Epress.am News from Armenia
Turkish President Abdullah Gül has been voted the winner of the 2010 Chatham House Prize, an award presented by the UK-based institute to a politician each year.
“President Gül has been voted the winner of this year’s Chatham House Prize because of his qualities as a national, regional and international leader. I warmly congratulate the President on this award which recognizes his accomplishments and acknowledges the growing influence he has achieved for Turkey,” said Chatham House Chair Dr. DeAnne Julius, in a release on the institute website.
Among Gül’s accomplishments, the release names the Turkish leader’s “leading role, along with his Armenian counterpart, in initiating a process of reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.”
Gül will be invited to collect the award and a scroll signed by Chatham House Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, at a ceremony in London on November 9.
The Chatham House Prize is an annual award presented to the statesperson deemed by members of the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.
The other nominees for this year’s prize were Christine Lagarde, Finance Minister, France and Stjepan Mesić, President of Croatia (2000-10).