"The armed forces have continued to exercise significant political
influence via formal and informal mechanisms," the report said. "Senior
members of the armed forces have expressed their opinion on domestic and
foreign policy issues going beyond their remit, including on Cyprus, the
southeast, secularism, political parties and other non-military
developments."
The EC said the Erdogan government has not revised the role of the
military. The report said the government failed to pass legislation that
would enhance civilian control over either the military or the paramilitary
Gendarmarie. In December 2007, the General Staff requested and received
parliamentary approval for air and ground strikes against the Kurdish
Workers Party in Iraq.
A key issue, the report said, was the government's lack of oversight in
Turkey's war against the PKK. The EC said the military and Gendarmerie
continued to conduct counter-insurgency missions without government
permission.
"Owing to Turkey's non compliance with its obligations related to the
additional protocol to the Ankara Agreement, in December 2006 the EU decided
to freeze eight chapters of the negotiations, but to continue with the other
chapters," the report said.