The allegation that certificates bearing a portrait of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terror organization, were distributed to students in Kurdish minority schools near Cimkent, Kazakhstan, has proven to be true.

The Turkish Embassy in Almaty has completed its investigation into the
allegations which were made last week. As a result of the investigation, it was established that certificates bearing Apo's pictures had been distributed in a Kurdish school in Ariz village, formerly known as Lenin Road, which is 70 to 80 kilometers to Cimkent.  It was found out that Kurdish teachers, who came to Ariz from Russia three months ago, taught Kurdish to children attending the primary school in the village for two months. The investigation also revealed that a certificate, which bears Ocalan's portrait on the front page and the lyrics of the so-called Kurdistani national anthem overleaf, and surrounded by yellow, red and green stripes, which are used by the PKK , were distributed to the students who had successfully completed the course.

Videotaped images

The Turkish side, which has gathered evidences about the certificate, 
furnished the Kazakh Foreign Ministry with both a video cassette and a copy of the certificate. Turkey also warned Kazakhstan, which had earlier denied the allegations, by a strongly worded diplomatic note, urging it to take necessary action.  The note also pointed out that the certificates bearing Apo's pictures had delivered a great blow to friendly relations between Turkey and Kazakhstan.

Sezer will convey

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who yesterday arrived in Almaty to attend the summit entitled "Confidence-building Measures in Asia and Cooperation" is expected to raise the matter in his meeting with Kazakh President Nur Sultan Nazarbayev today.
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