General Basbug: Secularism Is The Main Driving Force In Development Of Democracy In Turkey

ISTANBUL - Turkish General Staff Deputy Chief General Ilker Basbug has said, ''secularism is the main driving force in development of democracy in Turkey. The principle of secularism is the milestone of all values forming the Republic of Turkey.''
Speaking at a symposium held by the General Staff Department of Military History and Strategic Studies in Istanbul on ''Regions of Crisis from the Perspective of Turkey, NATO and European Union (EU) and Their Impacts on Turkey's Security'', General Basbug said on Thursday, ''secularism is the main driving force in development of democracy in Turkey. Democracy mainly depends on secularism. We can define two important elements of democracy as freedom and equality. These elements could be valid only in secular societies in which there are not any religious pressure.''
''The principle of secularism is the milestone of all values forming the Republic of Turkey. Some circles defended that formation of a more democratic structure in North African and Middle Eastern countries having mostly Muslim population, would contribute to efforts to resolve problems in those region. It can be misleading to claim that countries having mostly Muslim population could transit into democratic structure easily by considering Turkey a model. Countries which did not experience a secularism process, cannot reach a democratic structure easily,'' General Basbug added.
(UK-AÖ) 27.05.2004