ANKARA -- Turkey's powerful army on Tuesday lashed out at Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz for his remarks that the country's current understanding of security hindered its development.

"It is baseless and worrying that a person who shares part of the responsibility on ensuring national security makes a speech targeting certain institutions," the general staff said in a harshly worded statement.

At a Congress of his Conservative Motherland Party (ANAP) at the weekend, Yilmaz had said that the concept of national security came up as an obstacle against every step forward and urged a public debate on its necessity, AFP said.

The army statement recalled that Turkey was still fighting against radical Islamic movements undermining the secular order and a Kurdish movement in its southeastern area which once sought to carve an independent state out of Turkish territory.

"One issue that needs to be discussed is whether what is believed to be a step forward is really a step forward," it added, implying that any move facilitating Islamic or Kurdish movements would not be tolerated.

The statement also obliquely accused Yilmaz of "running away from responsibility and prospects of failure by attacking others" rather than "fulfilling duties" in the face of problems.

It warned against blaming the country's woes -- a crisis-hit economy, corruption, lack of political stability and the Kurdish problem -- on national security.

"Covering up these problems with the concept of national security is illogical, unjust and dangerous," the statement said.

The Turkish Army, which carried out three coups in Turkey's 78-year history, yields significant influence in domestic politics and frequently issues statements criticizing the country's political leaders.