"For peace and brotherhood at the axis of a democratic republic, I am ready to serve the Turkish State, and I believe that for this end I must remain alive."
When Abdullah Ocalan was pleading for his life at the outset of his trial for treason, his strongest bargaining chip was the offer to help negotiate a surrender by the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers Party) and avert further violence. But Turkey may find even more compelling reasons not to execute the Kurdish rebel leader.
Turks who bristled with glee at Mr Ocalan's foundering courtroom performance may have their delight turn to dismay as the repercussions of his execution become clear. Another blot on its well-smudged humanitarian copybook will bring reproaches and possibly sanctions from the international community and a rebel campaign, reinvigorated by the martyrdom of their leader, will serve to make Turkey a very unpleasant place to be. And that means fewer tourists.
Already this year, the country has had a foretaste of the economic damage caused by reduced tourist numbers. Even in advance of this year's peak season, Turkish newspapers are acknowledging the collapse of the $9 billion industry following PKK threats against tourists.
The Turkish State Institute of Statistics reports a 48 per cent reduction in visitors arriving by air in April this year, compared with the same month in 1998. This marks a clear deterioration; a 21 per cent decrease over last year was reported for the first four months of 1999.
Within Turkey, evidence of the depressed tourist industry is visible - from the half-empty hotels, restaurants and bars to the glum faces of their owners. Their staff, who already work staggeringly long hours, hope that their jobs will last the summer. More concrete indicators are to be found in stray incidents: the closure of five hotels owned by a leading tour operator has led to the loss of 3,500 jobs.
Hotels in Bodrum and Izmir on the popular west coast were reporting occupancy of between 50 and 75 per cent in June. Hardly a calamity so early in the season. Upon closer inspection however, it emerges that the large majority of guests have snapped up last-minute deals.
Irish and British holidaymakers spend most of their stay trying to best each other on the price of the package. Many Irish paid between £150 and £250, much to the chagrin of their better-organised fellow countrymen, who had booked months in advance and paid brochure prices. In a number of instances, they were the remainder of larger groups, most of whom had cancelled due to fear of terrorist attacks.
Those who did brave the trip were more than satisfied with their bargains. Not only was there no apparent threat of attack from terrorists, but overall crime levels in Turkey are exceptionally low. Galloping inflation and low prices may spell economic strife for Turks, but superb value for foreigners - it is quite possible to live on £10£20 a day, even in the built-up resorts.
Bargains aside, the major attraction of Turkey for travellers lies in its history, culture and the relative immaturity of the tourist industry.
It is, in many ways, the perfect travel destination. Turkish people are proud, relaxed and genial, but their remarkable friendliness is seldom intrusive.
On the west coast the former capital of the Roman province of Asia, Ephesus, the holy city of Pamukkale, or Aphrodisias, birthplace of the Goddess of Love, are all within easy reach. Ease of movement is facilitated by good infrastructure and a public transport system of buses, called dolmus - meaning stuffed - which seem to run with almost accidental efficiency.
A more relaxed holiday is to be had on the boats that run day trips up and down the coast, stopping off at picturesque beaches and coves. Traditional entertainment and relaxation, especially music, dance, theatre and the ubiquitous Turkish bath, are both accessible and highly enjoyable.
As an Islamic, but secular society, its unique fusion of eastern and western cultures lends an atmosphere which is slightly exotic, occasionally ironic, but always interesting. In the resort of Bitez, European women sunbathe topless in front of the beachside mosque frequented by traditionally-clad Muslim women, as the government rows over one female minister's insistence on wearing a headscarf for government business.
