Turkey's Prime Minister calls for national unity

2007-05-01
HULIQ
Source: Public Radio of Armenia

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has appealed for national unity in the row that has erupted over the disputed election of a new president.
He said an "atmosphere of stability and tranquillity" was essential.

Mr. Erdogan's ruling Islamist-rooted AK party has put forward Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul for president. But the army has hinted it may block him.

Last week Mr. Gul was backed in a vote in parliament, but the constitutional court has been asked to annul the vote.

It says it hopes to rule on the petition before the next round of the vote is due to take place on Wednesday.

In Turkey the president is elected by parliament, in which the AK party has a big majority.

As many as one million people marched through Istanbul on Sunday, opposing Mr. Gul. They were supporters of Turkey's secular values.

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