Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will award the Turkish President Abdullah Gul with the Chatham House Prize for his efforts to stabilize the situation in the region and his work on the modernization of Turkey, RIA Novosti reports.
The award for 2009 was announced in March this year. Members of the
Chatham House are leading specialists in business, politics, security
and social order. They recognized the efforts of Gul in the
integration of Turkey into the European Union, as well as internal
reforms aimed at making the political, legal system and protection of
the human rights more democratic.
The experts pointed out Turkey's strengthening of ties with countries
of the Middle East, support of dialogue between Afghanistan and
Pakistan, and efforts toward a unified Cyprus.
The Turkish president will make a speech at Chatham House about modern
Turkish international policy in the morning and then he will receive
the award at the evening.
The first person awarded with the Chatham House Prize was Ukrainian
President Victor Yushchenko. Last year the President of Brazil Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva received the award.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in London at the Royal Institute
of International Affairs that the occupation of Azerbaijani
territories by Armenia cannot be ignored. He added that Turkey and
Armenia still have disagreements.
Gul also commented on relations with Israel, saying that the tensions
depend on the attitude of Israeli government, Anadolu reports.
