Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Prime Minister of Turkey
Incumbent
Assumed office 
March 14, 2003
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
Abdullah Gül
Deputy Cemil Çiçek
Bülent Arınç
Preceded by Abdullah Gül
Mayor of Istanbul
In office
March 27, 1994 – November 6, 1998
Preceded by Nurettin Sözen
Succeeded by Ali Müfit Gürtuna
Incumbent
Assumed office 
August 14, 2001
Born February 26, 1954 (1954-02-26) (age 56)
Kasımpaşa, Istanbul, Turkey
Nationality Turkish
Political party Justice and Development Party
Spouse(s) Emine Erdoğan (m. 1978)
Children Ahmet Burak, Bilal, Esra and Sümeyye
Alma mater Marmara University
Religion Islam
Signature Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Website Prime Ministry
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Turkish pronunciation: [ɾeˈdʒep tajˈjip ˈæɾdoan]; born February 26, 1954) is a Turkish politician, a former mayor of Istanbul and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey since 14 March 2003. He is also the chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

Erdoğan graduated in 1981 from Marmara University's Faculty of Economics and Commercial Sciences. He was involved in politics from the age of eighteen. In 1976, Erdoğan was elected chairman of the Youth Branch of a Turkish political party for Istanbul. Erdoğan was also engaged in the sport as a semi-professional football player from 1969 to 1982.

Erdoğan was elected Mayor of Istanbul in the local elections of March 27, 1994. He was sentenced to a prison term because of a poem he recited during a public address in the province of Siirt on December 12, 1997. The poem was quoted from a book published by a state enterprise and one that had been recommended to teachers by the Ministry of Education. After four months in prison, Erdoğan established the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on August 14, 2001. From its first year, the AK Party became the largest publicly-supported political movement in Turkey. In 2002, the general elections resulted with the AK Party winning two-thirds of the seats in parliament, forming a single-party government after 19 years.

As prime minister, Erdoğan implemented numerous reforms within a period of time. After 45 years, the negotiations for Turkey's accession to the EU started during Erdoğan's tenure. Parallel to this, inflation, which had for decades adversely affected the country's economy, was taken under control and the Turkish Lira retrieved its former prestige through the elimination of six zeros. Interest rates for public borrowings were pulled down; per capita income grew significantly. The AK party won the elections of 2007 making it the first time in 52 years that a party in power has increased its votes for a second term.

Contents

Personal life and education

Erdoğan was born in Istanbul to a family that moved from Rize. Historian Cezmi Yurtsever claims that his family descends from the family of Bagatlı Recep, a large Muslim Turkish family that was settled around Trabzon after Mehmed II's conquest of the city.[1][2] "Bagatlı Recep" (meaning Recep from Bagat), died in 1916 fighting against the invading Russian and Armenian forces.[1]

Erdoğan spent his early childhood in Rize, where his father was a member of the Turkish Coast Guard.[3] The family returned to Istanbul when Erdoğan was 13 years old.[3] As a teenager, he sold lemonade and sesame buns (simit) on the streets of Istanbul's rougher districts to earn extra money.[3] Brought up in a observant Muslim family, he graduated from Kasımpaşa Piyale Elementary School in 1965 and from Istanbul Religious Vocational High School in 1973 (İmam Hatip school). Erdoğan received his high school diploma from Eyüp High School. He then studied Business Administration at Aksaray School of Economics and Commercial Sciences (now it is known as Marmara University's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences).[4]

In his youth, Erdoğan played semi-professional football in a local club.[4][5][6] The stadium of the local football club of the district he grew up in, Kasımpaşa S.K., a team which is currently playing in the Turkish Süper Lig, is named after him.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan married Emine Erdoğan (née Gülbaran) (b. 1955 in Siirt), whom he met during a conference, on 4 July 1978.[7] The couple has two sons (Ahmet Burak, Necmeddin Bilâl) and two daughters (Esra, Sümeyye).[7] Erdoğan gave a speech in New York on 19 December 2006 in which he talked mainly about the good relations between citizens of Turkey who come from different backgrounds by giving an example from his own life. Erdoğan's first grandson was born in 2006.

