Italy

 

President Gül accompanied by First Lady Hayrünnisa Gül paid a state visit to Italy at the invitation of President Napolitano. Pointing to the deep-rooted history and ancient civilizations Turkey and Italy have, the President reiterated that both countries are resolute to continue to make tireless efforts in building the future of Europe. President Gül, as part of his program in Italy, met with representatives of the Turkish and Italian industrialists and investors at breakfast and addressed the Italian business world during the Turkey-Italy Business Forum.

President Abdullah Gül and First Lady Hayrünnisa Gül paid a state visit to Italy at the invitation of President Giorgio Napolitano.

PRESIDENT GÜL AT THE PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE

The Presidential Couple, upon their arrival at the airport, were welcomed by Italy’s Education Minister Maria Chiara Carrozza; Turkish Ambassador to Rome Hakkı Akil and his wife, İnci Akil; Turkey’s Ambassador to Vatican Kenan Gürsoy and his wife, Belkıs Gürsoy; and other officials.

The First Couple the next day were welcomed by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and First Lady Maria Bittoni Napolitano with an official ceremony at the Palazzo del Quirinale.

Afterwards, the Presidential Couples had a tete-a-tete and the two Presidents chaired the talks between their delegations.

FIRST LADIES EXPLORE THE PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE

After the official welcoming ceremony, Mrs. Gül and Mrs. Napolitano had a tete-a-tete and explored the Palazzo del Quirinale. After that, they proceeded to the exhibition hall where they were informed about the historical works on display.

ITALY: TURKEY’S FOURTH BIGGEST TRADE PARTNER

President Abdullah Gül held a joint press conference along with President Giorgio Napolitano on the first day of his state visit to Italy.

Evincing his pleasure at the warm hospitality of the Italian administration, President Gül predicted that his state visit to Italy will further consolidate the already great bilateral relations between the two countries, declaring Turkey and Italy to be two countries whose friendship dates back centuries. Rome and Istanbul, he said, were once two important capitals of the Mediterranean. “Our relations are very robust today as well. We enjoy a strong alliance in NATO and all the European institutions. As for our economic ties, Italy is Turkey’s fourth biggest trade partner.”

VISIT TO ITALIAN SENATE AND CITY HALL

President Abdullah Gül met with Speaker Pietro Grasso of the Italian Senate and the Mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino, as part of his program in Italy. Welcomed by Speaker Grasso upon his arrival at the Senate, President Gül had a tete-a-tete with the Speaker. Afterwards, he explored the Constitution Hall. The Presidential Couple also visited the Municipality of Rome, in front of which Mayor Ignazio Marino welcomed them. They later enjoyed the beauty of the city of Rome from the office of the Mayor. President Gül, after signing the Book of Honor, explored both the hall dedicated to Julius Caeasar, where the municipal assembly meetings are held, and the Capitoline Museum.

OFFICIAL DINNER FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL COUPLE

President Abdullah Gül and First Lady Hayrünnisa Gül participated in the official dinner given in their honor by the Italian First Couple. Delivering a speech at the dinner, President Gül emphasized the deep-rooted treasures of civilization that Turkey and Italy have and pointed to the interaction between the two countries. The President said that “we are heirs of the two ancient cultures that embrace diversities, consolidate tolerance and build bridges from heart to heart.”

ITALY: CRADLE OF THE RENAISSANCE

President Gül, at the very beginning of his address, shared his happiness to meet with his friends at the Palazzo del Quirinale, which has hosted popes, kings and heads of state throughout its history, saying: “We are pleased that the saying ‘all roads lead to Rome’ has brought us here only four years after your state visit to Ankara.”

A common feature of the cities like Rome and Istanbul that transcend epochs and civilizations, noted the President, is the historic texture that permeates their architecture, roads and spirit, and he evinced his pleasure at feeling the texture of the historical city of Rome on this occasion, expressing his thanks to President Napolitano for his warm hospitality in Italy, which, he declared, was the cradle of the Renaissance.

