President Abdullah Gül, prior to his departure for Nigeria, responded to queries from the press about the appointments of rectors to universities and other issues on the agenda.
Commenting on the news in the Israeli media that he would talk to his Israeli counterpart in a third country, the President said there was no such attempt or a planned agenda on this issue.
NEW ERA WITH IRAQ IN FIGHTING TERRORISM
In response to a query from a reporter, asking what the public should understand from the speech by the Turkish Chief of General Staff, sharing his views about the fight against the terrorist organization, saying: “We are at the stage where words do not count,” the President commented as follows: “Fighting against terrorism is Turkey’s biggest matter, which has foreign political dimensions as well. Our security forces fight on the field and there are economic and social sides of this issue. Turkey is resolute in its commitment to eradicating this problem. International cooperation is crucial as well. There is no doubt that the terrorist organization has taken advantage of the lack of authority in Iraq. Therefore, there has emerged a new era for more collaboration between the two countries.”
APPOINTMENT OF RECTORS: “THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE REVISED”
When asked about what he thought of the appointments of rectors to universities, President Gül recalled that he had emphasized the inadequacies inherent in the system regarding universities’ elections and appointments of rectors before, saying: “You must remember that this system was implemented as a reaction after the military intervention on September 12, 1980. Today’s Turkey is much different. Thus, this system should be revised and that of the developed countries should be examined, which will be fit a country that has been conducting its negotiation process with the EU.”
MEETING OF POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS
Responding to a question about whether he would call for a meeting with the political party leaders at the Çankaya Presidential Palace, the President reminded the press that he had met with them each before. “I have already urged them all to conduct talks among themselves in such situations with self confidence,” he said.
