime minister announces Ocalan's arrest
Regional-Turkey, Politics, 2/16/1999

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit today in Ankara said that the Turkish government has kept its promise to arrest the chairman of the Kurdistani Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, and bring him back to Turkey.

In a press conference he held today, Ecevit said that Ocalan was arrested following a secret operation which lasted for 12 days. Ecevit added that Ocalan had been in Turkey since 3 p.m. (Turkish local time), but he refused to give further details about Ocalan's location.

Ecevit concluded his press conference by saying that Ocalan was arrested and was not harmed and he will be brought before the court to be tried for his acts, in accordance with Turkish law.

In Athens, Greek Foreign Minister Theodore Pangalos announced that Abdullah had intended to head for Holland when he left the headquarters of the Greek embassy in Nairobi. In a press conference he held today in Athens, Pangalos added that Ocalan had chosen at his own wish and after he listened to recommendations from Dutch lawyers and other persons to leave the headquarters of the ambassador and to leave after he agreed with the Kenyan authorities to the airport to head for Holland.

Previous Stories:
  Reactions to Ocalan arrest   (2/16/1999)
  Holland refuses Ocalan in Rotterdam   (2/2/1999)
  Ocalan arrives in Karabakh   (1/22/1999)

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