“WE ARE HEIRS OF TWO ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS”

Declaring Turkey and Italy to be countries that are the heirs of two ancient civilizations that embrace diversities, consolidate tolerance and build bridges from heart to heart, President Gül said although diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1856, the first contact between them dates back centuries. “The Mediterranean brought together the Turks, Venetians and Genoese in trade, culture and arts back in the 14th century. Since then, the most apparent characteristic of Turkish-Italian relations is its perpetuity. The Venetian Palace, which became the residence of the Venetian Ambassador in Istanbul in the 16th century, is used by the Italian Embassy today. The Turkish Embassy in Rome has been carrying out its activities at the Gamberini Palace for 127 years. Moreover, the memory of the Italian Workers' Mutual Aid Society of Constantinople whose first chairman was Garibaldi, who was the founder of the unification of Italy, has been alive for 150 years at the Garibaldi Building in Istanbul.

BREAKFAST WITH TURKISH AND ITALIAN BUSINESS WORLD

President Abdullah Gül met with Turkish and Italian investors at breakfast which was held at the Turkish Embassy in Rome.

After the opening speech made by Ambassador Hakkı Akil, the President addressed the guests. Among those who also made a speech were Chairman Giorgio Squinzi of the Italian Industrialists Association; TOBB/DEİK Chairman Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu; Italian Deputy Minister of Economic Development Carlo Caldena and Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan.

GÜL AT THE ALTARE DELLA PATRIA

President Gül afterwards laid a wreath at the Memorial of the Unknown Solider (Altare della Patria). The Italian Minister for Constitutional Reforms, Gaetano Quagliariello, also accompanied the President during his visit to the memorial.

HISTORIC HUBER MANSION TO SHINE AGAIN

Agoodwill protocol has been signed in Rome by the Secretariat General of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, Istanbul Technical University, the Italian Trade Promotion Agency (I.C.E) and Assorestauro, toward the renovation of the historical Huber Mansion, which belongs to the Secretariat General of the Presidency, in a way that will embody the original spirit and design of the time when it was constructed. First Lady Hayrünnisa Gül was present at the signing ceremony that was held during President Abdullah Gül’s state visit to Italy.

TURKEY-ITALY BUSINESS FORUM

President Gül attended the Turkey-Italy Business Forum where he delivered an address during which he said important accomplishments have been achieved in the cooperation areas between the two countries, but, he declared, there is more potential to tap, adding: “The many radical reforms Turkey has achieved in the last decade have carried Turkey to a much better level. We have strong ties and cooperation in Central Asia, the Middle East and the Balkans. The existing volume of trade between Turkey and Italy which is worth 20 billion dollars should and can be augmented.” The President, upon his arrival at the hall where the ceremony was held, was welcomed by the Italian Deputy Minister of Development, Carlo Calenda; TOBB/DEİK Chairman Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and Chairman Zeynep Bodur Okyay of the DEİK Turkish-Italian Business Council.

Declaring Turkish-Italian bilateral relations to be perfect, President Gül said Turkey and Italy have strong cooperation in many European institutions and noted that they as allies in NATO have made tireless efforts to defend the free world. “We are together as members of the EU Customs Union. Turkey has been conducting its negotiation process with the EU since 2004. Italy has steadfastly supported Turkey in its accession process with the club indeed. Italy has even spoken up for Turkey at the meetings which we have not attended. I hereby would like to extend my thanks to the Italian administration and its people and at this point let me reiterate that we are looking forward to your continued support during the second half of 2014, when you will take over the term presidency of the EU.”

GREAT POTENTIAL TO BOOST VOLUME OF TRADE

There is no problem between the two countries in terms of politics, declared the President, but he added that there is huge potential to tap in order to boost the existing volume of trade worth 20 billion dollars. Because, the President stressed, this 20 billion dollars does not really reflect this potential between the two countries. They can raise it in the short term, he said. “While Italy has 550 billion dollars worth of investments abroad, its investments in Turkey are worth only 4.5 billion dollars, which is relatively little indeed.

“SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES TURKEY OFFERS FOR THE BUSINESS WORLD”

The President further called on Italian investors to seize the great opportunities Turkey offers for them because, he said, there is an administration in Turkey that cherishes the value of the business world and that makes every effort to solve the problems the business world might be faced with.

President Gül further pointed to the many areas of cooperation between the two countries and said the automotive sector is an exemplary one in this regard. The President also noted that there is a good collaboration between Turkey and Italy in the defense industry. “We are jointly working in the project of ATAK helicopters in Turkey. This is a great opportunity in terms of meeting our own needs and selling these helicopters to other countries. There is still huge potential to be seized, given the fact that Turkey, which has the second biggest military in NATO, has to be very strong in this geography. Therefore, Turkey and Italy can further establish joint projects and investments in this sector.”

IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY SECTOR

President Gül during his speech further underscored the importance for Europe to obtain safe energy, saying: “Everyone knows that one of the most important areas where Turkey can make a great contribution to the EU if it becomes a member of the club is energy. Therefore, it is a contradiction for the EU that it has still not opened the chapter on energy.Take the natural gas and oil resources of the Caucasus or the Middle East, for example. Turkey is the safest way for Europe to reach different energy resources. When we consider the recently-found energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey again is the most feasible and viable route to transfer these resources to Europe in the safest way. This sector is another area where we can cooperate as well.”

OPENING OF YUNUS EMRE CULTURAL CENTER IN ROME

President Gül as part of his program opened the Yunus Emre Cultural Center in Rome.

Welcoming the President were Iaria Borletti Buitoni, State Secretary for the Italian Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Chairman Prof. Dr. Hayati Develi of the Yunus Emre Institute; and Director Sevim Aktaş of the Yunus Emre Institute Cultural Center in Rome.

Expressing his happiness to open the Yunus Emre Institute Cultural Center in Rome, President Gül declared the center’s opening to be one of the most important activities carried out in the cultural area, sharing his pleasure with the fact that the center was opened in Rome, a city which is like an open museum.

Turkish-Italian relations are very strong in many areas, said the President, and he noted that among these are mutual cultural activities, adding that the interaction between the two countries in painting, music and architecture is also strong. Through this culture center, predicted the President, the Italian people will get to know better the Turkish culture and language. “Therefore, I would like to congratulate those who have contributed to the opening of this center on their success. I would also like to offer my thanks to the Italian administration for providing every amenity for Turkey in this regard.”

THE FIRST COUPLE EXPLORE COLOESSEUM AND VILLA BORGHESE MUSEUM

The Presidential Couple, during their visit to the Colosseum and the Villa Borghese Museum, were informed about these structures.

Director Gisella Capponi of the Italian Institute for Restoration and Conservation and Director Rossella Rea of the Colosseum also acompanied the First Couple during their visit.

PRESIDENT GÜL HOSTS RECEPTION IN HONOR OF PRESIDENT NAPOLITANO

President Abdullah Gül and First Lady Hayrünnisa Gül hosted a reception in Rome in honor of President Giorgio Napolitano and First Lady Clio Maria Bittoni Napolitano.

Attending the reception were Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan and his wife Zeynep Babacan; the Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu; Italian Minister of Justice Annamaria Cancellileri; Minister for EU Affairs Enzo Moavero Milanesi; Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Naci Koru; Turkey’s Ambassador to Rome Hakkı Akil; Turkey’s Ambassador to the Vatican Kenan Gürsoy; Turkish Football Director and National Team Trainer Fatih Terim and other invitees.

Prior to the reception, Behzat Gerçeker’s ENBE Orchestra with the soloists, Maria Radulescu İpek, Onur Turan and Elvan Günaydın gave a concert.

PRESIDENT GÜL RECEIVED ITALIAN PM LETTA

On the last day of his visit to Italy, President Gül received the Italian Prime Minister, Enrico Letta, at the Westin Excelsior Hotel, where he was staying.

The President’s visit to Florance had to be called off due to the adverse weather conditions.

Completing his program in Italy, President Gül left for Turkey.