Former head of the paramilitary gendarmerie appointed new chief of Turkish general staff

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey selected four new generals to lead its armed forces on Thursday in a shake-up which is seen as consolidating civilian control of the military after four top generals quit last week in protest at the jailing of officers in coup conspiracy cases, Reuters reports.

General Necdet Ozel, previously head of the paramilitary gendarmerie, was named as new chief of general staff for the second largest armed forces in NATO.

President Abdullah Gul approved the appointment of new chiefs for the country's ground forces, navy and air force, presidential spokesman Ahmet Sever told reporters after the conclusion of a four-day meeting of the Supreme Military Council (YAS).

July 29, Chief of General Staff Isik Kosaner and three others, the heads of the land, sea and air forces under the command of Kosaner, stepped down.

The resignation of Chief of Staff of Turkish Armed Forces Ishik Koshaner is a planned action of the Turkish authorities to prevent the beginning of possible political crisis, Trend cited Turkish political analyst Ismail Yasha as saying.

"The representatives of the highest ranks of the Turkish army have recently made a lot of faults," he told Trend over phone. "In particular, they interfered in the investigation on the overthrow of the power in the country."

The expert also thinks that after Koshaner's resignation, the ruling Justice and Development Party's positions will be strengthened.

"The differences between the army and the government after the "Sledgehammer" plan could lead to chaos in the country," the expert said. "After Koshaner's resignation, the ruling Justice and Development Party's positions will be strengthened and there will be no threat of chaos."

According to the pro-governmental newspaper Taraf's assumptions, Turkish Armed Forces prepared the "Sledgehammer" plan to overthrow the government in 2010.

The expert also stressed that no political crisis is expected to occur in Turkey in connection with Koshaner's resignation, as the population of the country welcomes the resignation of Chief of Staff of Turkish Armed Forces. "The people welcome the beginning of reorganizing the Turkish army," he said.