ANKARA, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - A general seen as a hardliner will take over as the chief of staff of Turkey's armed forces, the army announced on its website Monday after a meeting of the military high command.

General Ilker Basbug, the current head of Turkey's army, will replace General Yasar Buyukanit who at the age of 65 is retiring. The 63-year-old Basbug will serve for two years in the top military post.

President Abdullah Gul approved Basbug's nomination to the post.

Who occupies this key military post is a crucial indicator of the political climate, say political analysts, as the army sees itself as one of the guardians of the secular principles on which Turkey was founded.

Basbug is seen as something of a 'hawk' when it comes to protecting Turkey's secular values.

Although the army has intervened less frequently in public life in recent years, partly because of the pro-European reforms that have eroded their formal powers, the forces still enjoy great public support and considerable influence.

In April 2007 however, they issued a sharp warning to the Islamist-rooted government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan only hours after parliament began rounds of presidential voting that elected Gul.

They accused the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of failing to prevent rising anti-secular activity in the country in what many analysts saw as an ultimatum.

The Turkish military has carried out three coups: in 1960, 1971 and 1980. And in 1997 the army forced the first Islamist government in Turkey's history to resign.

Only last week, Erdogan's AKP party narrowly escaped being outlawed by the country's top court for undermining secularism. The judges decided to punish it with financial sanctions instead.