Turkish president to head for Azerbaijan

ANKARA

DHA Photo

President Abdullah Gül will represent Turkey at the third summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council), which will be held Aug. 15-16 in Gabala, Azerbaijan, Turkish officials said yesterday.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu will accompany the president for a Council of Foreign Ministers meeting on Aug. 15, one day before the Council of Heads of States meets on Aug. 16, the same officials told the Hürriyet Daily News.

Azerbaijani media reported that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev would also participate in the summit.

The council was found in 2009 by member states Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey with the aim of making joint contributions to peace and stability in Eurasia. Its secretariat is located in Istanbul.
Ruled by strongman President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is gearing up for presidential elections this autumn.