Turkey's Gul fails to win presidency in second vote

ANKARA, Aug 24 (Reuters) Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul failed to win enough votes in the second round of a presidential election today to become president, an AK Party deputy told Reuters, but he is expected to clinch enough votes next week.

Gul, a highly respected diplomat who helped secure European Union-accession talks for Turkey, is expected to secure the presidency in the third round of voting in parliament on Aug. 28 when he needs a simple majority to win -- which the ruling AK Party has.

Gul's first bid in April was blocked by the secular elite, which includes army generals, opposition leaders and judges, because of his past in political Islam.

Reuters PD RN1918