President Gul hosts think-tank heads at Cankaya palace

President Abdullah Gul yesterday hosted a luncheon at the Cankaya Presidential Palace for the heads of three think-tanks, the latest in a series of invitations to prominent civilian figures since he took office last year. Former Ambassador Faruk Logoglu of the Eurasia Strategic Studies Centre (ASAM), Guven Sak of the Turkey Economic Policy Research Foundation (TEPAV), and Ibrahim Kalin of the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) attended the event. Touching on this fall's US presidential election, Gul said that it is essential for Turkey to reach out to advisors to the two presidential nominees, and to make clear Turkey's views on such issues as terrorism and the Armenian allegations. "We have to strengthen ties with the US presidential nominees," he urged. Stating that Turkey has to follow global dynamics closely, he said that universities have a great role to play in this process. Commenting on the Turkish National Football Team's historic win over Croatia last week, Gul said that he will go to Basel to watch Wednesday's Turkey-Germany semifinal match.