Turkish President Abdullah Gül dismissed necessity for a leaders’ summit over the ongoing Gezi park protests today.
“All political party leaders summit might be helpful from time to time. At this point, I look what will help to reach a conclusion. I do not believe that it will contribute much considering the current political atmosphere,” Gül told reporters upon a question whether he will gather a leaders’ summit to discuss the ongoing protests across the country.
“I believe holding one on one meetings with the leaders and sharing their thoughts in these meetings will be more helpful,” Gül said during a visit to Black Sea province of Rize today. Gül said that he has shared the opinions of the main opposition party leader during his meeting with the prime minister.
Gül called on the international media to be cautious while reporting on the Gezi protests, saying that “everyone should see that Turkey is a democratic country” unlike some regional countries hit by successive uprisings.
He also said the Istanbul police and administration were aware that the intervention at Gezi Park on the very first day was wrong, saying that the police’s attitude had changed since then.
Gül held a meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the issue. President Gül also met with the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu last week over the incidents.
On June 11, Kılıçdaroğlu, appealed to Gül to convene a summit of leaders to tackle the tension between the police and the people in the Gezi protests.
