FM Abdullah Gul pledges to uphold secular principles if elected Turkish president

Gul was picked as the ruling AK party’s candidate by prime minister Tayyip Erdogan, who bowed out of the running.
debkafile: By naming the foreign minister for the seven-year post, Erdogan consolidates his position as prime minister. He has also averted a clash with secular circles, including the powerful Turkish army, which demanded he stand down because of his Islamist roots. They were supported by half a million secular demonstrators who rallied against Erdogan’s run in Ankara two weeks ago. Gul is assured of election by the majority AK when parliament holds the first round of voting on April 27.