Turkish president welcomes democratization package

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said he welcomed government's democratization package that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled on Monday. Speaking at the opening of the new legislative year at the Turkish parliament, Gul said he supported new steps which he said would help solve Turkey's problems, referring to the democratization package. "I believe this process should be continued," he said. "I have always supported that democratic reforms should be carried out". He called on all political parties to protect democracy avoiding polarization and added: "Different opinions can be voiced in democracies". Gul also called on media to be aware of its responsibility saying "It is important that media should be aware of its responsibility". He noted that democratic progress cannot be achieved through violence and and threat. Referring to the Syrian conflict which according to the UN killed more than 100,000 people and forced over 2 million people to flee the country, Gul said "what is happening in our region has showed the importance of national solidarity." He criticized the international community for remaining silent to the violence and massacres in Syria saying, "It is unacceptable". He said Turkey was pleased with the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons under a US-Russian deal. "What we hope is that Syria's territorial integrity must be assured." He also expressed hope that Egypt would get back to democracy in the shortest time possible and added: "So that we can lift our relations to a higher level". Gul stressed that Turkey has defended Iraq's territorial integrity saying relations with Iraq would contribute to stability in the region. Reminding the dispute between Israel and Palestine, Gul said Turkey finds new Israeli settlements on Palestinian soil dangerous. "It is impossible for the region and the world to find peace without solving the conflict between the two nations," he said Referring to Turkey's EU membership process Gul said, "We need to define our strategies by taking into consideration the EU in five years' time." He also expressed support for the solution of Cyprus dispute between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot administration. "Turkey will support every step taken to find a fair solution to the dispute," he said. The Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus remains divided since Turkey sent troops to the island in 1974 in the aftermath of a Greek-inspired coup to annex the island with Greece.