“There is no Kurdish problem.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“If you’re the leader, you have to communicate the message of immortality to your people. Because I believe if a leader hides behind a rock, then the people will hide behind a mountain.”
― 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
“If we believe in a democratic system, we have to accept the will of the people.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Jerusalem is holy to three religions. You have to respect that.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Being in the European Union, we would be building bridges between the 1.5 bn people of Muslim world to the non-Muslim world. They have to see this. If they ignore it, it brings weakness to the E.U.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Democracy is like a streetcar. When you come to your stop, you get off.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Whatever our Lord says, whatever our beloved Prophet says, we shall follow that path.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“We have never done anything to stop freedom of expression or freedom of press.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“A woman who abstains from motherhood saying ‘I am working’ means she is in fact rejecting motherhood.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“There exists an unmistakable demand in the Middle East and in the wider Muslim world for democratization.”
― 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 members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria are also part of the Syrian people, and they have the right to exercise their democratic rights.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“If you think you can finish ISIS off with the PYD and YPG, you cannot, because they are terrorist groups as well.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“I am one of the first political leaders officially declaring that anti-Semitism is a crime. I expect an official declaration that Islamophobia is a crime against humanity as well.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Attempts by one ethnic group to exercise sovereignty over another are not fair. It doesn’t matter if that ethnicity is Kurdish, Turkish, Arabic, Chaldean or whatever.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Family planning, birth control, no Muslim family can practice such an understanding.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“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.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Every country needs a strong leader in order to progress.”
― 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
“We, as Turkey, call on Europe to respect human rights and democracy.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“In other words, the bar should be maintained at the level of a pluralistic and participatory democracy.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Turkey will be in Cyprus forever.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Several experts on the Middle East concur that the Middle East cannot be democratized.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“So far, I have not come to any of the positions that I have filled through wanting to be there. I was sought – people wanted me to come to those posts. I am talking about all my positions: mayor of Istanbul, chairman of the party, prime minister.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Even as we ought to accept that each country would progress with a different method and speed toward that goal, the standard for the expected end-state should not be lowered.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Invariably, also a Palestinian state should live side by side with Israel within recognized and secure borders and the security and prosperity of the Palestinian people must be guaranteed.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Time to time I get together with the rabbis, with religious leaders, leaders of congregations, and I talk to them, and wherever a need arises, we do everything we can to meet those needs.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Strong families lead to strong nations.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“There is no difference, where aims are concerned, between a terrorist with a gun and bomb in his hand and a terrorist who has dollars, euros, and interest rates.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Why shouldn’t Turkey be in the Shanghai Five?”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“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.”
― 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
“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
“Your targets can only be realized on the basis of dreams.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“A political party cannot have a religion. Only individuals can. Otherwise, you’d be exploiting religion, and religion is so supreme that it cannot be exploited or taken advantage of.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“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.”
― 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
“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
“But foremost, I do not subscribe to the view that Islamic culture and democracy cannot be reconciled.”
― 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
“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.”
― 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
“I take the debate on the method of promoting democracy seriously.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“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.”
― 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
“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
“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.”
― 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
“However, democracy cannot be defined as the existence of parliaments and elections alone.”
― 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
“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
“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
“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
“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
“A fitting external security environment could also play an important role in promoting social consensus and institutionalization towards democratization.”
― 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
“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
“I am a person who is inclined to define relations between individuals based on principles.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“The Kurdish problem is not only the problem of one part of my nation: it is a problem of every one of us, including myself.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“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.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“In the process of the Arab Spring, we have unfortunately seen a development in Syria where the regime has been oppressing its people.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“In this country, there is a segregation of Black Turks and White Turks. Your brother Tayyip belongs to the Black Turks.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Before anything else, I’m a Muslim. As a Muslim, I try to comply with the requirements of my religion. I have a responsibility to God, who created me, and I try to fulfill that responsibility. But I try now very much to keep this away from my political life, to keep it private.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Turkey is a sovereign state, just like the U.S. We might go to different directions, in terms of our impressions and ideas, but we’ll always remain friends.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“We’re really willing to see more and more U.S. entrepreneurs conducting investments in Turkey. I’m optimistic for the future.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“We have a very significant number of Jewish citizens, and they have always been safe and secure where they are in Turkey.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Islamophobia emerged from the Western countries, and this is a challenge that we all together need to surmount.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Nazism is still widespread in the West.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“The fact that a woman is attached to her professional life should not prevent her from being a mother.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Those who stand on our side in the fight against terrorism are our friend. Those on the opposite side are our enemy.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“My nation wants the death penalty. That is the decision of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Those who claim we buy oil from Daesh are obliged to prove it. If not, you are slanderer.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“We are concerned that Germany, which has protected the PKK and DHKP-C for years, has become the backyard of the Gulenist terror organisation.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Germany has become an important haven for terrorists.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“I’m calling on the United States: what kind of strategic partners are we, that you can still host someone whose extradition I have asked for?”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Our country and our nation have again only one message to those who attack us – you will not succeed!”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“If the E.U. is going to make Turkey a full member, we are ready.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“During the Gezi protests and PKK terror campaigns, the unity and solidarity of the Turkish nation were attacked.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“All terror groups are bad, and we shall fight them all.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“You cannot defend a terrorist group just because they are fighting Daesh.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“I have already said that I find the coalition air strikes to be insufficient. A ground intervention will be necessary to overcome Daesh.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Among leaders in Europe there are those who have prejudices against Turkey, like France and Germany.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“A country without a strong leader will go down.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“The PKK is the number one threat in terms of terror in our country.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“We of course define all terror organizations as threats, but the PKK is the primary threat.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“I consider personally the election of Barack Hussein Obama to have very great symbolic meaning. A Muslim and a Christian name – so in his name there is a synthesis, although people from time to time want to overlook that, and they do it intentionally.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“If everyone can say, looking at Obama, that is he is one of us, is that not befitting for the leading country in the world?”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Russia is not engaged in a fight against Daesh in Syria. On the contrary, they are actually targeting moderate opposition.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“A federated structure in Iraq based on ethnicity or religious sects will not be healthy.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“The E.U. should want Turkey to be part of it.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“If the European Union wants to be an address where civilizations meet, it must take Turkey in.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Once the people of Iraq know when the U.S. troops will leave, their confidence in the U.S. will increase.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Russia and Iran back Assad, but are they fighting Daesh? The answer is ‘no.’”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“We have to fight all terrorist groups, and not arm one to fight another.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Engaging in actions which are not allowed by law should have certain prices to pay.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Satire, whether it be satire or not, everything has to have boundaries.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“A simple caricature, a simple sketch – that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if you draw up a caricature… if you associate that subject with the things you’re not supposed to, then, of course, you can’t expect that to be acceptable.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“We have extradited terrorists to the United States in the past. And we expect the same thing to be done by the United States.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“I cannot deceive my people.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“Turkey must feel at ease. It mustn’t say, ‘For me, it’s the European Union at all costs.’ That’s my view.”
― Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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