Turkey to appoint new military leadership

Civilian government set to appoint new commanders for first time, following resignation of country's four top generals. Last Modified: 01 Aug 2011 16:01

Erdogan, right, and the Turkish military have often had fraught a relationship [Reuters] Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been meeting military leaders to decide on new heads for all the branches of the armed forces. The four-day gathering of the Supreme Military Council, which reviews annually the promotion prospects of senior officers, follows the surprise resignation of the country's four top generals last week. The meeting has never before been held without the main military leaders in attendance and it will be the first time a civilian government decides who commands the various armed forces in Turkey. Armed forces chief Isik Kosaner and the separate heads of the army, navy and air force all resigned on Friday in a row with Ankara over the promotion of dozens of officers held in a probe of alleged plots to oust the government. Following the resignations, Erdogan named as acting forces chief General Necdet Ozel, who was the head of the military police. Ozel, who was also tapped to head the army on an emergency basis, is co-chairing the promotions meeting. 'Sledgehammer' plot more http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/08/20118113584619619.html