PM: No confidence problem with top commander: PM

There is no confidence problem between the government and the military over the ongoing difficulty caused by an alleged plan to topple the ruling party, according to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

“We have no such problem [of confidence]. In the past, there were no weekly meetings with the chief of General Staff. We have started this process,” Erdoğan said in an interview with state broadcaster TRT on Sunday.

Military-government ties were strained once again after the appearance of an original document allegedly prepared by Col. Dursun Çiçek that detailed an alleged plan to topple the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP. Erdoğan indirectly asked Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ to take the necessary steps regarding Çiçek and other suspected plotters. There were even calls for Erdoğan to ask Başbuğ to resign.

“Such calls disturb me,” Erdoğan said. “He assured me that he would never be a part of such plots. The issue has been taken to the court. It’s hard for politicians to discuss it.”

Erdoğan said though civil-military ties could never been institutionalized, important progress has occurred in the past seven years. “We are in a much more positive process now in terms of military-government relations. At least, I can observe that the military is now more positive in launching internal probes when needed. I have to be open about it.”

Recalling that Başbuğ openly distanced himself from the suspected plotters and committed to oust them from the military, Erdoğan said: “Let’s speed up the judicial process and let’s see the results. As the executive power, we are ready to do whatever lies on our shoulders. We will continue to carry on.”

Historic week

Erdoğan also said the Kurdish initiative would be discussed in Parliament this week. “This will be a historic week for our democracy,” Erdoğan said. “I want you all to watch the debates on TV. You will see how the opposition will blur our good intentions through baseless assertions.”

Criticizing all three political parties represented in Parliament, Erdoğan said that thanks to his party, Turkey has entered a new process of normalization.