Early political career

Mayor of Istanbul, 1994-1998

In the local elections of March 27, 1994 Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was elected Mayor of Istanbul, one of the biggest metropolitan areas of the world. He received 25.19% of the popular vote. Erdoğan tackled many chronic problems of Istanbul, such as water shortage, pollution and traffic chaos. The water shortage problem was solved with the laying of hundreds of kilometers of new pipelines. The garbage problem was solved with the establishment of state-of-the-art recycling facilities. While Erdoğan was in office, air pollution was eliminated through a plan developed to switch to natural gas. He changed the public buses with environmentally friendly buses. The city's traffic and transportation jams were tackled with more than fifty bridges, viaducts, and highways. Erdoğan also prohibited the sale of alcohol in city services. After a period, this measure was reversed. While taking precautions to prevent corruption, Erdoğan took measures to ensure that municipal funds were used prudently. Erdoğan paid back a major portion of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's two billion dollar debt when he took office and meanwhile invested four billion dollars in the city.[8]

Erdoğan initiated the first roundtable of mayors during the Istanbul conference, which led to a global, organized movement of mayors. Because of his works, a seven member international jury from the United Nations unanimously found Erdoğan deserving the UN-HABITAT award.[9]

Imprisonment, 1998

Before his conviction, the Welfare Party, of which he was a member at the time, was declared unconstitutional and shut down by the Turkish constitutional court on the grounds of threatening the Kemalist nature of Turkey. Erdogan became a constant speaker at the demonstrations held by his colleagues from the banned Welfare Party.[10]

He was given a prison sentence after he had read poetry regarded as a violation of Kemalism by judges. It included verses translated as "The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers...."[3]

The poem was quoted from a book published by a state enterprise and one that had been recommended to teachers by the Ministry of Education.

Prime Ministership, 2003-present

In 2001, he established the moderate Justice and Development Party with former Fazilet Partisi and Anavatan Partisi members, and became Prime Minister of Turkey in 2003.[11]

Domestic policy

Democracy

Erdoğan's pro-EU government instituted several democratic reforms such as giving the European Court of Human Rights supremacy over Turkish courts, diminishing the powers of the 1991 Anti-Terror Law which had constrained Turkey’s democratization, and passing a partial amnesty to reduce penalties faced by many members of the Kurdish terrorist organization PKK who had surrendered to the government.

The government planned several times to reform the Turkish Constitution of 1982 in a so-called more democratic "civil constitution", but the main opposition party CHP did not want to participate.

In 2009, the Turkish government under Prime Minister Erdoğan announced a plan to help end the quarter-century-long conflict that has cost more than 40,000 lives. The government’s plan, supported by the European Union, allowed the Kurdish language to be used in all broadcast media and political campaigns, and restore Kurdish names to cities and towns that have been given Turkish ones.[12]

Such measures, many of which have been required for entry to the European Union, were inconceivable in the early 1980s, when aggressive state policies prohibited use of the Kurdish language and other cultural and political rights for the Kurds.

“We took a courageous step to resolve chronic issues that constitute an obstacle along Turkey’s development, progression and empowerment.” Erdoğan said regarding the issue.[12]

Economy

Turkey's public debt as percentage of GDP compared to European economies.

In 2002, Erdoğan inherited a Turkish economy deep in recession due to the financial crisis of Ecevit's coalition government. Erdoğan supported Finance Minister Ali Babacan in enforcing macro-economic policies. Erdogan tried to attract more foreign investors to Turkey and lifted most of government regulations, with the average GDP growth rate 7.3% during his premiership as he presided over a record 26 quarters of economic growth.[13]

