The sources said the General Staff, particularly outgoing Chief of Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, insisted that Igsiz receive the promotion. They said Prime Minister Recep Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, both of whom are from the Justice and Development Party, have strongly opposed the appointment.

The disagreement was said to have delayed an announcement by the Supreme Military Council on Turkey's future commanders. On Aug. 4, the council ended a four-day meeting without releasing names of the heads of the Army as well as other key posts.

So far, Gul has ratified all military appointments with the exception of of Igisiz and Gen. Isak Kosaner. Kosnaner, the current Army commander, had been expected to succeed Basbug as chief of staff by September 2010. Turkey's semi-official Anatolia news agency said Gul would announce the next Army chief on Aug. 5.

Analysts said the government and military have disagreed over previous appointments. But they said Gul and Erdogan, in contrast to previous years, have worked together to block military appointments.

"The government wants to arrange council issues according to its views to a degree that has not been seen until this year," said Mehmet Ali Kisali, a military analyst for Turkey's daily Radikal. "It wants to make its weight felt."

The council session was accompanied by several high-level meetings to break the deadlock over proposed military appointments. Over the last two days, Gul met with both Erdogan and Basbug to resolve the issue.

"Everything is normal," Gul said.

Turkish sources said the General Staff could examine a series of options should the government refuse to back down. They said one option was a resignation of dozens of commanders in protest of government interference.

"This year's summit is different," Kisali said. "Why? Because the government's approach toward the armed forces is different."

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