Turkey's deputy premier expresses sorrow over arrest of former chief of general staff

IZMIR (A.A) - January 8, 2012 - Turkey's deputy prime minister Saturday expressed sorrow over arrest of former chief of general staff. Bulent Arinc said nobody could be pleased about arrest of others, and noted that he would like to express sorrow over arrest of retired general Ilker Basbug. "We can only be sad about arrest of a commander who served the highest rank of the armed forces for this or that claim," Arinc told reporters in the Aegean province of Izmir. Arinc said what everybody should do was to prevent this position to be harmed and prevent Turkish Armed Forces and Office of Chief of General Staff from losing its prestige. Deputy Prime Minister Arinc said nobody had the right to commit crimes in Turkey, and judiciary was independent. Istanbul court on duty arrested early on Friday retired general Ilker Basbug and sent him to Silivri Prison in Istanbul on charges of leading an organization and attempting to abolish the Republic of Turkey by using force. Basbug was appointed as the Chief of General Staff in 2008.  Ilker Basbug retired on August 20, 2010.  Moreover, Arinc said the government would launch initiatives to lift political immunity, and that was why the government was so excited about a new constitution. "I think the delegation that will write the new constitution will define immunities in the best way," Arinc also said.