Turkey's Top Military Commanders Resign
This photograph taken on November 30, 2010, shows Chief-of-staff General Isik Kosaner (L) standing next to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. (Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images) The head of the Turkish military, Isik Kosaner, resigned on Friday along with the heads of the army, air force, and navy, according to media reports.
The four resigned after a dispute with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogans government over the arrest of generals who were allegedly planning a coup, reported Turkish media agencies NTV and CNN-Turk.
Kosaner met with Erdogan in recent days ahead of a meeting set for early August of the armys commanders which decides promotions.
To replace Kosaner, the prime ministers office named General Necdet Ozel as the new head of the military, the former head of the countrys paramilitary forces.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said that the U.S. is confident that the Turkish government will get the issue straightened out but declined to make further statements.
He added that the State Department has confidence in the strength of Turkeys institutions, both democratic and military, adding that it is an internal matter that the government needs to deal with.
We view Turkey as a stalwart ally within NATO, and we have strong security cooperation with them, he said.
Kosaner was named as head of the military last year and had two more years to serve. The three other military commanders were set to retire in August.
The four resigned after a dispute with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogans government over the arrest of generals who were allegedly planning a coup, reported Turkish media agencies NTV and CNN-Turk.
Kosaner met with Erdogan in recent days ahead of a meeting set for early August of the armys commanders which decides promotions.
To replace Kosaner, the prime ministers office named General Necdet Ozel as the new head of the military, the former head of the countrys paramilitary forces.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said that the U.S. is confident that the Turkish government will get the issue straightened out but declined to make further statements.
He added that the State Department has confidence in the strength of Turkeys institutions, both democratic and military, adding that it is an internal matter that the government needs to deal with.
We view Turkey as a stalwart ally within NATO, and we have strong security cooperation with them, he said.
Kosaner was named as head of the military last year and had two more years to serve. The three other military commanders were set to retire in August.
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