Since 1961 Turkey has begun 19 IMF loan accords. Erdogan's government satisfied the budgetary and market requirements of the two on his watch and received every loan installment, the only time any government has ever done so. [14] Erdoğan inherited a debt of $23.5 billion to the IMF, which is reduced to $7 billion in 2009. He decided not to sign a new deal. Turkey’s debt to the IMF will be completely paid off in 2013.[15] Unemployment rate decreased from 10.3% to 9.7% in 2007. Along with the global economic crisis of 2008, Turkey’s unemployment rate jumped to a record high of 16.1 percent in the January–March period of 2009. In the April–June period of 2010, the unemployment decreased again to 11.0%, compared to 10,0% in the eurozone. [16]

In 2002, the Turkish Central Bank had $26.5 billion in reserves. This amount reached $72.5 billion in 2009. In the same period, inflation fell from 34,9% to 5,7%, the lowest in 39 years. [17] The public debt as percentage of annual gross domestic product declined from 74% in 2002 to 39% in 2009.

The World Bank praised Erdogan for the couragous reforms and the economic stability in the country. [18]

Justice

On March 2006, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) for the first time in Turkey's history held a press conference and publicly protest the obstruction of the appointment of judges to the high courts for over 10 months. It claimed Erdoğan wanted to fill the vacant posts with his own appointees which Erdoğan was accused of creating a rift with the Turkey's highest court of appeals (the Yargıtay) and high administrative court (the Danıştay). Erdoğan claimed that the constitution gave power of assigning members to his elected party.[19]

On May 2007, the head of the top court in Turkey has asked prosecutors to consider whether Erdoğan should be charged over critical comments regarding the election of Abdullah Gul as president.[19] Erdoğan said the ruling was "a disgrace to the justice system", and criticized the Constitutional Court which had invalidated a presidential vote because a boycott of other parties meant there was no quorum. Prosecutors have already investigated his earlier comments, including saying it had fired a "bullet at democracy". Tülay Tuğcu, head of the Constitutional Court, condemned Erdoğan for "threats, insults and hostility" towards the justice system.[19] The Turkish parliament agreed to reduce the age of candidacy to the parliament from 30 to 25 and abolished the death penalty in all instances, including war time.

Health care

On April 2006, Erdoğan unveiled a social security reform package demanded by the International Monetary Fund under a loan deal. Erdoğan claimed that the move, which was passed with fierce opposition, was the one of the most radical reforms. Turkey’s three social security bodies were united under one roof, bringing equal health services and retirement benefits for members of all three bodies. Under the second bill, everyone below the age of 18 will be entitled to free health services, irrespective of whether they pay premiums to any social security organization or not. The bill also envisages a gradual increase in the retirement age. Starting from 2036, the retirement age will eventually increase to 65 as of 2048 for both men and women.[20]

On January 2008, the Turkish Parliament adopted a law on a complete prohibition of smoking in most public places.

Demographics

In 2008 Erdogan commented that to stop the Turkish population from decreasing every family would need to have three children.[21][22] In 2010 he repeated this call.[23] The women's rights activist Pek İlkkaracan, said Erdoğan's statement "was a scandal and constituted a violation of fertility rights."[24] The Centre of Family Planning in Başkent University also disputed Erdoğan's claims with a scientific report, citing high infant mortality and stable fertility rates.[25]

Gender equality

In July 2010, Erdoğan commented that he thought "it is impossible for men and women to be equal" but that in his opinion, "men and women complement each other" and that he supports "equal opportunities" for both men and women.[26][27]

Foreign policy

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Dmitry Medvedev at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, Sep. 26, 2009.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil, May 27, 2010.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, Sep. 26, 2009.
Map of international trips made by Recep Tayyip Erdogan as prime minister.

United States

When Barack Obama became President of United States, he made his first overseas trip to Turkey in April 2009.

