Foreign leaders praise achievements of AKP and Turkey

Prominent political figures from the Middle East, as well as other international figures, yesterday attended the convention of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara. The invitees, including Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, Sudan's Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, Iraqi Vice President Tariq Hashimi, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Irsen Kucuk, Leader of the regional Kurdish administration in Iraq's north Massoud Barzani, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, former president of Bosnia-Herzegovina Haris Silajdzic, former Lebanese President Amin Jamayel, former Palestinian Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and leader of Tunisia's ruling Ennahda Party, Rachid Ghannouchi received a warm welcome from the members of the AKP. Among these prominent foreign guests, the longest speech was made by Morsi, who has hailed Prime Minister and governing AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan as his brother. "I cannot hide my admiration over these achievements and convey you the admiration of all Egyptian people," said Morsi. Stating that Turkey's involvement in developments in Egypt and other regional countries is essential to economic and social rehabilitation following the Arab Spring revolutions in those countries, Morsi said, "We need Turkey's help in terms of managing the process after the Arab Spring in the region." Barzani also addressed the congress, saying that they were ready to provide assistance to Erdogan for stooping the bloodshed in the region.
" Whatever necessary will be done and we are ready to do it. We do think that peace is the only way to understand each other accurately," Barzani said. Speaking for his part, Mashaal said, "The story of the AK Party is a model of success. The Turkish nation, you can be proud of it." Al-Hashemi stated that he was pleased to participate in the congress and described the AKP as unique.