LONDON – Anatolia News Agency
The U.K.’s leading think tank, Chatham House, has awarded Turkish President Abdullah Gül with the 2010 Chatham House prize due to “his national, regional and international qualifications,” the organization’s president said Friday.
“President Gül is recognized for being a significant figure for reconciliation and moderation within Turkey and internationally, and a driving force behind many of the positive steps that Turkey has taken in recent years,” Chatham House said in statement on its Web site.
The think tank drew attention to Gül’s efforts to deepen Turkey’s traditional ties with the Middle East, mediate between rival groups in Iraq and bring together the Afghan and Pakistani leaderships to try to resolve disputes during 2009.
“He has also made significant efforts to reunify the divided island of Cyprus and has played a leading role, along with his Armenian counterpart, in initiating a process of reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia,” the statement said.
www.hurriyetdailynews.com, March 19, 2010