(17 Nov 1998) English/Nat
Italy's prime minister says Rome will not grant political asylum to a jailed Kurdish rebel leader - - unless it is convinced he has really renounced terrorism.
Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema made the comments in a speech to the Italian parliament.
The comments came as Kurds in Rome continued to protest against the rebel leader's possible extradition.
Belgium and Germany now say they don't want Italy to send them the rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan as an alternative to extraditing him to Turkey.
Kurds are continuing their hunger strike in Rome to protest the arrest of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan by Italian authorities
About 1-thousand 500 Kurds spent another night outside a military hospital where Ocalan is believed to be held.
Ocalan was arrested in Rome last week and has asked for political asylum.
But Turkey, one of Italy's NATO allies and a strong trading partner, is pushing hard for his extradition.
Extradition appears unlikely because Ocalan is on trial in absentia for capital crimes in Turkey.
Italy's courts have forbidden extraditing anyone to a country where they could be executed.
The Kurds say they will march through the centre of Rome to bring messages to various international organisations.
Kurds from across Western Europe have been streaming into Rome to show their support for Ocalan, who was arrested on Thursday when he stepped off a plane from Moscow.
The protesters see their mass demonstration as evidence of solidarity for Ocalan.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There are thousands of people gathered here to show support to their leader and that's one positive thing."
SUPER CAPTION: VOX POP, Kurd protester
Although Turkey has requested the extradition of Ocalan, it is far from clear if Italy will agree to the move.
Italian extradition expert Paolo Lorio says a possible request for extradition from Germany is more likely to be heeded.
This would be in accordance with European extradition agreements.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Italy will probably extradite Ocalan to Germany, and not to Turkey, because of the European accord on extradition. Germany has signed this accord, which means that if extradited to Germany, Ocalan could not then be extradited to Turkey."
SUPER CAPTION: Paolo Lorio, Legal expert
But German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, whose country issued an arrest warrant for the leader in 1990, said it was an Italian problem - not an international one.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Ocalan is seeking for asylum here. This is an Italian problem, not an international problem and the other side is that if there is - if Turkey want to get Mr. Ocalan it is an Italian Turkish problem and we don't have a problem with Turkey in these circumstances and therefore, the discussion was very short with Turkish colleague and we had to talk about many other problems and it's not out problem, Mr. Ocalan."
SUPER CAPTION: Joschka Fischer, German Foreign Minister
Fischer also said he told Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem on Monday that Ankara must improve its human rights record and make concessions to minorities.
In an apparent sign of its eagerness to get Ocalan back, Turkey has moved to abolish its death penalty.
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