Erdogan visited U.S. President George Bush at the White House on December 10 to discuss a number of issues ranging from Turkey's EU application to Cyprus and Iraq. After a brief stopover in New York City, the AKP leader flew back to Copenhagen to participate in the EU Summit. The conservative-center AKP has won a clear victory in the November 3 elections by winning 363 seats in the 550-seat Turkish parliament.

One occasion during which Erdogan had the opportunity to expand on his vision for a new Turkey was the speech he delivered at CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) in Washington, December 9, 2002. The program was organized by Bulent Aliriza, the director of CSIS's Turkey project.

After emphasizing that AKP "received votes from nearly every sector of society… consequently, our party's vote represents a Turkish consensus," Erdogan, who as a past Mayor of Istanbul ran a metropolis of 12 million, talked about his vision for Turkey's future:

"I believe in the virtue of spiritual ideas. However, at the same time I recognize the value of pluralism, diversity and toleration. As an essential part of my beliefs, I define my political ideals within the context of democracy, freedom, tolerance, basic rights, secularism and political participation. And I also know that we need to match other countries in the world in democratic values, as well as in technology and economic performance," Erdogan said.

"That is why I attach great importance to the social and political culture of the U.S.. My children studying in the U.S. have the opportunity to see this at first hand."

Mevlana, Atatürk, Menderes, Ozal
"My political views have always been in a state of constant evolution. Naturally, I have been profoundly influenced by those that have preceded me. As Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi said, "the words of our predecessors are our friends, and our guides." Atatürk ensured Turkey's independence and freedom at a time of foreign invasion. This is something we can never forget. Adnan Menderes established the idea of a free enterprise society in 1950. The Turkish-American relationship was developed during the Menderes era. In the 1980's Turgut Ozal liberated our economy from decades of restrictive control and worked closely with the U.S."

Vision for Turkey:
"We are moving forward by establishing an organic bridge between the societies past and its future. Our party is the product of the continuity of Turkish national existence.

In that context, this is my vision of Turkey:"
"We want a modern society in which each family can enjoy a prosperous life, in harmony with those around them. The Turkey in our ideal will be an urban and industrialized society, which has not broken with its past or fallen into a rootless present. Tolerance and pluralism will be present."

"We attach great importance to tolerance. One of the first things we promised, which nobody had demanded from us, was to guarantee the property rights of Christian churches. We will provide legislation to deal with this and other such inequalities, injustices and anachronisms."

"Equally, we do not approve of discrimination, factions or cartels. We want a modern competitive society and an economy that both work to the benefit of everyone."

"Thus our approach will eradicate all the obstacles, which have chased foreign investors away from Turkey. Turkey will fulfill all the requirements of a modern and transparent society. In this context, corruption, which is a global issue and which has placed an unbearable burden on us, will be totally eliminated. Turkey will move towards full integration with the free market system."

On US-Turkish relations
"The long-standing relationship between the Turkey and the U.S. has now moved to a higher level of importance and is now being conducted on the basis of a strategic partnership," Erdogan continued.

"While the relationship has taken great strides in the area of defense cooperation, maximum effort is now being undertaken to allow its expansion and development in other areas, in particular, the economy and bilateral trade. In addition, Turkey is trying to coordinate its interests and policies in the large geographic area stretching from the Balkans to central Asia with its partner and ally, the U.S., on the basis of mutual respect and sensitivity to each other's interests. The importance and priority attached by the new Turkish government to relations with the U.S. was confirmed by the government program."

"…We Turks did not lose any time in conveying our sincere feelings to the American people. Turkey gave full support to the invoking of article 5 of the NATO charter, as well as to the global war against terror. Turkey made a concrete contribution by assuming the command of ISAF in Afghanistan and by participating in an effective manner in the efforts to reconstruct Afghanistan to prevent this country from once again being dragged in the wrong direction."

On the need to fight international terrorism
"The post-September 11 world has brought forward the need to deal with certain issues on our common agenda as quickly and expeditiously as possible. Above all, whatever its form and manifestation, and irrespective of its location, terrorism cannot be justified. Terrorism, which contravenes the most fundamental right, namely the right to life, has to be fought and decisively defeated…"

"…At the same time, there needs to be the development of an understanding that terror cannot be identified with a particular religion, culture, race or geography. Bridges and mutual understanding also need to be developed between peoples of different races, languages, religions and faiths… Although military measures are an essential aspect of the struggle against terror, they are not sufficient. Developing mutual understanding between the Islamic world and the west is at least as important as military action…"

Turkish model of tolerance and pluralism
"… [I]t is clear that the real problem does not stem from a lack of understanding and prejudices at the individual level. The aspect, which should not be neglected, is the establishment of democratic peace and this needs to be taken up in the political context.

