Recep Tayyip Erdogan Quotes
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Turkey wants to be treated by the same standards as other countries. If you compare us to some other newly accepted EU members our performance, especially in terms of the economy, is much better.
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If the people allow something to happen, it's the right thing.
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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.
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We are against the majority tyrannizing the minority. But we are definitely against the minority tyrannizing the majority.
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Obviously some states are allowed to have weapons of mass destruction while others are not.
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In other words, the bar should be maintained at the level of a pluralistic and participatory democracy.
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I don't want to use the term "nuclear weapons" because those people in Iran who have authority say they are not building nuclear weapons. I make an appeal to the countries who do have nuclear weapons. They don't consider them a nuclear threat. But let's say a country that doesn't have nuclear weapons gets involved in building them, then they are told by those that already have nuclear weapons that they oppose such a development. Where is the justice in that?
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Our religion has defined a position for women (in society): motherhood. Some people can understand this, while others can't. You cannot explain this to feminists because they don't accept the concept of motherhood.
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Several experts on the Middle East concur that the Middle East cannot be democratized.
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If the nuclear program is indeed meant only for civil purposes, then it is wrong to impose sanctions.
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The knife in the hand of a murderer kills, but if you give it to a doctor he will heal with it.
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This (presidential) system will not bear any resemblance to dictatorships under the same name in Africa and Asia, (It) will be unique to Turkey, it will be like a bee making honey, taking something from every flower and giving us a taste of a truly different honey.
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The whole world is an open, free market. No state can exist without the others.
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Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have to respect the Turkish Republic's laws.
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If we look at history, we will see that regimes which persecute their people do not remain standing.
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There is a trouble called Twitter, the finest lies are here. Nowadays, social media is actually the headache of societies.
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I am against nuclear weapons, regardless of whether they are in the hands of Iran or Israel or any Western country. But obviously some states are allowed to have weapons of mass destruction while others are not.
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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.
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Turkey is the gateway to the east for Europe, and the gateway to Europe for the east. We have a bridging function that Europe shouldn't underestimate.
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70 percent of Turkeys citizens favored the EU; today it is only 50 percent. If you ask if they want Turkey to become an EU member, 60 to 65 percent still say yes. But if you ask: Do you believe Europe will accept Turkey, 60 percent say no.
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When we strengthen our relations with the Gulf states, when we cooperate with the Arabs, everybody asks if we are looking for a new geopolitical place. But in the Middle East and the Gulf, you can find German, French and British goods everywhere. German relations to these states are very good, as are English and French relations. Does this make them Arab-oriented?