Turkish president reiterates support for Egypt's transition

Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Tuesday reiterated his country's support for Egypt which is undergoing a transitional period, just ahead of his trip to Cairo for an official visit as well as the 12th summit of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held there. Before his first overseas visit in five months since an ear illness, the president told reporters at the Ankara Esenboga Airport that he will meet Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi during the visit, and discuss with him bilateral relations, as well as recent regional and international developments. "I will reiterate our strong support of the historical transitional period in Egypt. Our support will continue in a determined way over the problems (Egypt) faces through this process," said Gul. He said his visit will help further enhance the cooperation between Turkey and Egypt in every field. Trade volume between the two countries was up by over 50 percent since 2008, and has exceeded five billion U.S. dollars in 2012, the president said.