The foundations of democratic transition should be laid in accordance with a sincere and committed strategy that is supported by various policy tools, and implemented wisely. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The purpose cannot be creating self-styled democracies, but rather encouraging steps that are conducive to establishing democratic rule at universal standards. Obviously, this would be a formidable journey. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
I am a person who is inclined to define relations between individuals based on principles. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
There exists an unmistakable demand in the Middle East and in the wider Muslim world for democratization. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Similarly, gender-equality, supremacy of law, political participation, civil society, and transparency are among the indispensable elements that are the imperatives of democratization. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
I am aware of the thesis that the United States has long since invested exclusively in stability and this has obviated democratic transformation in the Middle East. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
What should be targeted is a concept of organic, and not just mechanic, democracy that preserves the rule of law, separation of powers, and that is participatory and pluralistic. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
It is essential that policy instruments be developed that would firmly establish democratization on the basis of social consensus and enable transformation on stable grounds. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
It is impossible to preserve my friendship with people who are allegedly leaders when they are attacking their own people, shooting at them, using tanks and other forms of heavy weaponry. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Therefore, the observation must be explicitly made: In the Middle East and in the Muslim world, suspicions linger concerning the objectives of the West and notably the US. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
A fitting external security environment could also play an important role in promoting social consensus and institutionalization towards democratization. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The US and the European Union needs to help in the translation of the demand for democracy into a political will. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Therefore, the question is not whether such democratization is possible, but instead how to meet the yearning of the masses in the Middle East for democracy; in other words, how to achieve democratization in the Middle East. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Paramount is the need to secure human rights. The form of rule should be such that the citizen does not have to fear the State, but gives it direction and confidently participates in its administration. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
A lasting solution to this problem will have an exceptionally positive influence foremost on the peoples of Palestine and Israel, as well as on the region and the international community. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
According to this view, democracy is a product of western culture, and it cannot be applied to the Middle East which has a different cultural, religious, sociological and historical background. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
It is obvious that putting the Arab-Israeli dispute on a resolution track would be an important element of overcoming the confidence problem in the region. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Everyone should unconditionally accept that Israel is an indispensable element of the Middle Eastern mosaic. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
But foremost, I do not subscribe to the view that Islamic culture and democracy cannot be reconciled. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Several experts on the Middle East concur that the Middle East cannot be democratized. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The Muslim world and its subset the countries of the Middle East have been left behind in the marathon of political, economic and human development. For that, there is a tendency to blame others as the primary cause. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
However, democracy cannot be defined as the existence of parliaments and elections alone. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
As a politician who cherishes religious conviction in his personal sphere, but regards politics as a domain belonging outside religion, I believe that this view is seriously flawed. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Similarly, it is argued that the culture of Islam is incompatible with democracy. Basically, this conventional perspective of the Middle East thus contends that democracy in that region is neither possible nor even desirable. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Even in the Western world, one cannot argue that the ideal has been achieved given the existence of issues like the integration, participation and representation of Muslim citizens, and occasional but lingering anti-Semitism. – Recep Tayyip Erdogan