At a joint news conference in Turkey, Obama said: "I'm trying to make a statement about the importance of Turkey, not just to the United States but to the world. I think that where there's the most promise of building stronger U.S.-Turkish relations is in the recognition that Turkey and the United States can build a model partnership in which a predominantly Christian nation, a predominantly Muslim nation -- a Western nation and a nation that straddles two continents," he continued, "that we can create a modern international community that is respectful, that is secure, that is prosperous, that there are not tensions -- inevitable tensions between cultures -- which I think is extraordinarily important."[28]

European Union

Erdoğan was named by the European Voice Organization "The European of the Year 2004" for the reforms in his country. Erdoğan said in a comment that "Turkey's accession shows that Europe is a continent where civilisations reconcile and not clash." [29]

On 3 October 2005, the negotiations for Turkey's accession to the EU formally started during Erdoğan's tenure as Prime Minister.[30]

Greece and Cyprus

During Erdoğan's Prime Ministership, relations with Greece have been normalized. The political and economic relations are strongly improved. In 2007, Prime Minister Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis met on the bridge over the Evros River at the border between Greece and Turkey, for the inauguration of the Greek-Turkish natural gas pipeline, linking the longtime Aegean rivals through a project that will give Caspian gas its first direct Western outlet and help ease Russia’s energy dominance.

Turkey and Greece signed agreement to create a Combined Joint Operational Unit within the framework of NATO to participate in Peace Support Operations.[31]

Erdogan and his party strongly supported the EU backed referendum of Cyprus, 2004 to reunify the island.[32]

Israel

Erdoğan is a supporter of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also called for Israel's nuclear facilities to come under IAEA inspection.[33] Erdoğan accuses Israel of turning Gaza into an "open-air prison".[34]

At the 2009 World Economic Forum conference, the debate became heated in relation to the Gaza conflict. The Israeli President Shimon Peres was heavily criticized by Erdogan (sitting beside him) over the handling of the conflict as response to Peres' strong language. Erdoğan also accused the moderator of giving Peres more time than all the other panelists combined.[35]

Following the Gaza flotilla raid, tension between the two countries dramatically mounted, when Erdogan strongly condemned the raid, describing it as "state terrorism", calling for Israeli leaders responsible to be punished, and concluding his speech by saying that "we are sick of your [Israel's] lies".[36]

Reconciliation with Armenia

In 2005, international airspace between Armenia and Turkey has been reopened. Between May 2005 and October 2006, the Turkish Ministry of Culture financed the restoration of an old Armenian church. The restoration had a stated budget of 2 million New Turkish Lira (approximately 1.4 million USD)

During Erdoğan's Prime Ministership, Abdullah Gül became the first Turkish head of state to visit Armenia, when he made the trip to Yerevan to watch a FIFA World Cup qualifying match between the countries.[37] Erdoğan also met numerous times with the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, the latest such meeting taking place during the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C in April 2010.[38]

On August 31, 2009, Turkey and Armenia signed protocols in Zurich to improve relations between the two countries.[39]

Iraq

On March 23, 2009, Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish head of state to visit Iraq in 33 years. Under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's Prime Ministry, Iraq and Turkey signed 48 trade agreements by the Iraqi-Turkish Strategic Council in Baghdad. Agreements signed included sectors of security, energy, oil, electricity, water, health, trade, environment, transport, housing, construction, agriculture, education, higher education, and defense.

Turkish government also warmed up relations with Iraqi Kurdistan by opening a Turkish university in Arbil, and a Turkish consulate in Mosul.[40]

Syria

During Erdoğan's term of office, the diplomatic relations between Turkey and Syria have significantly improved. In 2004, President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Turkey for the first official visit by a Syrian President in 57 years. In late 2004, Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan signed a free trade agreement with Syria. The visa restrictions between the two countries have been lifted in 2009, which caused an economic boom in the regions near the Syrian border.[41]

Erdoğan walks out of the session at the World Economic Forum in 2009, vows never to return.[42]

Elections and Referendums

General elections

The elections of 2002 were the first elections in which Erdogan participated as a leader of a party. All parties previously elected to parliament failed to win enough votes to re-enter the parliament. The AK Party won 34.3% of the national vote and formed the new government. Turkish stocks rose more than seven percent on Monday morning. Politicians of the previous generation, such as Ecevit, Bahceli, Yılmaz and Çiller, declared to resign from their role as political leader. The second biggest party CHP received 19.4% of the votes.

