ANKARA - Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc on Monday paid a courtesy call to the Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit to congratulate him because of his appointment to the top military post.
The behind closed doors meeting, which lasted for nearly an hour, came only a day after Arinc told a TV channel in a live interview that "It was not the task of the General Staff to elect the president."
Arinc`s comment was seen as a reaction over an alleged letter sent to Gen. Buyukanit by retired officers, asking him to be "an intervenor" in the presidential elections.
Buyukanit assumed Turkey`s top military post last August from former Chief of Staff Hilmi Ozkok.