Aydin: Turkey's Democratic Driving Force Was Not Appreciated Sufficiently To Date

FRANKFURT - State Minister Mehmet Aydin said on Saturday that the democratic driving force of Turkey was not appreciated sufficiently to date.
Aydin attended the meeting on ''Islamic World's Democrats Congress,'' organized by International Relations National Democracy Institute in which representatives from Bosnia, Indonesia and Yemen also participated.
Aydin said that ''the progress recorded by Turkey in 150 years, and particularly the progress recorded during the Turkish Republic and multi-party era are very important. What we have to do is to further advance and to explain that.''
Noting that he told in the meeting that Turkey was a western country in respect of its democratic experience, Aydin said that ''I explained that the democracy culture settled in Turkey, it is permanent, and it will further strengthen.''
''Turkey is the number one country within the Islamic world which is a model of democracy,'' Aydin said.
Aydin will return to Turkey on Monday.
(Öª) 23.03.2003