The stage of the elections of 2007 was set for a fight for legitimacy in the eyes of voters between his government and the country’s kemalist opposition. Erdoğan used the events at that took place during the ill-fated Presidential elections a few months earlier as a part of the general election campaign of his party. In the night of 22 July 2007, it became obvious that AKP had won an important victory over the opposition, garnering 46.7 percent of the popular vote. July 22 elections were only the second time in the Turkish Republic's history whereby an incumbent governing party won an election by increasing its share of popular support.

On 14 March 2008, Turkey's Chief Prosecutor asked the country's Constitutional Court to ban Erdoğan's governing party.[43] The party later escaped a ban on 30 July 2008, a year after winning 46.7 percent of the vote in national elections, only receiving a removal of 50% share of their public granted funds.[44]

Presidential elections

On April 14, 2007, an estimated 300,000 people marched in Ankara to protest the possible candidacy of Erdoğan in the 2007 presidential election, afraid that if elected as President, he would alter the secular nature of the Turkish state.[45] Erdoğan announced on April 24, 2007 that the party had decided to nominate Abdullah Gül as the AK Party candidate in the presidential election.[46] The protests continued over the next several weeks, with over one million reported at an April 29 rally in Istanbul,[47][48] tens of thousands reported at separate protests on May 4 in Manisa and Çanakkale,[49] and one million in İzmir on May 13.[50] Early parliamentary elections were called after the failure of the parties in parliament to agree on the next Turkish president. The opposition parties boycotted the parliamentary vote and deadlocked the election process. At the same time, Erdoğan claimed the failure to elect a president was a failure of the Turkish political system and proposed to modify the constitution.

Abdullah Gül was later elected President after the general elections on 22 July 2007 that saw AKP and Erdoğan brought back to power with 46.7 percent of the vote. Later in 2007, Turkish constitutional referendum approved with the support of 69% of the voters to modify the constitution to allow the people to elect the President.

Local elections

In the local elections of 1994 Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was elected Mayor of Istanbul, one of the biggest metropolitan areas of the world. He received 25.19% of the popular vote.

After the AK Party won the 2002 general elections under the leadership of Erdogan, it has received more votes in the 2004 local elections. The AK party was the biggest party in 12 out of 16 metropolitan municipality.

The Turkish local elections of 2009 took place during the financial crisis of 2007–2010. In these elections the AK Party received 39% of the votes and lost 3 points compared to the local elections of 2004. The second party CHP received 23% of the votes and the third party MHP received 16% of the votes.

Referenda

After the opposition parties deadlocked the 2007 presidential election by boycotting the parliament, the ruling AK party proposed a constitutional reform package. The reform package was first vetoed by president Sezer. Then he applied to the Turkish constituonal court about the reform package, because the president is unable to veto amendments for the second time. The Turkish constituonal court did not find any problems in the packet and 68.95% of the voters supported the constitutional changes. The reforms consisted of:

Reforming the Constitution was one of the main issues of the AK Party during the 2007 election campaign. The main opposition party CHP was not interested to alter the Constitution on a big scale, making it impossible to vorm a Constitutional Commission (Anayasa Uzlaşma Komisyonu).[51] The amendments lacked the two-thirds majority needed to instantly become law, but secured 336 votes in the 550 seat parliament - enough to put the proposals to a referendum. The reform package includes a number of issues such as the right of individuals to appeal to the highest court, the creation of the ombudsman’s office, the possibility to negotiate a nation-wide labour contract, gender equality, the possibility of civilian courts to convict members of the military, the right for public servants to go on strike, a privacy law, and the structure of the Constitutional Court. The referendum will be held on September 12, 2010.

