Turks hail decision to shorten military ..

According to the decision, military service will be reduced from 18 months to 15 months starting from July 15, 2003, allowing a decrease in the number of soldiers by 17 percent, which military observers said is 85,000 soldiers.

According to the plan, the service period of reserve officers will be reduced from 16 months to 12 months and the service period of short term military service will be shortened from eight months to six months.

The government approved the decision of the TSK.

Almost 19 percent of those who surveyed said it was the best action of the government, while 10.1 percent believe that the government’s efforts and reform packages that were passed as a part of Turkey’s ambition to become a full-member to the European Union were the best action of the government.

The government has completed the sixth reform package in line with Turkey’s EU path and it has been working on the seventh package, mainly limiting the influence of the military on politics.

EU officials repeatedly told Turkey that implementation of the reforms has equal importance with passing the reform packages.