Recep Tayyip Erdogan Quotes

There is no moderate or immoderate Islam. Islam is Islam and that's it.

The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society.

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.

The knife in the hand of a murderer kills, but if you give it to a doctor he will heal with it.

We will not leave this nation at the mercy of YouTube and Facebook.

My own daughters weren't able to study in Turkey because of their headscarves, so they went to the United States.

If we look at history, we will see that regimes which persecute [their people] do not remain standing.

But foremost, I do not subscribe to the view that Islamic culture and democracy cannot be reconciled.

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.

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.

However, democracy cannot be defined as the existence of parliaments and elections alone.

Forsake Alcohol, eat grapes instead!

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.

I went back in British history. Some 204 people died there after a mine collapsed in 1838. In 1866, 361 miners died in Britain. In an explosion in 1894, 290 people died there.

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.

Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb were not and never will be Jewish sites, but Islamic sites.

If the people allow something to happen, it's the right thing.

We are against the majority tyrannizing the minority. But we are definitely against the minority tyrannizing the majority.

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

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.

I am saying yes to criticism, but no to insults.

Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have to respect the Turkish Republic's laws

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.

We won't allow the people to be devoured by YouTube, Facebook or others.

I take the debate on the method of promoting democracy seriously

There is a trouble called Twitter, the finest lies are here. Nowadays, social media is actually the headache of societies.

When there is no such thing as religious culture and moral education, serious social problems such as drug addiction and racism fill the gap.

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

It is not a process of bargaining or give-and-take. The peace process is not about giving concessions. We will not allow any step which would hurt the memories of our martyrs.

In Turkey the religious minorities have more rights than they do in Europe.

We have taken a strategic decision to gather education activities under a single roof.

Everyone should unconditionally accept that Israel is an indispensable element of the Middle Eastern mosaic.

The whole world is an open, free market. No state can exist without the others.

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

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.

Our bilateral relations and our agreement [between Turkey and America] on the extradition of criminals should dominate and precede actually any inclusion into any list.

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.

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

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

They came to me with this case of Twitter ignoring case of smeared housewife

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

If during their education our youths become alienated from their language, history, ancestors, culture and civilization, it means there is a very serious educational problem there.

I cannot understand how sensible people still defend Facebook, YouTube and Twitter

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.

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.

If nuclear energy is used for the sake of humanity, then I say yes. But if it is used destructively, then no.

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

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.

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

Turkey has put up a fight against the powerful nations of the world. The crusader mentality attacked us abroad. Inside, their lackeys attacked us. We didn't succumb. As a nation, we stood strong.