General Hilmi Ozkok, Head of the Military Staff is speaking today at the Military Academy in Istanbul. Newspaper and television reporters have been invited to the speech. According to my sources in the military, General Ozkok sees today's speech as carrying great importance. There have been many events inside and outside the county lately. I have a feeling that today's speech will be to raise morales regarding these events.

Thinking about Ozkok's expected speech today brings to mind a conversation I had about two months ago in a lobby at the Conrad Hotel. I was speaking then with two important ministers from the government....I don't know whether PM Tayyip Erdogan knew what they were telling me. But the things they spoke of gave clues to one of the big problems waiting for the government. The subject of our conversation was Imrali Island resident, Abdullah Ocalan. They were saying that, according to information coming out of Brussels, it was possible that Ocalan could be tried again after his case in front of the European Human Rights Court, but at a higher level. I have a feeling that what the ministers were telling me was not clues, but actual information. According to Brussels, "During the judging, there were some legal procedural mistakes made." I'm trying to remember the discussion at the Conrad. I wonder, were there really mistakes made during the trial? I recall that one of the government ministers said "Yes, there were mistakes made."
 
Two months have passed since that conversation. Until now, there hasn't been a decision on Ocalan's fate in the courts. But everyone in Ankara knows what the decision will be. What will we do? I can say with full inner confidence: without even thinking, without fearing, we will try Ocalan again. Because there is not even the remotest chance that, in trying this human with babies' blood on his hands, anything will change.
 
Maybe Ocalan represents something else for westerners. But the only thing he represents for us is blood and tears. Which is why he should be tried and sentenced again. Let him stay on Imrali Island for the rest of his life, coming up with ridiculous political ideas. After awhile, he will be no different for the average Turk than Yalcin Kucuk.
 
But there is another danger facing us in this matter. The retrial of Ocalan could turn into a political fight. I see signs of this already in the CHP and MHP parties. Believe me though, if we fight eachother over Ocalan's retrial, the only person who will benefit will be Ocalan. Remember, if you will, the first trial of Ocalan. Try to remember that man in the glass cage. How he looked, and what a disappointment it was to those who were defending him. You can be sure that the disappoinment would only grow in a second trial.