Turkey's president named General Yasar Buyukanit, a blunt-speaking hawk, as chief of the powerful military on Monday, increasing the chances of a stronger crackdown on Kurdish separatist rebels.
Buyukanit, 66, replaces General Hilmi Ozkok, who has helped keep the armed forces quiescent during a period of sensitive liberal reforms, including curbs on the military, that are aimed at preparing Turkey for European Union membership. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's office said Buyukanit, who now heads Turkey's land forces, would take over on August 30.
Turkey's Supreme Military Council had been expected to announce his appointment on Friday, after its annual four-day meeting due to be chaired by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Analysts said the announcement had been made early this year to pre-empt political tension over the appointment. "The government made the decision before the meeting to quash speculation, and this was the right thing to do...For several months, a campaign has been waged against Buyukanit," Sedat Ergin of Turkey's Milliyet newspaper told CNN Turk TV.