Turkey's President Welcomes U.S. President Obama

ANKARA - Turkish President Abdullah Gul formally welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama at Cankaya presidential palace in Ankara on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Obama visited the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the modern Republic of Turkey, and laid a wreath at Ataturk's tomb and observed a minute of silence by putting his hand on his heart.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, State Minister Mehmet Simsek, Presidency Secretary General Mustafa Isen, Ankara Governor Kemal Onal, Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Melih Gokcek, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan and other officials also attended the formal welcoming ceremony.

Following the ceremony, Gul and Obama started their tete-a-tete meeting. Gul will host a luncheon in honor of Obama after their meeting, and then they will hold a joint press conference.