The Turkish army is willing to accept the abolition...

The Turkish army is willing to accept the abolition of the death penalty on condition that the government ensure a life term for jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. The military was responding to the European Union's urging to abolish capital punishment and pave the way for membership in the EU. The opinions of the military chiefs are generally held in high regard by Turkey's parliamentarians, especially the centre-right wing, that has insistently called for the execution of Ocalan. The 'Ocalan card' has also been played by the major political parties. The leader of the nationalists, Devlet Bahceli, has declared that his party may accept the EU's request for the abolition of the death penalty if the Turkish parliament is allowed to decide on the fate of the PKK leader. The two major opposition parties have refuted Bahceli's proposal.