Supreme Military Counciş convenes in Ankara

The Supreme Military Council (YAS), chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, convened yesterday for its annual meeting in the military headquarters with the participation of Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Ozel, Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz and other high-ranking military officers. YAS members, who were led by Erdogan, paid a visit to Anitkabir (the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk) at noon on the first day of the meeting, which is set to continue until Aug. 4. During his visit to Anitkabir, Erdogan wrote the following in the special book of the mausoleum: "We are exerting sincere efforts for ending the wars and clashes in our region and for [encouraging] fraternal peoples to live in peace as part of a humanitarian and conscientious responsibility that our history necessitates to us." Following its annual four-day-long review of the army's readiness for war and completion of military personnel promotions, decisions of the council will be made public after approval by President Abdullah Gul.