Gul receives members of independent commission on Turkey

President Abdullah Gul yesterday received members of the Independent Commission on Turkey, a group of senior European policymakers currently preparing a report on Turkey's European Union membership bid. Chaired by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, the commission also includes former German State of Saxony Prime Minister Kurt Biedenkopf, Italy's former European Minister Emma Bonino, former Dutch Foreign Minister Hans Vanden Broek, former London School of Economics Dean Anthony Giddens, former Spanish Foreign Minister Marcelino Oreja Aguirre, former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard and former Austrian Foreign Undersecretary Albert Rohan. Turkey's newly appointed State Minister and chief EU talks negotiator Egemen Bagis also attended the luncheon, where Turkey's EU bid and reform process were discussed.