Western partners of Turkey will be watching the developments very closely. Ocalan trial will not be the only issue, but rather how Turkey will handle its Kurdish question will come under more strict scrutiny as well. With elections coming near (April 1999), campaigning on ethnic and extreme nationalist slogans (and a possible majority of parliament filled with such representatives) will push Turkey away from Europe. Not only that, but the less critical ally of Turkey, the US, will also have to reconsider its relations with her. Contrary to the arguments , that are still made by anti-western groups (such as the islamic fundamentalists and ethnic nationalists) and always suspicious unreformed leftists, the US has been a loyal ally to Turkey, especially in the 1990's. Despite the heavy pressure by the Armenian and Greek lobbies, successive White House administrations have backed Turkey in its ambitions in Europe, its cause against the PKK, and relentlessly pursued a policy to convince the Oil companies to put the Caspian oil pipelines through Turkey.

Turkish political parties must be careful. The capture of Ocalan offers an opportunity to reconcile the hostilities between Turks and Kurds. A fair trial (without an execution of death penalty, if found guilty) and a long term plan to launch major reforms will heal some of the wounds.

Many in Turkey think that with the completion of the Southern Anatolia Project ( a grand project that will provide major irrigation and water allocation) the region will stabilize itself. Such thought is naive. Many other steps must be taken to boost the economic life in the region that will revitalize the economic life and make the region more in touch with the rest of the country.

If successive Turkish governments fail to bring long anticipated social, cultural, political and economic reforms, the Kurdish question may backfire and blow up in Turks' faces. Not only future prospects in Europe will be lost, but the historic opportunity will also be wasted.

The anger of Kurds will be further fueled while their cause will find more supporters around the world that will put Turkey under extreme international pressure. Turkey could find itself in a position in which it may feel that its sovereignty and territorial integrity is being challenged (look at the situation in Yugoslavia today), losing the few supporters it has on the way.

A serious reconciliation should take place. The ball is in Turkish government's court. To bring unification is a major issue as it does require the backing of public and representative majority. That's where the political parties, regardless of their ideological differences, come in. It is true that they do have substantial influence over their constituents,and they should use it to convince them that such reforms mentioned above are needed and in the best interest of the country as a whole. If such reconciliation efforts are launched Turkey will harvest its fruits. It will come closer to Europe, it will strengthen its US-Israel- Turkish strategic alliance, and it will have further democratized itself. Turkey wants to be a regional super power. This is the time to act and the opportunity is there.