Turkey announces major cabinet reshuffle, including new FM

Erdogan presented a list of new ministers as part of the Cabinet revision to President Abdullah Gul, who approved the changes ahead of a news conference held at the Prime Ministry in the Turkish capital of Ankara. Â

 

One major change was the appointment of Ahmet Davutoglu, Erdogan's chief foreign policy advisor, as foreign minister, replacing Ali Babacan, who became deputy prime minister responsible for the economy.

 

Davutoglu, whose appointment marks a rare phenomenon in Turkish politics as an official joining the Cabinet without being a parliament member, mediated several rounds of indirect talks between Syria and Israel last year.

 

The former academic is also notably known for heading the Turkish delegation that shuttled between Israel and the radical Palestinian movement Hamas in January as part of international efforts to secure a ceasefire.

 

"Professor Davutoglu has been involved in intensive diplomatic activity... and I believe his experience makes him a valuable person for this job," Erdogan told members of the members.Â

 

CHANGES FOR STRONGER ECONOMY

Erdogan also explained that Babacan would now be responsible for all economic and financial institutions as well as state banks, stressing the need for a management by a single hand in times of economic difficulty.

 

"We wanted to be much more powerful and to have a single hand manage the economy," he said.

 

Babacan will replace Economy Minister Mehmet Simsek, returning to the post he left in 2007.

 

Simsek was appointed to replace Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, who suffered a bout of ill health earlier this year.

 

In another significant change, former parliament speaker Bulent Arinc became the second of the three deputy prime ministers.

 

Eight ministers, those of justice, finance, energy, education, housing, industry, trade and housing, lost their posts.

 

Ten ministers, including Cemil Cicek, deputy prime minister and government spokesman, remained in their posts.

 

The new Cabinet has 27 members, including the prime minister, one more than the outgoing one.

 

Erdogan praised the outgoing ministers and said he would not become involved debates over the rights or wrongs doings of any former members of the Cabinet. Â