Gul: "Arap Spring is irreversible"

Attending the Chatham House Istanbul Roundtable Meeting yesterday in Istanbul, President Abdullah Gul discussed the regional developments and the Arab Spring with participants. Gul said that an inevitable democratic process has started in the region and there might be ups and downs until each country finds its stability. "Initially, I saw the Arap Spring as inevitable; today I see it as irreversible. We witness the normalization of history in this part of the world," said Gul. Gul also stressed that Turkey might inspire the countries in the region. Among the participants of the meeting were prominent names from the economy, political and civil society circles. Suzan Sabanci Dincer, the chairwoman and an executive board member of Akbank, as well as a member of the Chatham House Panel of Senior Advisers, stressed how crucial it is to understand demands of people in the region and to be able to play an active role in terms of changes in North Africa and Middle East.