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

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

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

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.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan

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 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

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

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

There exists an unmistakable demand in the Middle East and in the wider Muslim world for democratization.
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

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

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