Turkey's president Abdullah Gül ratified today military appointments to senior positions but the top two posts were not assigned. Excluded from the promotion were also those officers who are being tried on coup plot allegations.

The ratification by Gül came after four days of talks in Ankara between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan’s government and the military. This year's Supreme Military Council, or YAÞ, caused a harsh debate as 11 of the officers tipped for promotion were suspects in an alleged coup plot against the government.

Indeed today's appointments did not include any of the officers who are being tried in connection with the so called “Sledgehammer” (Balyoz) case, an alleged coup plot. The list approved by Gül also did not include a candidate for Land Forces commander nor a candidate for chief of General Staff.

Last Monday, just as the YAÞ meeting started, the prosecutor called on Gen. Hasan Iðsýz, acting commander of the 1st Army and top candidate for Land Forces commander, to testify as part of the Ergenekon investigation.