Prime ministry denies any link between Erdogan-basbug meeting and new Ergenekon detentions

The Prime Ministry yesterday denied any connection between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent meeting with Land Forces Commander Gen. İlker Basbug and this week's detentions under the Ergenekon probe. Such a link is neither legal nor possible, as there is a continuing investigation and judicial process, said a ministry statement. Commenting on the same claims yesterday, Basbug also denied any linkage, saying, "I want to openly declare that the comments, implications and evaluations made about my recent meeting with Erdogan are absolutely false. The Ergenekon probe did not come up at all during that meeting." Basbug also dismissed the claims as conspiracy theories, saying, "I don't want to believe that everyone espousing these conspiracy theories has malicious intentions, but don't those theories serve to harm the Turkish Armed Forces' chain of command? Don't those theories deliberately serve this end or not? We have the right to ask these questions." He also said, "Turkey is going through difficult times. Everyone should act responsibly and carefully, and remain calm. In this respect, the media bears an important responsibility." The General Staff also released a statement saying that the detention of top retired officers and the searches of their homes were completely in line with law, adding that uniformed officers had conducted the searches in military areas.