PRESIDENT GUL HOSTS THINK-TANK HEADS AT CANKAYA PALACE

Turkish Press
June 30 2008

President Abdullah Gul yesterday hosted a luncheon at the Cankaya
Presidential Palace for the heads of three think-tanks, the latest
in a series of invitations to prominent civilian figures since
he took office last year. Former Ambassador Faruk Logoglu of the
Eurasia Strategic Studies Centre (ASAM), Guven Sak of the Turkey
Economic Policy Research Foundation (TEPAV), and Ibrahim Kalin of
the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA)
attended the event. Touching on this fall`s US presidential election,
Gul said that it is essential for Turkey to reach out to advisors to
the two presidential nominees, and to make clear Turkey`s views on
such issues as terrorism and the Armenian allegations. "We have to
strengthen ties with the US presidential nominees," he urged. Stating
that Turkey has to follow global dynamics closely, he said that
universities have a great role to play in this process. Commenting
on the Turkish National Football Team`s historic win over Croatia
last week, Gul said that he will go to Basel to watch Wednesday`s
Turkey-Germany semifinal match. /Turkiye-Star/