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Tag: Turkish President

  • Turkish President Raises Eyebrows with No Interpretation Speech in Bulgaria

    Turkish President Raises Eyebrows with No Interpretation Speech in Bulgaria

    Turkish President Abdullah Gul (middle) at the opening of the monument of legendary wrestler Koca Yusuf in Hitrino in Northeastern Bulgaria. Photo by BGNES
    Turkish President Abdullah Gul (middle) at the opening of the monument of legendary wrestler Koca Yusuf in Hitrino in Northeastern Bulgaria. Photo by BGNES

    Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul has stirred a controversy when he gave a speech in Turkish in a village in Northeastern Bulgaria without allowing for interpretation.

    Gul, who was visiting Shumen and Northeastern Bulgaria on the second day of his state visit, Tuesday, spoke for 9 minutes to about 2000 locals in the village of Hitrino, the correspondent of BGNES reported.

    Even though the interpreter made an attempt for a consecutive translation of the speech, Gul did not stop to allow for interpretation. Thus, his speech was understandable for local ethnic Turkish population and the journalists from Turkey but not for the some 30 Bulgarian journalists.

    According to the locals who heard Gul’s speech, he spoke about the good neighborly relations between Bulgaria and Turkey.

    The Mayor of Hitrino Nuridin Ismail spoke after Gul in Bulgarian with interpretation in Turkish.

    Gul was also present at the opening of a monument of legendary Bulgarian-Turkish wrestler Koca Yusuf (1864-1898) who is a native of the neighboring village of Cherna.

    The 8-ton marble statute of Koca Yusuf is authored by Shumen sculptor Bihcet Danaci, it bears an inscription in Bulgarian, Turkish, and English.

    Koca Yusuf is known for winning numerous wrestling matches across Europe and in America. In 1898, he perished on his way back to his native region of Northeastern Bulgaria on a trans-Atlantic voyage when his ship sank.

    In Hitrino, Turkish President Gul was also congratulated by children reciting poems in Bulgarian and Turkish and performing Bulgarian folklore dances.

    In Shumen, he visited the famous Tombul mosque, and the monument of the Creators of the Bulgarian State.

    via Bulgaria: Turkish President Raises Eyebrows with No Interpretation Speech in Bulgaria – Novinite.com – Sofia News Agency.

  • Turkish president arrives in Tehran

    Turkish president arrives in Tehran

    Turkish President Abdullah Gul has arrived in Tehran on a four-day official visit to discuss a whole range of topics with ranking Iranian authorities.

    Abdullah Gul

    The Turkish president was received by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi upon arrival at Mehrabad International Airport Sunday afternoon, reported IRNA.

    Gul’s trip comes at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

    An official welcoming ceremony is scheduled to be held for the Turkish head of state on Monday morning.

    President Gul is to hold official meetings with senior Iranian authorities and discuss the promotion of Tehran-Ankara cooperation plus pressing regional and international issues.

    The Turkish president is also slated to visit the Iranian cities of Isfahan and Tabriz during his trip.

    On the eve of his Tehran visit on Saturday, the Turkish president told IRNA that he would be accompanied by a host of Turkish investors and businessmen during the trip.

    The Iran-Turkey Joint Economic Cooperation Commission is also planned to be formed during the trip, he added.

    He described Iran and Turkey as two regional heavyweights, which “treat each other with mutual respect.”

    “Common borderlines between the two countries have not changed since 1639 and this is a unique example in the world,” he went on to say.

    “Various issues including political, economic, and cultural issues will be brought up between the two sides in this trip,” he further explained.

    Press Tv

  • Turkish president defends discussions with Iran

    Turkish president defends discussions with Iran

    By Daniel Bases

    NEW YORK | Fri Sep 24, 2010

    Abdullah Gul

    (Reuters) – Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday Turkey’s direct relations with Iran remain the best way to achieve a diplomatic solution for keeping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

    Turkey voted against the latest round of U.N. sanctions aimed at putting pressure on Tehran, which says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

    The United States, a key Turkish ally and fellow member of NATO, suspects Iran seeks to develop atomic weapons and is leading the effort to thwart its nuclear ambitions.

