(Hurriyet) - News that the early appointment of top general Yasar Buyukanit to the post of Chief of General Staff of the Turkish military was due to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's personal wishes has angered Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We are not a government which works on impulses," said Erdogan yesterday in response to questioning by reporters.
The PM went on, "When I read this interpretation in the news, I was surprised. I guess that a faction of the media does not understand the appointment process. But we are not a government which acts on impulses. We use our authority within specific guidlines."
Erdogan noted that the decision to place Buyukanit at his posting early had been one made in coordination between the cabinet of ministers in Ankara, and President Sezer, reports Trend.
On his way to attend an urgent Islamic Conference Organization meeting in Malaysia yesterday, Prime Minister Erdogan spoke to reporters on the developing war in Lebanon, saying "This is an unfair war, and there will be no winner." He also noted that terror would be strengthened by the current fighting in Lebanon and Israel.
Erdogan is scheduled to return Friday from Malaysia.