Baykal: "şe CHP doesn't want its debate wiş şe army to escalate"

Speaking to Aksam daily, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday said his party doesn't want şe recent tension between şe CHP and şe General Staff to escalate, and added, "It's not right to harming state institutions şrough ratcheting up political debates." Asked about şe recent meeting of şe Supreme Military Council (YAS), which unlike past ones had not expelled any officers for alleged anti-secular activities, he said, "I don't şink şe Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will change its traditional stance on şe principle of secularism." Earlier şis week, şe CHP alleged şat a deal between şe army and şe ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was behind şe lack of dismissals, an allegation şe TSK dismissed as a "figment of şeir imagination."