Honors and accolades

Awards

Honorary doctorates

Honorary citizenship

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "ERDOĞAN'IN DEDESİ ŞEHİT DÜŞMÜŞ - 26.04.2009 17:29". Haber Name. 2009-04-26. http://www.habername.com/haber/erdogan-dedesi-sehit-20965.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-08. 
  2. ↑ [1]
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "[2]," BBC News, 4 November 2002
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Profile: Recep Tayyip Erdogan". BBC News. 2007-07-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6900616.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-29. 
  5. ↑ "Life story". AK Parti Official Web Site. http://eng.akparti.org.tr/english/lifestory.html. Retrieved 2008-08-29. 
  6. ↑ "Recep Tayyip Erdoğan". Britannica Online Encyclopedia. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/913988/Recep-Tayyip-Erdogan. Retrieved 2008-08-29. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2007/08/29/son/sonsiy47.asp (Turkish)
  8. ↑ "Recep Tayyip Erdoğan participated in the World Leaders Forum event, Turkey's Role in Shaping the Future, in November 2008". Columbia University. 2008-11-12. http://www.worldleaders.columbia.edu/participants/recep-tayyip-erdo%C4%9F. Retrieved 2008-11-12. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Turkish premier is winner of Rafik Hariri Memorial Award". 2010-03-01. http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=8016&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0. Retrieved 2010-03-01. 
  10. ↑ Barry M. Rubin; Political Parties in Turkey P.68
  11. ↑ "Erdogan becomes Prime Minister of Turkey". Voice of America. 2003-03-23. http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2003-03/a-2003-03-23-21-Erdogan.cfm?moddate=2003-03-23. Retrieved 2003-03-25. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Arsu, Sebnem (2009-11-13). "Turkey Plans to Ease Restrictions on Kurds and Help End Decades of Conflict". NYT. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/europe/14kurds.html. Retrieved 2009-11-17. 
  13. ↑ Birch, Nick. "Turkish prime minister plays economy card to cool protests," The Guardian, 1 May 2007.
  14. ↑ "Erdogan's IMF Aversion, Budget Raise Business Qualms". Bloomberg. 2008-11-10. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a.Xr1ajJU15A. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  15. ↑ "Turkey's flirting with IMF comes to an end". Hurriyet Daily News. 2010-03-10. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=flirting-with-imf-comes-to-an-end-2010-03-10. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
  16. ↑ "İstihdam 1.6 Milyon Kişi Arttı". Milliyet. 2010-08-17. http://www.milliyet.com.tr/istihdam-1-6-milyon-kisi-artti/ekonomi/haberdetay/17.08.2010/1277380/default.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-17. 
  17. ↑ "Enflasyon 2009’u 39 yılın ‘dibinde’ bitirdi". Hürriyet. 2010-01-05. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/ekonomi/13381334.asp. Retrieved 2010-01-05. 
  18. ↑ "TURKEY: WB'S DIRECTOR PRAISES TURKEY'S ACHIEVEMENTS.(Vorkink, Andrew)(World Bank)(Brief Article) - IPR Strategic Business Information Database | HighBeam Research - FREE trial". Encyclopedia.com. 2004-07-06. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-118989214.html. Retrieved 2010-09-08. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Rift between Erdogan and HSYK," BBC News, 30 May 2007.
  20. ↑ "Social security reform finally going to Parliament". Turkish Daily News. 2006-04-12. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=40551. Retrieved 2008-08-29. 
  21. ↑ "[3]," Hürriyet, 07 March 2008.
  22. ↑ "[4]," NTVMSNBC, 10 March 2008.
  23. ↑ "[5]," HaberTurk, 23 July 2010.
  24. ↑ "[6]," NTVMSNBC, 12 March 2008.
  25. ↑ "[7]," NTVMSNBC
  26. ↑ "In Turkish". Haburturk. http://www.haberturk.com/polemik/haber/537849-kadin-ve-erkegin-esit-olmasi-mumkun-degil. Retrieved September 8, 2010. 
  27. ↑ "Muslim Democracy? No Thanks". The Huffington Post. August 20, 2010. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elcin-poyrazlar/muslim-democracy-no-thank_b_687354.html. Retrieved September 8, 2010. 
