Politician

Islam is a religion. It is not an ideology. For a Muslim, there is no such thing as to be against modernity. Why should a Muslim not be a modern person? I, as a Muslim, fulfill all the requirements of my religion, and I live in a democratic, social state.

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.

Turkey must feel at ease. It mustn't say, 'For me, it's the European Union at all costs.' That's my view.

In other words, the bar should be maintained at the level of a pluralistic and participatory democracy.

Similarly, gender-equality, supremacy of law, political participation, civil society, and transparency are among the indispensable elements that are the imperatives of democratization.

If the European Union wants to be an address where civilizations meet, it must take Turkey in.

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.

My legal bond with the A.K.P. may have ended the day I took the presidential oath of office, but my bonds of love have never ended and never will.

Engaging in actions which are not allowed by law should have certain prices to pay.

In the process of the Arab Spring, we have unfortunately seen a development in Syria where the regime has been oppressing its people.

A fitting external security environment could also play an important role in promoting social consensus and institutionalization towards democratization.

In this country, there is a segregation of Black Turks and White Turks. Your brother Tayyip belongs to the Black Turks.

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.

A confidence problem exists on the part of the people of the region who desire democratic rule in principle, but remain suspicious of both the fashion with which democratization is presented and the purposes of the democratic world.

We have extradited terrorists to the United States in the past. And we expect the same thing to be done by the United States.

There is no Kurdish problem.

Several experts on the Middle East concur that the Middle East cannot be democratized.

All terror groups are bad, and we shall fight them all.

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.

The US and the European Union needs to help in the translation of the demand for democracy into a political will.