Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (C), Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul (L) and top officials greet the coffin of Kadir Yalcin, one of the four Turkish troops killed in southeast Turkey, during his funeral in Ankara June 9, 2007. Four Turkish troops were killed when a mine exploded in southeast Turkey on Thursday, security sources said, blaming the blast on Kurdish rebels. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (C), Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul (R) and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal (L) pray during the funeral of Kadir Yalcin, one of the four Turkish troops killed in southeast Turkey, in Ankara June 9, 2007. Four Turkish troops were killed when a mine exploded in southeast Turkey on Thursday, security sources said, blaming the blast on Kurdish rebels. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit wipes his tears during the funeral of Kadir Yalcin, one of the four Turkish troops killed in southeast Turkey, in Ankara June 9, 2007. Four Turkish troops were killed when a mine exploded in southeast Turkey on Thursday, security sources said, blaming the blast on Kurdish rebels. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit talks to former Chief of Staff General Huseyin Kivrikoglu (R) before making his speech at an international symposium on the "New Dimensions of Security and International Organizations" at the war academy in Istanbul May 31, 2007. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit addresses an international symposium on the "New Dimensions of Security and International Organizations" at the war academy in Istanbul May 31, 2007. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit addresses an international symposium on the "New Dimensions of Security and International Organizations" at the war academy in Istanbul May 31, 2007. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit addresses an international symposium on the "New Dimensions of Security and International Organizations" at the war academy in Istanbul May 31, 2007. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (2nd R), Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (2nd L), Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R) and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul (L) watch the Sea Wolf-2007 Military Exercise on the deck of Turkish naval ship Kemal Reis in the Aegean, off Turkey's coastal city of Izmir May 26, 2007. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R) sail on the Turkish navy ship Amasra during the Sea Wolf-2007 military exercise in the Aegean, off Turkey's coastal city of Izmir May 26, 2007. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (C), Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R) pray during the funeral of Vedat Dayioglu, one of the six Turkish troops killed in southeast Turkey on Thursday, in Turkey's western coastal city of Izmir May 25, 2007. Six Turkish troops were killed when a mine exploded in southeast Turkey on Thursday, security sources said, blaming the blast on Kurdish rebels. The attack came at a time of mounting speculation that the army may cross into northern Iraq to launch an operation against Kurdish guerrillas based there. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

A military aircraft fires a flare during the Efes-2007 Military Exercise in Izmir May 25, 2007. Turkish army chief Yasar Buyukanit last month called for a military operation into Iraq to quash Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas. Following Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara which killed six people, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish security forces would do whatever was necessary to safeguard the country. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R) listens to an officer during the Efes-2007 Military Exercise in Izmir May 25, 2007. Buyukanit last month called for a military operation into Iraq to quash Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas. Following Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara which killed six people, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish security forces would do whatever was necessary to safeguard the country. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Combat helicopters fly during the Efes-2007 Military Exercise in Izmir May 25, 2007. Turkish army chief Yasar Buyukanit last month called for a military operation into Iraq to quash Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas. Following Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara which killed six people, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish security forces would do whatever was necessary to safeguard the country. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

A soldier runs to his position as part of a landing exercise during the Efes-2007 Military Exercise in Izmir May 25, 2007. Turkish army chief Yasar Buyukanit last month called for a military operation into Iraq to quash Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas. Following Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara which killed six people, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish security forces would do whatever was necessary to safeguard the country. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (C) attends a briefing as he flanked by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (L), Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R) and top military officials during the Efes-2007 Military Exercise in Izmir May 25, 2007. Buyukanit last month called for a military operation into Iraq to quash Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas. Following Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara which killed six people, Erdogan said the Turkish security forces would do whatever was necessary to safeguard the country. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Amphibious ships sail for a landing exercise during the Efes-2007 Military Exercise in Izmir May 25, 2007. Turkish army chief Yasar Buyukanit last month called for a military operation into Iraq to quash Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas. Following Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara which killed six people, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish security forces would do whatever was necessary to safeguard the country. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (L) follows President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (R) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (rear R) during the Efes-2007 Military Exercise in Izmir May 25, 2007. Buyukanit last month called for a military operation into Iraq to quash Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas. Following Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara which killed six people, Erdogan said the Turkish security forces would do whatever was necessary to safeguard the country. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R) gestures as he talks to Air Force Commander General Faruk Comert during the Efes-2007 Military Exercise in Izmir May 25, 2007. Buyukanit last month called for a military operation into Iraq to quash Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas. Following Tuesday's bomb attack in Ankara which killed six people, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish security forces would do whatever was necessary to safeguard the country. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Chief of Staff of the Turkish army General Yasar Buyukanit (C) visits the site of an explosion with Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul (speaking with Buyukanit, in black suit) in Ankara May 22, 2007. A bomb at a shopping mall in Turkey's capital Ankara killed four Turks and one Pakistani on Tuesday and injured more than 60 people, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit prays during a funeral ceremony in Ankara May 3, 2007. Officers, including the top generals of the Turkish army attended today the funeral of Colonel Birol Atakan, who died in a traffic accident on Wednesday. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit stands behind an imam during a funeral prayer in Ankara May 3, 2007. Officers, including the top generals of the Turkish army attended today the funeral of Colonel Birol Atakan, who died in a traffic accident on Wednesday. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's government spokesman Cemil Cicek addresses the media in Ankara April 28, 2007. Turkey's Islamist-rooted government on Saturday sharply criticised an army threat to intervene in the country's politics and said the military was answerable to the civilian authorities. Government spokesman Cemil Cicek said Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had spoken by telephone with Turkey's top general, Yasar Buyukanit, after Friday's statement in which the military said it was ready to act in defence of secularism. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R), Land Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug (L) and military officials attend a special debate marking National Sovereignty and Child's Day at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara April 23, 2007. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit wait for the start of a ceremony marking National Sovereignty and Child's Day at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara April 23, 2007. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (front) pauses as Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit stands next to him during a ceremony marking National Sovereignty and Child's Day at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara April 23, 2007. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (front) pauses as Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit stands next to him during a ceremony marking National Sovereignty and Child's Day at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara April 23, 2007. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (2nd R), Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (R), Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc (2nd L) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (L) attend the opening ceremony of the Ataturk Museum Palace in Ankara April 19, 2007. REUTERS/Cem Oksuz/Pool (TURKEY) 

