New Turkish initiative to exterminate Ocalan's influence

The Turkish daily Joumhuriet has said that Turkey will launch an initiative in the Middle East and on highest level in order to eliminate the influence of leader of the separatist Kurdistani Workers Party organization, Abdullah Ocalan.

The paper added that Turkish President Suleiman Demirel will during December conduct visits to Qatar, Bahrain, and Jordan where he will seek support of these countries for Turkey in fighting the Kurdistani Workers Party. The paper added the first of these contacts will be made with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who played a key role in settling the crisis between Turkey and Syria and his mediation resulted in getting Ocalan out of Syria.

The paper continued that Mubarak will hold an official visit to Ankara at the invitation of Demirel on December 25. During the visit, the paper said, talks will center on regional issues, and latest developments concerning relations between Turkey and Syria. The paper said that Mubarak will ask Turkey "to normalize relations with Syria."

The Joumhuriet paper added that discussions between Demirel and Mubarak will cover the issue of the Kurdistani Workers Party in Lebanon, noting that the details of the joint meeting between Syria, Turkey and Lebanon are stated in the Adanah agreement signed by Turkey and Syria.

The paper added that the meeting with Lebanon is expected before Mubarak's visit to Ankara, saying that during the meeting Turkey will ask for shutting down other illegal camps which target Turkey in the Lebanese Bekaa plain.