EU leaders joined forces this week

Date: 01/07/1999

to urge Ankara not to carry out the death sentence imposed on Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan by a Turkish court. The incoming Finnish presidency said there was “clear unanimity” between member states in opposing the death sentence, German Interior Minister Otto Schily said his government “would undertake a massive effort” to save Ocalan's life, Italy said a decision not to execute him would “confirm Ankara's commitment to pursue Turkey's rapprochement with the Union and Acting Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek issued a statement urging the Turkish authorities “to take the EU's position into account”.