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.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
I should like to repeat what I stated recently in the Jeddah Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia: It won't be the religion, but rather the world-view of some of its followers that shall be made current.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
My visit to the United States has also given me the opportunity to emphasize the objective of establishing close and intensive links between the Turkish and American peoples, scholars and businessmen.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
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.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
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.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
The advanced levels which the democratic world has attained at the end of lengthy processes may have created the perception in the region that democracy is a distant concept; this perception can be addressed.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
I regard the endorsement of both the objective and a method - which can differ from one country to another- of democratization by the parties in the region as a basic requisite of democratization in the Middle East.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
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.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
In this context, social consensus, and institutions that embody this consensus, must be made effective in order for democratization not to be abused as a provisional instrument to establish an anti-democratic regime.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
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.
quote by Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!