Gul arrives in Bulgaria

President Abdullah Gul yesterday arrived in Bulgaria for two days of official meetings with top Bulgarian authorities, civil society leaders, and business representatives. A large delegation of Turkish deputies, bureaucrats, academics and journalists accompanied him. Gul said before his arrival that Turkey wants to improve political, economic, and cultural ties with neighboring Bulgaria. Over the past 20 years, Turkey's relations with its NATO ally Bulgaria have developed significantly. "With this visit, I want to strengthen our relationship," Gul told a press conference alongside Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov. "During our talks today, we decided that the joint (Turkish-Bulgarian) committee formed in 2008 should meet more often to discuss many topics and find solutions." Parvanov, for his part, stated that Turkey and Bulgaria have no outstanding issues between them, adding that the Nabucco gas pipeline set to be built in both should be finished sooner rather than later. Parvanov reiterated that the details of the project should be handled at the highest government levels. Parvanov also called for a resolution to all technicalities surrounding the Tunca River dam construction project.