    Gul, speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations while attending the U.N. General Assembly meeting, addressed criticism that Turkey was shifting its orientation away from the West by engaging with Iran.

    “If you look at all our allies, which leaders among those countries have the ability to be able to have direct discussions with the Iranian leaders, including the supreme religious leader?” Gul asked.

    “There isn’t anyone,” he said, adding its engagement is for moving the process forward and should not be misunderstood.

    “As was the case in the past, Turkey is and will remain a strong committed and reliable ally of the United States,” he said.

    Gul once again criticized Israel’s actions in its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May. The incident has damaged relations between the two nations.

    “Having said that, I must also emphasize that Turkey and Israel are friends. There are strong, centuries-old ties of friendship between our peoples.”

    On Turkey’s European Union accession talks, Gul said the country remains committed to completing the process despite slow progress that he blamed on Europe.

    “Europe today lacks a strategic vision, a strategic perspective of what it wants to be 50-60 years down the road,” he said.

    (Editing by Xavier Briand)

    Reuters

  • Turkish president demands apology for flotilla at UN

    Turkish president demands apology for flotilla at UN

    Turkish PresidentBy JORDANA HORN

    Gul calls ‘Marmara’ raid an “unacceptable act in international law,”; calls on Israel to put an end to the “humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.”

    NEW YORK – Addressing the General Assembly at the United Nations on Thursday, Turkish President Abdullah Gul referenced the May 31 Gaza flotilla incident and demanded both a formal apology from Israel as well as compensation for the victims.

    Calling the deaths on the Mavi Marmara an “unacceptable act in international law,” Gul said Turkey is owed “a formal apology and compensation for the aggrieved families of the victims and the injured people” by Israel.

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    Gul: Israel unable to act rationally

    Gul referenced the flotilla incident in part of his remarks focusing on the political component of the General Assembly’s agenda, noting that there is “no shortage of regional issues” to be discussed.

    “Peace in the Middle East holds the key to a peaceful and stable future in the world,” Gul said, addressing the body in English.  “Unfortunately, the absence of peace there has had serious and adverse consequences for the rest of the world.”

    It would be difficult to make progress toward permanent peace, Gul said, “unless we put an end to the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.”

    Gul attached significance to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s Panel of Inquiry into the May 31 flotilla incident, as well as the fact finding mission of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

    Gul said he is “pleased” with the Human Rights Council report, which he said offered “a solid legal framework for establishing the facts about the incident.” Many NGOs, including UN Watch and NGO Monitor, have deemed the work of the Human Rights Council panel irreparably biased against Israel.

    Referencing Iran very briefly, Gul said there is “no alternative to diplomacy” in ensuring Iran’s conformity to International  Atomic Energy Agency norms.

    https://www.jpost.com/International/Turkish-president-demands-apology-for-flotilla-at-UN, 23.09.2010

  • Turkish President: “Fight Against Terrorism Is Most Important Issue Of Turkey”

    Turkish President: “Fight Against Terrorism Is Most Important Issue Of Turkey”

    Monday, 14 June 2010

    Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Sunday that fight against terrorism was the most important issue of Turkey.

    Gul replied to questions of reporters on board the plane en route from Turkey to South Korea.

    “Terrorist organizations are used or motivated sometimes. They don’t have their own rules. Together we should fight against terrorism. We are combating it also by minimizing it and isolating it with all dimensions. Fight against terrorism is always atop the agenda of Turkey,” he said.

    Replying to a question, Gul said, “Turkey will get rid of terrorism.

    Turkey’s standards have been upgraded. The country’s democracy standards are of great importance for isolation of terrorism. We will do whatever we can to get rid of it. There is no other way. We will overcome this issue. Our fight will continue till terrorism is isolated.”

    Monday, 14 June 2010

    A.A

     

    Turkish Weekly