Greece denies having had Ocalan in its territories

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos on Monday denied reports that the leader of the Kurdistani Workers Party (PKK) was in Greece this year.

The Greek minister told reporters on Monday in Sarajevo that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was not in Greece and should not be there, "because we do not want him or know where he is now."

Pangalos, who is currently visiting Sarajevo on a tour of several Balkan states, was commenting on a report issued by the Greek daily "Vima" on Sunday as saying that Ocalan entered Greece twice this year but was expelled at the orders of Greek Prime Minister Konstandinos Simitis.

The report said the expulsion came because Greece does not want a political or a military confrontation with Turkey.