BY FIKRET BILA
MILLIYET- Columnist Fikret Bila comments on Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok’s statement to the press earlier this week and the government’s duties. A summary of his column is as follows:
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok’s statements during Monday’s closed-door meeting with the press should be evaluated as a whole, particularly by the government and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The government can hardly welcome Ozkok’s words with joy and happiness. Supposing that Ozkok held the meeting so the words ‘young army officers are uneasy with the government’ would make headlines again would be sheer folly. Obviously it was pleasing to hear Ozkok say that he was respectful and proud of our democracy and democratic structure and that he wanted all talk of ‘coups’ to cease. However, thinking that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) warmly welcomed these words and various attempts to arouse suspicions concerning the character of the republic would mean deceiving ourselves.
Gen. Ozkok clearly said, ‘Of course the TSK has certain deep concerns and sensitivities about various issues.’ As an example, he cited the government’s appointment of certain ruling party figures to key administrative posts. Then he said, ‘If there is a concern within the TSK, then it’s within the entire TSK,’ and proceeded to lay out the developments which concerned the entire TSK. He also described the common denominator within the TSK as the democratic, secular and social rule of law and the great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s principles and revolutions.
Consequently, the government and the AKP should take lessons from these statements. Protecting the democratic, secular republic shouldn’t be considered the duty of only the TSK. Loyalty to the general principles of the republic isn’t the TSK’s exclusive area of responsibility. The government also has important duties on this issue. It should avoid certain policies and stances which might harm the central pillars of the republic and should encourage confidence within all segments of society. It shouldn’t edge towards moves which might stoke tensions within our country.
Ozkok’s words were thought provoking. The government also should be aware of its responsibility in terms of the republic and democracy. It should focus its attention and efforts on vitally important national foreign problems. We saw recently that we can’t achieve success in the foreign policy arena without TSK support. In order not to face this problem again, Turkey shouldn’t sacrifice its economy or military through domestic disputes. Guarding against this is mostly the duty of our political leadership.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION