European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels have supported calls for the leader of Kurdish rebels in Turkey, Abdullah Ocalan, -- now under house arrest in Italy -- to be tried by an international court.

In a statement, the EU foreign ministers condemned Mr Ocalan's PKK rebels for what they called acts of terrorism; they also backed Italy's actions since it detained Mr Ocalan in Rome in the middle of last month.

Italy has refused to hand Mr Ocalan over to Turkey and has said it favours having him tried by an international tribunal -- something Mr Ocalan has said he is ready to agree to.