Bağış expressed his confidence in Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ’s leadership within the army and said the re-launch of the military prosecutor’s investigation was an important development. “If anybody is found to be involved with the plot, he/she should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Bağış said. He added, however, that the integrity and reputation of the military should not be tarnished in the meantime.
Speaking to a group of reporters aboard a plane en route to Helsinki where he was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech on Turkey-EU relations, Bağış said the EU membership process is serving as an important anchor in the further democratization of Turkey and is helping to restore military and civilian relations in line with EU standards.
The EU has, time and again, accused Turkey of failing in this respect and blamed the country for systematically failing to meet EU guidelines. It has criticized the Turkish military in the past for exerting too much influence on politics.
Bağış stated that it would be unimaginable for public officials to be involved in a secret plot to topple the democratically elected government in a country that aspires to become an EU member one day. “I trust Mr. Başbuğ’s judgment on this matter,” Bağış said, signaling that the chief of general staff would do what is necessary. “He is a man who knows the world very well, and I highly doubt he would be involved in a plot like this,” he said. When Başbuğ took over command last year, he expressed his strong commitment to EU goals, Bağış recalled. He dismissed calls for Başbuğ’s resignation by Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, saying, “It is premature to make calls like that.”
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