Italy's refusal to extradite a Kurdish rebel leader wanted by Turkey has soured relations between the normally close allies, and as government leaders in Rome and Ankara traded angry words Wednesday, the United States added to the pressure by also calling for extradition of the Kurd, Abdullah Ocalan. And we hope a way will be found to extradite him to Turkey, consistent with international and Italian law. Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema has been in a quandary over what to do with Ocalan, leader of the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party, since he was arrested last week trying to enter Italy.
Italian law forbids the extradition of prisoners to countries that have a death penalty.
But D'Alema, a former Communist, is also under pressure from leftists in his coalition to grant Ocalan political asylum. He has not ruled it out, saying instead that if Ocalan's pledges to renounce terrorism are sincere, Italy will consider his case. Turkey views Ocalan as a terrorist. Wednesday night D'Alema sternly rebutted Yilmaz. Those who dare to make this link are wrong.