View From Turkey

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• RAY SUAREZ:

  Recep Tayyip Erdogan is approaching his first anniversary as Turkish prime minister after leading his justice and development party to a landslide victory in the 2002 election. His party has Islamic roots, but Erdogan now proclaims a conservative secular agenda. A month shy of his 50th birthday the former mayor of Istanbul has led his country through tumult in the neighborhood, war and occupation in neighboring Iraq that Turkey appeared ready to join but didn't; a parliamentary decision not to allow American troops to invade Iraq from Turkish soil.

  The prime minister spoke to us in Washington yesterday where he has met with the president and senior administration officials. Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to the program.

• RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Prime Minister, Turkey (Translated):

  Thank you.

• RAY SUAREZ:

  There have been some ups and downs in the Turkish-American relationship over the past 12 to 18 months. How would you describe where things are today?

• RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN (Translated):

  Well, well, I can say that the relationship is very good at the moment. Especially the steps we've both taken in recent times have really helped develop our relationship. And as the result of these bilateral contacts, Turkey and the U.S., I believe, will have an even better relationship and that this strategic partnership will continue and we will have a very positive trend.

• RAY SUAREZ:

  Looking at the conversations that went on between Turkey and the United States over whether or not Turkish military would participate in both the invasion and the occupation of Iraq, how do you assess that today? Turkish troops ended up not participating. Do you think that, on reflection it was better that way?

• RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN (Translated):

  A lot of time has passed and I don't believe that there is any benefit in reassessing that situation because that was yesterday. What we're doing today is more important. And what we will do for tomorrow is even more important, and I think we need to discuss that. For example, the U.S. right now is rotating 60,000 troops, and we are using the air base for the rotation of these U.S. troops. We opened up this facility and we are providing the necessary support to the U.S. for the rotation of these troops.

• RAY SUAREZ:

  One of the most critical things that the United States is trying to accomplish this year is to begin the transfer of sovereignty to an Iraqi government. Does Turkey have an interest in what kind of government emerges in Iraq? One model that has been talked about is a federal model where there is power held in the regions, a certain amount of autonomy. Would Turkey not want to see a state structure where the Kurds are largely self-governing?

• RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN (Translated):

  Now I would like to say here that if there is a federation based on ethnicity, I don't believe that this will create a healthy democratic structure. In the same way, I also don't believe that a sectarian-based federation will not be healthy for Iraq because there are different ethnic groups in Iraq, there are different religious sects being represented in Iraq, and there are other people having different religions. So having these separate federative structures would I'm afraid perhaps create civil war in Iraq because there is also the issue of interests and how you balance those interests. So we're saying that the territorial integrity of Iraq is very important.

  We are also saying that the riches, the underground riches of oil and natural resources belong to all of the people in Iraq. That's what we need to underline because we do not wish to see the domination of this or that element or ethnic orientation against or over another one. Another important point is the need to have a census of in Iraq under the auspices of an international organization, following the census, a national a local and national election should be held so that a democratic process can begin; if this process can be initiated, then this will be hope for the Iraqi people. Then they can look to the future for tomorrow because otherwise, Iraq has and will become a training ground for terrorist organizations.

• RAY SUAREZ:

  You are the leader of a party that in the West is often called an Islamist party but perhaps there is a better term for it. You can tell me. But I'm wondering if in your view, Turkey has a very important reason to succeed right now; that the interests of Europe should be watching; that the United States should be watching Turkey demonstrate that an Islamic democracy, a modern place, can be successful and stable in the 21st century.

• RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN (Translated):

  Well, let me say at the outset the following: We are not an Islamist party. And I find that term very wrong actually because there cannot be a political party which is Islamist or non-Islamist. This is an expression that actually harms religions. When you look at the political parties around the world, there are two important realities that we come face to face with.

  One is a group that exploits religion and uses religion as an instrument of politics. And there are others which also use politics as a way for individual gain. These kinds of people have failed in Turkey.

  We are a very different party. From the moment we established our party, we said that we would not be a party using religion as a political instrument. And therefore, our party's identity is conservative Democrats. It is not Islamist. The word "Islamist" is used for example, as radical religious. You can't have a Islamic terrorist organization, for example. You can have radically religious terrorists but you cannot have an Islamic terrorist organization because none of the Islamic traditions allow terrorism. Islam doesn't allow terrorism. And I don't know how this has been really so misrepresented because it is really wrong.

• RAY SUAREZ:

  OK. So let me use the term "conservative democratic." Turkey is a state with a Muslim majority, and in a part of the world that has not successfully had stable democratic government in many countries.

• RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN (Translated):

  What we're trying to do is to do our job. Everyone has religious beliefs and they practice religion in their own way, and we don't want to use that as a means, an instrument of politics. We want to separate the two from each other. One more point: We are a democratic secular country. I see all of the citizens of my country as being equal regardless of what faith they have. This is my job, this is what I have to do. This is my responsibility. I did this and I will continue to do it.

• RAY SUAREZ:

  Mr. Prime Minister. Thanks for joining us.

• RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN (Translated):

  Thank you very much. And would I like to extend our greetings to all of our American friends. Thank you very much.

• RAY SUAREZ:

  Thank you.

• RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN:

  Thank you.