UN chief Ban Ki-Moon hails Turkey's diplomatic leadership

Turkey's increasing visibility in the international arena on Tuesday drew praise from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In a one-hour meeting with President Abdullah Gul, who is leading Turkey's delegation to the UN General Assembly this week, Ban thanked Gul for his country's efforts to promote regional and international peace and security, praising Turkey's growing role in international diplomacy. Gul and Ban also discussed a range of issues, including the situation in Cyprus, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East peace process, and the UN investigation of the deadly Gaza flotilla incident.