Time to mull presidential poll, says Gul

Turkey's president said Tuesday it is time to discuss the presidential elections set for August, Anadolu Agency reported.

"I had said earlier that I would discuss [re-running] with my colleagues, primarily with the prime minister, and then determine a road," Abdullah Gul stated at a press conference in Ankara with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta, during which they addressed Turkish investments in the east African country.

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will decide on whether to run for president after discussing the issue with Gul, who may serve as prime minister if Erdogan is elected to the presidential post.

Deputy PM Emrullah Isler had said a lawmaker from northeastern Bayburt province may resign to open way for Gul to become a member of parliament and eventually prime minister, so as to allow Erdogan to run for president.

The formula is similar to that used for Erdogan to take over the prime minister's office from Gul in 2003, when Erdogan could not be a lawmaker or PM due to a political ban. After the ban's lifting, a re-election for which Erdogan ran was held in Siirt province. Gul then resigned as prime minister and was succeeded by Erdogan.


/Trend/