Besides Turkish journalists, foreign media members and media bodies of the embassies also attended the meeting in Ankara. The number of journalists, who were not restricted by the accreditation policy, reached about 200. The formerly military-dominated MGK is now a civilian institution and changes in the council have been reflected throughout. Civilian officers met the guests at the entrance gate instead of military officers. People responsible for the institutional security were also civilians.
The building of the MGK Secretariat, used since 1997, is on the Eskisehir road and has a large and well-cared for garden. The Department of Religious Affairs stands across from the MGK building. While entering the building, the enactment and other documents are scripted in glossy and gilded letters on the white marble on the left and right walls of the institution which was formed in 1933. There are the signatures of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as the Head of Republic and Ismet Inonu as the Prime Minister with the ministers. The enactment defines its formation and the field manual defines its duties and responsibilities.
A briefing was held in a bigger hall without windows. First, the civilian Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan said, "We are holding a press conference for the first time in our 71 year history." Alpogan's assistants and other officials sat on the left side of the hall. I observed from the entrance and I noticed a total of three uniformed officials in the briefing hall. One of them was Assistant Secretary-General Major General Emin Ersan.
Secretary-General Alpogan started his speech by explaining the history of the institution in detail, which included big changes since 1933. His speech was translated into English for the foreign participants. In the aftermath, he said, "Secrecy about the appointments of personnel is over, every change is published in the Turkish Official Newspaper." He disclosed that 294 personnel including 15 uniformed military officers worked in the institution. Determining that MGK had turned into a "think-tank"-like institution, which prepares political papers for council members and state institutions, after the structural reforms, Alpogan continued that MGK had not turned into a executive body but an advisory one. He emphasized that openness and transparency came at the top of their working principles in the new period and therefore, he informed that records will be opened to the public.
Minutes of meetings between 1970-1972 have been opened to the public.
After half an hour of speeches, a session for question and answers began. Alpogan confirmed the efforts to update the National Security Strategy Document. He also explained that they had begun in July and they were currently expecting the answers of related institutions, which demanded evaluation; and they would issue it to the Cabinet in early 2005. Alpogan said, "I do not see anything exciting in the document." Questions about the burning of some documents and tags were also asked to the Secretary-General. Alpogan disclosed that there was no tradition of burning documents in the Turkish state's history. Documents were collected to be sent into the related institutions and no track records were kept on anyone.
Alpogan made significant explanations about the MGK's operation based on an external operation, which was first announced in this newspaper. In the operation's scenario, two neighboring states on the verge of war with influence on Turkey in terms of economics, politics and security issues. It was also informed that Secretariat held military operations every December by setting alternate internal and external threats as a priority. The self-confident and relaxed attitude of the Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan during his presentation and Q&A session was observed. He answered some tricky questions with diplomatic proficiency and also preferred not to hear some questions.
