ANKARA
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his spouse Mrs. Hayrunnisa Gul hosted a reception at the Cankaya Presidential Residence in capital Ankara on Monday to mark the 89th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey.
The speaker of the Turkish parliament, cabinet members and Turkish General Staff members attended the reception with their spouses.
High ranking representatives of bureaucracy, diplomacy, media, business sector, academics, minority religious groups, athletes and celebrities attended the reception.
President Gul told press members on demonstrations in front of the Turkey's first parliament that "unfortunate things happened, I hope that such things wouldn't be experienced again. Everybody should celebrate holidays as they wish but in scope of general rules."
He said that hunger strikes should be assessed comprehensively related with Kurdish issue and terror, and they should end up positively.
On Syria, he said that they preferred a strong Syria and called on Syrian leaders to reassess the situation. He said he hoped that UN Security Council would find a way to end the situation in Syria.
PM Erdogan
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told press members on demonstrations in front of the Turkey's first parliament that it turned out to be an alternative celebration but it was actually not. He said that demonstrations was initiated to shadow the holiday.
He stated that they celebrated October 29 in stadium with people and denied that he forbid the celebrations in the stadiums.