General Yasar Buyukanit, Commander of the Turkish armed forces, visits the house where Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, was born in Thessaloniki, April 19, 2007. REUTERS/Grigoris Siamidis (GREECE) 

General Yasar Buyukanit, Commander of the Turkish armed forces, visits the house where Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, was born in Thessaloniki April 19, 2007. REUTERS/Grigoris Siamidis (GREECE) 

General Yasar Buyukanit, Commander of the Turkish armed forces (L), and his Greek counterpart Admiral Panagiotis Chinifotis walk together at the start of the Balkan Countries Chiefs of Defence conference in Thessaloniki April 18, 2007. REUTERS/Grigoris Siamidis (GREECE) 

General Yasar Buyukanit, Commander of the Turkish armed forces, gestures during the start of the Balkan Countries Chiefs of Defence conference in Thessaloniki April 18, 2007. REUTERS/Grigoris Siamidis (GREECE) 

General Yasar Buyukanit, Commander of the Turkish armed forces (R), shakes hands with Greek National Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis during the opening of the Balkan Countries Chiefs of Defence conference in Thessaloniki April 18, 2007. REUTERS/Grigoris Siamidis (GREECE) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit addresses the media in Ankara April 12, 2007. The head of Turkey's powerful military General Staff called on Thursday for a military operation in northern Iraq to quash Turkish Kurdish rebels hiding there. But Buyukanit, in a rare news conference, added that the army had not asked parliament to authorise any such operation. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit addresses the media in Ankara April 12, 2007. The head of Turkey's powerful military General Staff called on Thursday for a military operation in northern Iraq to quash Turkish Kurdish rebels hiding there. But Buyukanit, in a rare news conference, added that the army had not asked parliament to authorise any such operation. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit addresses the media in Ankara April 12, 2007. The head of Turkey's powerful military General Staff called on Thursday for a military operation in northern Iraq to quash Turkish Kurdish rebels hiding there. But Buyukanit, in a rare news conference, added that the army had not asked parliament to authorise any such operation. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit addresses the media in Ankara, April 12, 2007. The head of Turkey's powerful military General Staff called on Thursday for a military operation in northern Iraq to quash Turkish Kurdish rebels hiding there. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (L), Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul (C) and Land Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug (R) pray during the funeral ceremony of Lieutenant Sertac Uzun in Ankara, April 8, 2007. Turks marched on Sunday in Ankara after the coffin of the Turkish soldier killed by a mine blast on Saturday in southeast Turkey. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit attends the funeral ceremony of Lieutenant Sertac Uzun in Ankara, April 8, 2007. Turks marched on Sunday in Ankara behind the coffin of the Turkish soldier killed by a mine blast on Saturday in southeast Turkey. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul (R) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (L) leave the Foreign Ministry after a meeting in Ankara February 1, 2007. Turkey's top general confirmed on Thursday a report that warships were patrolling the eastern Mediterranean, but denied they had been sent to waters near Cyprus over an oil exploration row as claimed in local media. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul (R) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (L) greet each other at the entrance of the Foreign Ministry after a meeting in Ankara February 1, 2007. Turkey's top general confirmed on Thursday a report that warships were patrolling the eastern Mediterranean, but denied they had been sent to waters near Cyprus over an oil exploration row as claimed in local media. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul (R) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (L) leave the Foreign Ministry flanked by officials after a meeting in Ankara February 1, 2007. Turkey's top general confirmed on Thursday a report that warships were patrolling the eastern Mediterranean, but denied they had been sent to waters near Cyprus over an oil exploration row as claimed in local media. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Bulent Ecevit's wife Rahsan Ecevit (2nd L), President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (C), Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (2nd R) and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R) bid farewell as they stand behind the riot police during the funeral of former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit in Ankara November 11, 2006. Thousands of Turks chanted in defence of secularism on Saturday as they buried veteran leader Ecevit, best known for winning EU candidacy for Turkey and invading Cyprus in a five-decade political career. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit walks in front of Greek parliament after inspecting a guard of honour in Athens November 2, 2006. Turkish General is on a three-day visit to Greece. REUTERS/Yiorgos Karahalis (GREECE) 

Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (L) and top military officials attend a meeting of the National Security Council of Turkey in Ankara October 31, 2006. Army officials (2nd L - R) are Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit, Land Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug, Sea Forces Commander Admiral Yener Karahanoglu and Air Force Commander General Faruk Comert. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's head of military General Staff Yasar Buyukanit arrives to make a speech at the opening of the war academy in Istanbul October 2, 2006. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's head of military General Staff Yasar Buyukanit bows after speaking at the opening of war academy in Istanbul October 2, 2006. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's head of military General Staff Yasar Buyukanit speaks at the opening of war academy in Istanbul October 2, 2006. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's head of military General Staff Yasar Buyukanit speaks at the opening of war academy in Istanbul October 2, 2006. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's head of military General Staff Yasar Buyukanit stands under a portrait of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, as he addresses at the opening of the war academy in Istanbul October 2, 2006. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's head of military General Staff Yasar Buyukanit stands under a portrait of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, as he addresses at the opening of the war academy in Istanbul October 2, 2006. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's newly appointed chief of staff General Yasar Buyukanit poses with a Turkish flag during a Victory Day celebration in Ankara August 30, 2006. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Newly appointed Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit (R) shakes hands with his predecessor General Hilmi Ozkok during a handover ceremony in the Chief of Staff headquarters in Ankara August 28, 2006. REUTERS/Pool 

Turkey's Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the mausoleum of Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, in Ankara August 1, 2006. Turkey's president named General Buyukanit as chief of the powerful military on Monday. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (L) chairs the annual meeting of the High Military Council as he is flanked by Chief of Staff General Hilmi Ozkok (C) and Turkish Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit (R) in Ankara August 1, 2006. Turkey's president named Buyukanit as chief of the powerful military on Monday. Standing at the back is an unidentified official secretary of the council. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan chairs the annual meeting of the High Military Council in Ankara August 1, 2006. Turkey's president named General Yasar Buyukanit as chief of the powerful military on Monday. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) 

Turkey's Land Forces commander General Yasar Buyukanit and his Israeli counterpart General Yiftah Ron-Tal review the honour guards during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara. Turkey's Land Forces commander General Yasar Buyukanit (L) and his Israeli counterpart General Yiftah Ron-Tal (R) review honour guards during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara,June 29, 2005. General Yiftah Ron-Tal will meet with top Turkish military officials during his visit to the Turkish capital. REUTERS/Umit Bektas 

Turkish Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit reviews honour guards at the headquarters of NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey. Turkish Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit reviews honour guards during a farewell ceremony at the headquarters of NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey (NRDC-T), Turkish 3rd Corps, in Istanbul January 11, 2005, on the eve of departure of the troops to Afghanistan. Turkish 3rd Corps (NRDC-T) troops will start to deploy to Afghanistan on January 12 and will take over the leadership of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF VII) in Kabul between February and August 2005. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas 

Turkish Commander General Buyukanit and ISAF Commander Lt. General Erdagi receive flowers from children of soldiers during a farewell ceremony at the headquarters of NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey. Turkish Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit (L) flanked by ISAF VII Commander Ltg. Ethem Erdagi (C) leans to receive a bouquet of flowers from the daughter of a Turkish soldier during a farewell ceremony at the headquarters of NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey (NRDC-T), Turkish 3rd Corps, in Istanbul January 11, 2005, on the eve of their departure to Afghanistan. Turkish 3rd Corps (NRDC-T), starting to deploy to Afghanistan on January 12, will take over the leadership of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF VII) in Kabul between February and August 2005. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas 

Turkish Chief of Staff General Hilmi Ozkok and top military officials attend meeting of National Security Council in Ankara. Turkish Chief of Staff General Hilmi Ozkok (R), Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit (2nd R), Sea Forces Commander Admiral Ozden Ornek (C), Air Force Commander General Ibrahim Firtina (2nd L) and Gendarme Forces Commander General Fevzi Turkeri (L) attend a meeting of the National Security Council of Turkey in Ankara, October 27, 2004. The National Security Council meets to study the European Union Commission's progress report with its first civilian Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan. REUTERS/Umit Bektas 

Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Land Forces Commander General Aytac Yalman review the honour guards during a handover ceremony in Ankara. Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (R) and Land Forces Commander General Aytac Yalman (L) review the honour guard during a handover ceremony in Ankara, August 27, 2004. General Yalman handed over his office to the newly appointed Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit. Under the decisions of High Military Council, which will take effect as of August 30, 2004, Land Forces Commander General Aytac Yalman retired. REUTERS/ Umit Bektas