Ankara - The Prime Minister, Mr Bulent Ecevit, walked out of a meeting yesterday, angry at President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's criticism of his clampdown on corruption, in a clash that brought turmoil to Turkey's financial markets.
Mr Ecevit accused Mr Sezer, a former head of the constitutional court, of making "grave accusations" against him at the monthly meeting of the National Security Council and declared that a "grave crisis" had erupted.
The Prime Minister initially refused to disclose what was behind the dispute but later revealed that Mr Sezer had expressed disapproval of his government's anti-corruption drive.
"He was trying to give the impression that he did not think it was enough," Mr Ecevit told reporters, referring to the anti-corruption effort.