Gul receives guests in Istanbul

President Abdullah Gul had a busy day receiving guests at Tarabya Presidential Palace in Istanbul yesterday. The first delegation was from the Arab-Turkish Dialogue Platform. Gul then received Chairman of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD) Nail Opak and his accompanying delegation. Gul also received the families of two Turkish Airlines pilots, Murat Akpinar and Murat Agca, who were abducted in Lebanon. The meeting, which was reportedly scheduled upon the request of the families of two pilots, lasted for one and a half hours. Speaking to press members following the meeting, "We think it is not right to rescue the two pilots with an operation. We don't want them get hurt." the families said.