In Batman, Gul reiterates message of unity and fell fellowship

As part of his tour of southeastern Anatolia provinces, President Abdullah Gul and his wife Hayrunnisa visited Batman yesterday. Speaking to locals after meeting with the province's governor, Gul said that Turkey's differences are a national asset. "Some of us may be Turks and some Kurds, and we may be different from each other," he said. "But we all are dignified citizens of this country. Nobody is superior to another. All of us are fellow citizens. There is no discrimination between Turks and Kurds. All of us are fellow members of the same nation. Our differences are our richness. All of us are relatives and friends." During his meeting with Batman's governor, Gul said, "It is a constitutional duty to preserve and maintain all elements of our culture," adding that Kurdish literary works are also part of Turkey's cultural heritage. A local newspaper welcomed Gul to the city yesterday with a headline in Kurdish. Gul also visited a tea house and spoke with local residents there. First Lady Hayrunnisa, accompanied by the governor's wife, visited a textile workshop in the city as well.