Turkish army denies lack of coordination claims

ISTANBUL

The Turkish General Staff denied a Turkish daily’s claims about alleged comments by the top U.S. general on the Turkish Armed Forces’ intelligence mistakes in the fight against terror due to a lack of coordination.

Daily Taraf claimed on Sept. 27 that American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey advised the Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel to immediately get out of the stovepipe situation during his Turkey visit last week, meaning to coordinate between institutions. “There are intelligence mistakes in the fight against terror due to lack of coordination between the police, armed forces, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and Foreign Ministry,” daily Taraf quoted Dempsey as having allegedly said.

The Turkish General Staff made a press statement and said that visiting foreign generals do not criticize their hosts on security issues and daily Taraf’s claims were groundless. The statement added that the Turkish Armed Forces, police, gendarmerie, intelligence organization and Interior Ministry had a close and well-coordinated relationship.