ANKARA - The Queen of the United Kingdom said on Tuesday that Turkey had become a unique bridge between the East and the West at a crucial time for both the EU and the world.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul hosted a banquet at the Cankaya Presidential Palace in honor of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom who arrived in Turkey on a formal visit on Tuesday.
Delivering a speech at the banquet, the Queen said she was quite happy for being in Turkey again, after her last visit in 1971.
The Queen said the ties between Turkey and the United Kingdom were stronger than ever in this new century.
She also said that Turkey played a key role in promoting peace, political stability and economic development in some of the world`s most unsettled areas.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom arrived in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Tuesday.
The Queen first visited Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Ataturk--the Founder of the Republic of Turkey.
President Gul later on formally welcomed the Queen at the Cankaya Presidential Palace.
(DO-AY)