Kranidiotis regarding Ocalan's rights,int'l reaction

Athens 25/02/1999 (ANA)
The internationalisation of the issue of the conditions of detention and the forthcoming trial of Abdullah Ocalan is a particularly important development, Alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis said yesterday, after reports of an announcement by the European Court of Human Rights.
"The top judicial organ of the Council of Europe, the new European Court of Human Rights, taking into account the seriousness of claims by Ocalan's lawyers, has decided to ask Turkish authorities clarifications related to the arrest and detention of the Kurdish leader, as well as the speedy provision of information with regard to the possibility of communication with his lawyers," he said.
Mr. Kranidiotis added that other statements, by the EU Council of Ministers, the external affairs committee of the European Parliament, and the Special United Nations Rappporteur Against Torture, have reminded Turkey of the evident principles for a true democracy which it has to uphold in the specific case, such as a fair and open trial by an independent court, the right to chose one's lawyer, attendance of international observers, non-application of the death penalty, safeguards regarding the physical and psychological integrity of the Kurdish leader and respect for his human dignity.
"Greece will promote at an international level the need for Turkey to respect. Turkey's non-compliance with the requirements of the European legal order and worldwide recognised rules which establish the fundamental right of man and constitute non-negot iable conquests of our modern legal culture, isolates it from the international community," he said.