Gul reiterates Turkey's readiness to host 2020 Olympic Games

Speaking at a welcoming address to inspectors from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who have initiated a four-day visit to assess Istanbul's ability to host the games, President Abdullah Gul said that reiterated the Turkish government's commitment to staging the 2020 Olympic Games in Istanbul and affirmed the country would deliver on promises. "This is the time for Turkey. We are ready as never before. Istanbul is a truly global city where complex interactions of trade, finance, culture and tourism take place and it has all the ancient and contemporary credentials for hosting the 2020 Olympics," Gul said. Attending the meeting were the members of the IOC, Sports and Youth Minister Suat Kilic, Governor of Istanbul Huseyin Avni Mutlu, Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbas, IOC Vice President and Chairman of Evaluation Committee Craig Reedie and commission members, Chairman of National Olympic Committee of Turkey Ugur Erdener, as well as Hasan Arat, chairman of the Turkish agency leading Istanbul's bid for 2020 Olympic Games.