Former Greek Foreign Minister Teodoros Pangalos, who resigned from his post after the crisis emerged with the arrival of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in Greece, said that they decided to send Ocalan to Africa because they were afraid of a war between Turkey and Greece, but Ocalan had to fly to Kenya because of the sudden change in the South African government.

Speaking in the trial of the suit brought on the illegal entry of Ocalan to Greece, Pangalos said; If Turkey accumulated her army in Meric, we would have to declare mobilization. We saved our country from an adventure by sending Ocalan abroad. I am honored.