Yilmaz: Moscow admits that Oclan is in its territory

Turkish Prime Minister Mesout Yilmaz has asserted in a statement quoted by the Turkish Anadolu News Agency on Friday that Russia has admitted that the leader of the Kurdistani Workers Party, Abdul Oclan, is in Moscow.

The agency reported that during a meeting of local officials in the Homeland Party, which he leads, Yilmaz said that Russia admitted to the presence of Oclan on its territories, but Russia stressed to Ankara that he will "not carry destructive acts."

He added that it is "possible to hand over Oclan if he is in Moscow," even if there is no agreement providing for extraditing wanted persons between the two countries.

The Russian ambassador in Ankara, Alexander Lebedev, said to the Turkish daily Milliyet on Friday, "I am waiting for information from Moscow. I won't be able to confirm at this stage if Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the separatist terrorist organization is in Russia or not. However, the Russian government won't shelter someone who is accused of being a terrorist."

Russian ambassador was quoted by Milliyet as saying, "There is an agreement between Russia and Turkey to exchange the wanted. But is not applied until now because it was not signed."

The Russian ambassador told the Turkish daily Sabah that Oclan may have entered Russia with fake papers, adding that Oclan might have 12 passports. "I am waiting for information from Moscow," he said.

"If we determine that he is in Russia, we will do what is necessary for his extradition," Sabah quoted Lebedev as saying.