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Turkey's Gul hints at presidency | Turkey's Gul hints at presidency |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul says he has not ruled out reviving his presidential bid, days after his AK Party's landslide election win. | Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul says he has not ruled out reviving his presidential bid, days after his AK Party's landslide election win. |
The AK Party won 46% of the vote in an election called amid a deadlock over Mr Gul's earlier presidential bid. | |
Turkey's secular establishment had repeatedly blocked Mr Gul's bid, accusing him of an Islamist agenda. | Turkey's secular establishment had repeatedly blocked Mr Gul's bid, accusing him of an Islamist agenda. |
Mr Gul may be trying to gauge his opponents' reaction as he turns up the heat, a BBC correspondent says. | Mr Gul may be trying to gauge his opponents' reaction as he turns up the heat, a BBC correspondent says. |
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says the foreign minister's latest statement may be an attempt to see how Turkey's secular elite and military would react to a revived presidential bid. | The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says the foreign minister's latest statement may be an attempt to see how Turkey's secular elite and military would react to a revived presidential bid. |
The AK party did not win enough votes to push through its presidential choice. | The AK party did not win enough votes to push through its presidential choice. |
It would have needed a two-thirds majority in Sunday's election to force its choice for president through parliament. | It would have needed a two-thirds majority in Sunday's election to force its choice for president through parliament. |
Party leader and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that he was willing to compromise on the presidency but the ultimate decision rested with Mr Gul. | Party leader and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that he was willing to compromise on the presidency but the ultimate decision rested with Mr Gul. |
'No need to rush' | 'No need to rush' |
On Wednesday, Mr Gul said he remained a possible contender for the presidency. | On Wednesday, Mr Gul said he remained a possible contender for the presidency. |
ESTIMATED SEATS BBC Turkish.com election map Q&A: Turkish election In quotes: Reaction to poll | ESTIMATED SEATS BBC Turkish.com election map Q&A: Turkish election In quotes: Reaction to poll |
"Nobody can place a political ban on others. It is out of the question that I should rule myself out as a candidate," he said. | "Nobody can place a political ban on others. It is out of the question that I should rule myself out as a candidate," he said. |
Referring to expressions of support for him voiced at party rallies in the run-up to the elections, Mr Gul said: "I cannot ignore the signal from the streets". | Referring to expressions of support for him voiced at party rallies in the run-up to the elections, Mr Gul said: "I cannot ignore the signal from the streets". |
However, he did not explicitly say whether he would run for president again. | However, he did not explicitly say whether he would run for president again. |
"There is no need to rush things," he said, adding that progress must be made "with great political maturity in the direction indicated by the results". | "There is no need to rush things," he said, adding that progress must be made "with great political maturity in the direction indicated by the results". |
"We have a period of evaluation ahead of us... I believe the other parties in parliament will carefully consider [the significance of] the nearly 50% of the vote that we obtained," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. | "We have a period of evaluation ahead of us... I believe the other parties in parliament will carefully consider [the significance of] the nearly 50% of the vote that we obtained," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. |
Mr Gul was first nominated for the presidency earlier this year but his candidacy was attacked by Turkey's secular establishment - in particular, the powerful military and outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. | Mr Gul was first nominated for the presidency earlier this year but his candidacy was attacked by Turkey's secular establishment - in particular, the powerful military and outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. |
After the failure of repeated attempts to get him elected through parliament, the AK Party called Sunday's election in an effort to ease the deadlock. | After the failure of repeated attempts to get him elected through parliament, the AK Party called Sunday's election in an effort to ease the deadlock. |
Secularists view Mr Gul and his AK Party with deep suspicion, citing their origins in a now-banned Islamist movement. | Secularists view Mr Gul and his AK Party with deep suspicion, citing their origins in a now-banned Islamist movement. |
But the party denies it has Islamist designs and has won praise abroad for its liberal economic policies and its efforts to steer Turkey towards EU entry. | But the party denies it has Islamist designs and has won praise abroad for its liberal economic policies and its efforts to steer Turkey towards EU entry. |
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