Gul addresses Council on Foreign Relations in New York

Making a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York, President Abdullah Gul focused on regional issues including the crisis in Syria and the recent developments in Egypt and Lebanon. Underlining that the democratic process must be restored to represent the free will of the Egyptian people, Gul said that the release of all politicians detained, including President Mursi, will help return to normalcy in Egypt. Touching on the Syria issue, Gul said, "The continuation of the conflict creates such an environment that an ordinary citizen is transformed into a radical extremist. Thus, it is the conditions of the civil war that paves the way for all sorts of radical and extremist groups to take hold in the country."