Turkey has shown that Islam and democracy can co-exist and could serve as an inspiration in the wake of the popular uprisings sweeping Arab countries, according to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In an exclusive interview with AFP, the Turkish premier also predicted that Moamer Kadhafi's beleaguered regime in Tripoli would soon face up to "reality" while making clear his opposition to sanctions on Libya.
Many observers have pointed at secular Turkey as a model for the rest of the Muslim world following uprisings that have swept the Middle East and north Africa, toppling the long-time presidents of Tunisia and Egypt. While he rejected the status of role model, Erdogan said lessons could be learned from Turkey.
"We are not seeking to be a model or whatsoever, but we can be a source of inspiration since Turkey has shown that Islam and democracy can co-exist perfectly," Erdogan said in an interview late Wednesday. "Having religious beliefs does not prevent one from having a democracy and democracy does not prevent one from having religious beliefs. And in this country, we have had both for years."
The Islamist-rooted Turkish leader, a hero of the Arab street with his frequent outbursts against Israel, had lent vocal support to anti-regime protests in Egypt that forced Hosni Mobarak to step down earlier this month. And on Tuesday, Erdogan urged Libya against making the "mistake" of ignoring its people's demands for freedom and warned "ruthless interventions against those who voice democratic demands will increase the spiral of violence."
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