ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey named a new military chief Monday who favors a tougher line against Kurdish rebels and negotiations on the secular Muslim country joining the European Union.
The change comes as the United States is pressing Turkey to contribute to a possible peacekeeping force along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Turkey, NATO's only Muslim member, had expressed a readiness to contribute troops to a peacekeeping force if there were first a cease-fire and if the force were backed by a U.N. resolution.
Turkey has been insisting that Washington do more to crack down against Turkish Kurdish rebels operating out of bases in northern Iraq.
Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, head of the land forces, was appointed chief of staff by the Cabinet, replacing Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, who retires in late August.
http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20060731/D8J77MI85.html
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