  28. ↑ "Obama in Turkey". CNN. 2006-04-06. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/06/obama.turkey/index.html. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  29. ↑ "Erdogan named European of the Year". NTV-MSNBC. 2004-12-01. http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/298717.asp?cp1=1. Retrieved 2004-12-02. 
  30. ↑ "EU enlargement past, present and future". BBC News. 2008-11-06. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7529707.stm. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  31. ↑ "Turkish Foreign Minister’s visit to Athens - Greek-Turkish agreement on confidence-building measures". greekembassy.org. http://www.greekembassy.org/embassy/Content/en/Article.aspx?office=1&folder=24&article=22442. Retrieved 2007-12-04. 
  32. ↑ "Analysis: Turkey's Cyprus gamble". BBC News. 2004-04-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3656919.stm. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  33. ↑ Service, Haaretz. "Turkish PM: Israel is the main threat to Mideast peace - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News". Haaretz.com. http://www.haaretz.com/news/turkish-pm-israel-is-the-main-threat-to-mideast-peace-1.901. Retrieved 2010-09-08. 
  34. ↑ [8]
  35. ↑ "Turkish PM storms out of Davos' Gaza session, slams moderator". Hürriyet. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/world/10887282.asp?gid=244. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  36. ↑ "Turkey urges UN to punish Israel for raid on Gaza flotilla". Youtube.com. 2010-05-31. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MUXxLerFsY. Retrieved 2010-06-05. 
  37. ↑ "Gul in landmark visit to Armenia". BBC News. 2008-09-06. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7602066.stm. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  38. ↑ "Kritik görüşme başladı". Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkish-armenian-leaders-meet-in-washington-2010-04-12. Retrieved 2010-04-12. 
  39. ↑ "Turkish PM scorns Armenia apology". BBC News. 2008-12-17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7788486.stm. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  40. ↑ "Turkish Foreign Minister’s visit to Northern Iraq". Today's Zaman. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-191730-100-news-analysis-towards-a-new-era-in-ties-with-northern-iraq.html. Retrieved 2007-12-04. 
  41. ↑ "Milliyet İnternet - Son Dakika". Milliyet.com.tr. 1990-01-06. http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2004/01/06/son/sontur16.html. Retrieved 2010-09-08. 
  42. ↑ Bennhold, Katrin (2009-01-29). "Leaders of Turkey and Israel Clash at Davos Panel". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/world/europe/30clash.html. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  43. ↑ "Turkish ruling party put on trial". BBC News. 2008-07-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7482793.stm. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  44. ↑ "Turkey's ruling party escapes ban". BBC News. 2008-07-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7533414.stm. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  45. ↑ "Secular rally targets Turkish PM," BBC News, April 14, 2007.
  46. ↑ "Turkey's ruling party announces FM Gul as presidential candidate," Xinhua, April 24, 2007.
  47. ↑ "More than one million rally in Turkey for secularism, democracy". Agence France-Presse. http://www.afp.fr/english/news/stories/070429134050.kd2e8gv7.html. Retrieved 2007-04-29. 
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  49. ↑ "Saylan: Manisa mitingi önemli" (in Turkish). Milliyet. http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2007/05/04/guncel/axgun01.html. Retrieved 2007-05-04. 
  50. ↑ "Turks protest ahead of early elections". Swissinfo. http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Turks_protest_ahead_of_early_elections.html?siteSect=143&sid=7813908&cKey=1179061645000. Retrieved 2007-05-13. 
