President Gül visits 111 states since 2007

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Gül visited 69 out of 81 provinces and plans to visit the other 11 provinces.

Turkish President Abdullah Gül has paid visits to 111 countries across world while receiving 86 countries’ leaders since he took office in 2007, according to new figures.

Gül also visited 69 out of 81 provinces in Turkey; his 70th visit will be paid to the northwestern province of Yalova today. Gül plans to visit the other 11 provinces, Erzincan, Giresun, Gümüşhane, Kütahya, Kahramanmaraş, Muğla, Ordu, Tekirdağ, Zonguldak, Bartın and Kilis, in the following term. Gül has been accompanied by his wife, Hayrünnisa Gül, during most of the visits. The president started a new tradition with his presidency by not accepting any kind of presents from local governors, leading to a new tradition of planting “memorial forests” and delivering scholarships in the name of the president. Gül’s name has been given to the areas that have been forested. 

During Gül’s term, he visited Japan, Senegal, Serbia, Cameroon, Nigeria and Montenegro. Some 64 of his visit were official, including 24 summits and three working groups. Gül’s candidacy for the presidency was announced on April 24, 2007.