Turkey President Abdullah Gül speech – The Turkish president, Abdullah Gül, marked the end of the Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit by reading a joint statement issued from all 22 members.
Turkey President Abdullah Gul addressing Turkish and International press to mark the end of the CICA summit
Abdullah Gül who read out a joint statement from all 22 nations from the CICA summit surprisingly did not condemn the Flotilla raid by the Israeli Defense Forces last week which led to the death of eight Turkish citizens and a Turkish born American.
The end speech of the summit by Gül at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul spoke of the success of the Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit and that CICA was on the way to be an institutionalized organization.
Gül who spoke of his joy of both Vietnam and Iraq being the latest addition of CICA said also spoke of his gratitude for being assigned as the CICA Chairman until 2012.
Gül explained that as chair of CICA with the partnership of Turkey, he will work for regional and global piece as well as stability. Gül said “with the help and partnership of other member countries, I am confident that we will secure peace and prosperity.”
The CICA was founded and chaired by Kazakhstan President, Nursultan Nazarbayev since 1992 after the end of the Cold War. It is suggested that the chairman of CICA would change every two years and will stay in Turkey until 2012 when Gül will pass it over to a fellow member nation.
CICA Nations condemn Israel deadly Flotilla raid
However Abdullah Gül who then went onto the Presidential Speech condemned Israel and announced that all 22 nations which attended the CICA summit apart from Israel has condemned Israel’s actions against the Aid flotilla.
Abdullah Gül who spoke in front of both Turkish and International press said “all 22 nationas apart from Israel, has condemned the actions of Israel.
Gül also spoke of Israel to leave Arab land occupied since 1967 and to declare Palestine an independent government.
Abdullah Gül said “A vast majority of the member countries (of the CICA) has called for Israel, who has occupied Arab land since 1967 to leave, for Palestine to be declared an independent government with its capital being East Jerusalem and for the problems of Palestinian refugees to be solved in accordance with the United Nation”
Abdullah Gül continued by saying that “all other nations that took part in the Summit showed great concern for the violent raid of the aid Flotilla, and all have condemned the actions other than one (Israel)”.
It was also reported that the Israeli ambassador in Turkey, Gabi Levy left the hall during the speech of Iranian President, Mahmut Ahmedinejad who fiercely criticized Israel.
According to a diplomat source at the summit, the Levy’s storming out of the room had not come as a shock as it was an expected form of protest.
“We all expected President Ahmedinejad was going to criticize Israel, and we all expected ambassador Levy to protest Ahmedinejad by leaving the room.” said the source.
The President, when asked by a journalist about Israeli relations, repeated what the Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said over the issue.
Gül replied “The relations between Israel and Turkey depends on the decisions of Israel.”
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