  51. ↑ "AKP’nin Anayasa hedefi 15 madde". NTVMSNBC. 2009-02-17. http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/475685.asp. Retrieved 2009-02-17. 
  52. ↑ "Erdogan's Third U.S. Visit Comes Closest To Being a Charm". Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. 2004-04-09. http://www.washington-report.org/component/content/article/260-2004-april/5060-erdogans-third-us-visit-comes-closest-to-being-a-charm.html. Retrieved 2004-04-09. 
  53. ↑ "100 most influential people". Time magazine. 2004-04-18. http://www.time.com/time/2004/time100/. Retrieved 2004-04-18. 
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  55. ↑ "Europeans of the Year 2004, per category with reasons for nomination". European Voice. 2004-12-01. http://www.europeanvoice.com/page/the-evawards-europeans-of-the-year-winners-in-2004/1662.aspx. Retrieved 2005-12-01. 
  56. ↑ "The Mediterranean Award for Institutions 2005 to Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan". euromedi.com. 2005-09-02. http://www.euromedi.org/attivita/dettaglioattivita.asp?idevento=989&lingua=eng. Retrieved 2005-09-02. 
  57. ↑ "Putin’den Tatar madalyası". 2006-06-01. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/4513893.asp?gid=48. Retrieved 2006-06-01. 
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  62. ↑ "Başbakan Erdoğan'a kristal hermes ödülü verildi" (in Turkish). 2007-04-15. http://foto.aa.com.tr/popUp.do?arcId=668877. Retrieved 2007-04-15. 
  63. ↑ "'2006´nın En Başarılı Lideri' Erdoğan" (in Turkish). 2007-06-14. http://www.haber7.com/haber/20070614/2006nin-En-Basarili-Lideri-Erdogan.php?id=248390. Retrieved 2007-06-14. 
  64. ↑ "Turkish Prime Minister receives Agricola Medal". 2007-07-11. http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000626/index.html. Retrieved 2007-07-11. 
  65. ↑ "2006 Building Bridges Award". 2008-01-15. http://www.amssuk.com/pressreleases/20080115amssuk_Press_Release.pdf. Retrieved 2008-01-15. 
  66. ↑ "Almanya'dan Erdoğan'a İbn-i Sina ödülü" (in Turkish). CNN Türk. 2009-05-11. http://www.cnnturk.com/2009/dunya/05/11/almanyadan.erdogana.ibni.sina.odulu/526044.0/index.html. Retrieved 2009-05-11. 
  67. ↑ "Democracy award from the Crans Montana Forum". Hürriyet. 2009-06-09. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/11824866.asp?gid=233. Retrieved 2009-06-09. 
  68. ↑ "Pakistan, Turkey can together bring peace to region: Erdogan". Associated Press of Pakistan. 2009-10-26. http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88433&Itemid=1. Retrieved 2009-10-26. 
  69. ↑ "Turgut Özal Ödülü aldı, onun gibi konuştu: Allah'ın verdiği ömrü O'ndan başka alacak yoktur". Zaman. 2009-12-29. http://www.zaman.com.tr/wap.do?method=getSondakikaDetay&haberno=933739&sirano=0&sayfa=. Retrieved 2009-12-29. 
  70. ↑ "King Faisal International Prize". 2010-01-12. http://www.kff.com/EN01/KFIP/1430H2010G/KFIPWinners1STI1430H2010G.html. Retrieved 2010-01-22. 
  71. ↑ "Turkey's Erdogan awarded for peace efforts in Spain". 2010-02-23. http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=54518. Retrieved 2010-02-23. 
  72. ↑ "Erdoğan ranked 17th most influential person by TIME magazinee". Time magazine. 2010-04-29. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=erdogan-ranked-17th-most-influential-person-by-time-magazine-2010-04-29. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
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  74. ↑ "Turkey's PM hails "new era" in Brazil ties on first visit". worldbulletin.net. 2010-05-27. http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=59101. Retrieved 2010-05-27. 
  75. ↑ "World No Tobacco Day 2010 Awards - the winners". World Health Organization. 2010-05-31. http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2010/awards/en/. Retrieved 2010-05-31. 
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  78. ↑ "Crimean Engineering and Pedagogics University awards Prime Minister Erdogan with Honorary Doctorate". Anatolian Agency. 2004-04-04. http://www.hri.org/news/turkey/anadolu/2004/04-04-04.anadolu.html#21. Retrieved 2004-04-04. 
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