ANKARA – Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan worked to tighten civilian control of the military yesterday by choosing generals he can trust after the top four commanders resigned over the detention of comrades facing coup conspiracy charges.
Mr Erdogan convened the supreme military council as scheduled yesterday despite the presence of only nine of the 14 generals who would normally attend the twice-yearly meeting to decide key promotions in Nato’s second largest armed force. The meeting will run for four days.
Long-running strains between the secularist military and the ruling conservative AK Party, which has Islamist roots, boiled over on Friday when chief of general Staff Isik Kosaner resigned, along with the army, navy and air force commanders, in protest at the arrest of fellow officers.
The fifth general missing from yesterday’s meeting was one of some 250 officers now jailed on charges linked to various alleged anti-government plots dating back to 2003.
The resignations will enable Mr Erdogan to consolidate control over a once-omnipotent military that has staged three coups since 1960 but whose power has been curbed by EU-backed reforms since pushing an Islamist-led government out of power in 1997.
“The transition from the old guard in the military high command to the new will be relatively smooth,” said Royal Bank of Scotland analyst Timothy Ash.
At the heart of the matter is the alleged “Sledgehammer” plot, based on events at a 2003 military seminar. Officers say evidence against them has been fabricated and that allegations of a coup plot arose from a mere war games exercise.
Mr Erdogan, who was chairing the council meeting, sat alone at the head of the table where normally he would sit beside the chief of staff. Defence minister Ismet Yilmaz also attended.
Mr Erdogan has moved quickly to designate former gendarmerie chief Gen Necdet Ozel as acting chief of staff, who has been portrayed positively as a constitutionalist in pro-government media. Gen Ozel is not expected to be confirmed as the overall commander until the key promotions are announced on Thursday.
Mr Erdogan did not take part in the council afternoon session and instead held direct talks with Gen Ozel.
The prime minister then met the head of Turkey’s intelligence agency and interior minister Idris Naim Sahin. No statements were made.
The council meeting will resume this morning. – (Reuters)