BBC Tuesday, December 15, 1998 Published at 16:35 GMT

World: Europe

Ocalan 'may go' to

Albania

Turkish anti-Italian protests sparked by the Ocalan row

Negotiations are under way between Italy and

Turkey to have the Kurdish separatist leader,

Abdullah Ocalan - who is currently under house

arrest in Rome - sent to Albania.

In a newspaper interview, the Turkish Prime

Minister, Mesut Yilmaz, whose government is

demanding Mr Ocalan's extradition, said Italy was

positive about the proposal and Turkey would not

reject it.

Mr Yilmaz said Pakistan, North Korea and Libya

had already been rejected as possible

destinations, but considered Albania an acceptable

compromise.

He said that in Albania, Mr Ocalan would be under

constant observation and it would be impossible

for him to operate freely.

But Italy and Albania have rejected the remarks as

without foundation.

The prime minister's office in Rome said the

remarks were fantasy, and an Albanian

government adviser, Pandeli Majko, said such a

proposal would be unacceptable.

US pressure

The PKK rebel leader will technically be free to

leave Italy at his own accord after December 22,

even though he has emphasised that he wants

political asylum there.

Mesut Yilmaz said it was impossible for Italy to

give refuge to Mr Ocalan any longer.

The Italians, he said, could not withstand the

international pressure.

The BBC's Ankara Correspondent Chris Morris

says much of that pressure is coming from the

United States, which has said it is deeply sceptical

of Mr Ocalan's recent statements in which he has

renounced violence.

He says If Mr Ocalan is deported, it would go a

long way towards repairing the diplomatic rift

between Turkey and Italy, which flared up after the

PKK leader arrived unexpectedly in Rome last

month.

Turkey holds Mr Ocalan, who co-founded the PKK

in 1978, responsible for more than 29,000 deaths

and wants him sent back for trial.

But the Italian constitution bars extradition to

countries which retain the death penalty

Mr Ocalan has said he is willing to stand trial in an

international court - an option rejected by Ankara.