Ruben Safrastyan: military coup unlikely in Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net -
What’s happening in Turkey now is a struggle between Kemalists and Islamists, according to professor Ruben Safrastyan, director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at RA Academy of Sciences.



“A military coup is unlikely in Turkey, though the authority of the army was shaken,” prof. Safrastyan said when answering a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter’s question during a news conference in Yerevan on Tuesday. “It’s hard to make forecasts, but the latest developments may affect Ankara’s vision of normalization of relations with Armenia. Besides, if internal tensions persist, the United States may avoid pressing for ratification of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols.”



Turkey's once all-powerful military is facing the biggest challenge to its authority in decades after 49 senior officers were detained on accusations of plotting to topple the country's Islamist-rooted government in a violent coup.



A former deputy chief of the army, a retired air force chief, the chief of the navy and several generals and admirals were among those detained by police in a sweep carried out in eight Turkish cities. The round-up included 17 retired generals, four serving admirals and 27 lower-ranking officers.