DAKAR - Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday that he asked support for candidacy of Turkish province of Izmir (Aegean) to host EXPO 2015 and Turkey`s candidacy for a non-permanent member seat at the UN Security Council for 2009-2010 period during his stay in Dakar where he attended the 11th Session of Summit Conference of Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
Speaking to Turkish journalists at Le Meridien Hotel, Gul said OIC was one of biggest organizations of the world after the U.N.
Gul said Wise Men Group and other mechanisms were formed to follow up the incidents and matters like; better management, gender equality, youth, spread of democracy, fight against corruption, and transparency were included in the OIC regulations.
-OIC SUMMIT IMPORTANT FOR TRNC-
Gul indicated that President Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for the first time attended the summit with the title "President of Turkish Cypriot State" and delivered a speech.
"While taking the floor at the summit, I made important calls on behalf of Turkey. I have stated the political and social problems of the Islamic world, Africa, reform works and Cyprus," Gul said.
Gul said another goal of the summit was to prepare basis for bilateral meetings, "I met around 20 heads of state and government today. Presidents of many African countries promised to extend support to Turkey`s candidacy of Izmir to host EXPO 2015 and Turkey`s candidacy for a non-permanent member seat at the UN Security Council for 2009-2010 period.
President Gul later left for Turkey.
(AY)