Oppression leads to conflicts, Turkish President Gül warns

ANKARA

Turkish President Abdullah Gül met with dozens of foreign students visiting Turkey for the Turkish Olympics on June 7 in Ankara. DHA photo

President Abdullah Gül has reiterated his call for reconciliation over Turkey’s fiery Taksim Gezi Park protests during a meeting with dozens of foreign students visiting Turkey for the Turkish Olympics.

“Today’s young people now see what is going on in other countries. Today, nobody lives in the city one was born in. For peace to exist in the world, different languages, religions, beliefs and cultures need to respect each other, recognize one another and live in serenity and peace with each other. If that does not happen, then efforts to oppress one another become the source of many sufferings and conflicts,” Gül was quoted as saying June 7 during a meeting with 80 foreign students who have been here participating in the 11th International Turkish Language Olympiad.

The games provide a chance to foster peace, fraternity and friendship among youngsters, he said.
Gül’s remarks came only a day after he demanded that the “streets be set free” during a meeting with a delegation of lawyers led by the newly elected president of the Union of Turkey’s Bar Associations (TBB), Metin Feyzioğlu.
Debates in Turkey must be carried out on appropriate platforms and the streets must be set free, Gül said, according to a text posted on the official website of the Presidency following the meeting. He also said suggestions from the TBB would be welcome during the process.

Feyzioğlu previously made a call to the Interior Ministry and the Istanbul Governor’s Office to stop the disproportionate use of force by the police.