Turkey provides a unique model in this context. This model is perhaps a product of Turkey's own unique characteristics. Turkey has a social history in, which peoples from all three monotheistic faiths with different cultures have lived in peace for centuries. Because of their tolerance, which was the product of their humanism and Sufism, Turks have protected oppressed and persecuted peoples. Having provided shelter to Jewish refugees escaping medieval religious persecution in 1492, for centuries the Turks oversaw in their states, which stretched from the Balkans to the Middle East and Africa the highest form of tolerance then seen in the world."

"While this historical background explains why the Turkish model flourished in Turkey, ultimately the model is universal. It is not applicable just for Moslems and Christians but also to the entire world. This model is the democratic, secular legal and political order that views the world of faith at the level of the individual and treats all faiths equally at the level of the state."

A "political Magna Carta" and a new "renaissance"
Erdogan has explained his own party's profile as follows: "In some western newspapers and publications, my party is described as "an Islamic party" or as "Moslem democrat". These characterizations are not correct. This is not because we are not Moslem or democrat, but because we believe the two need to be considered in two different contexts."

"This difference lies at the core of the understanding, which is displayed to the world by the Turkish model. "The political Magna Carta" of Turkey rests on this model. The recognition and adoption of the Turkish model will mean "a new renaissance" at the global level. Turkey wishes to take its "political Magna Carta", which rests on a synthesis between its Moslem identity and modern values, much further by becoming an active leader of the system of modern values, and thus to provide the world with a new "renaissance" perspective which can be a new source of inspiration."

"… For the adoption of the Turkish model at the global level, it is important that the Turkish desire and will to enter the EU not be frustrated," Erdogan added.

[On December 12, the European Union has decided to re-consider Turkey's full-membership application in December 2004.]

Zero tolerance
Erdogan outlined the extensive reform packages AKP is working on to harmonize Turkish laws and regulations with those of EU, and to promote human rights. "In the struggle against torture, the goal is zero tolerance. In this context, we are determined to cooperate with the European torture prevention society and other similar institutions in reaching the highest standards. The public servants who resort to such measures will be quickly tried and punished."

On Cyprus
Erdogan has also emphasized his genuine desire for a settlement in Cyprus.

"I can see that the global political consensus has somehow formed a linkage between Cyprus and the EU.

We believe that politics is not the art of sticking your head in the sand and allowing problems to fester but that of solving problems…"

"…We seriously and genuinely want the solution of the Cyprus problem and do not accept the lack of a solution as a solution. We believe that the UN secretary general's plans could open the way to a just and lasting solution with the necessary revisions…"

"…We are encouraging the Turkish Cypriot side to negotiate. We believe that the Turkish Cypriot side will not be the side to run away from the negotiations.

It is absolutely essential that the just demands of the Turkish side in the negotiations not be ignored in the difficult negotiations, which are due to end by February 28."

On Iraq
"The other issue I wish to share my view on with you is Iraq. Iraq is an important neighbor with whom we share the same geography and with whom we have maintained close relations for centuries… Turkey is at the head of countries, which suffered great losses since the Gulf War and which have been most affected in the intervening period by the situation in Iraq. Consequently, we are opposed to developments, which could drag Iraq into even greater instability. In order to allow a better understanding of us views on Iraq and the eradication of Turkish concerns, Turkey and the U.S. need to be in a continuous dialog."

"Turkey regards the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the geography it shares with concern. It is essential for Iraq to implement the UN resolutions relating to UN inspections for WMD and to implement without any reservation resolution 1441.

In this context, I would like to once again underline the importance we attach to the eradication of WMDs from Iraq, to its transformation to a democratic system, to the maintenance of its territorial integrity, unity and independence, as well as our belief that Iraq's natural resources belong to the entire Iraqi people."

"We believe that the decisions relating to the future of Iraq have to be taken by all the people of Iraq. In this context, we attach importance to the protection of the rights and interests of the Turkmens, which constitute the third largest ethnic element in the Iraqi population..."

"Our risks and opportunities are racing with each other"

Erdogan finished his address by stressing the opportunities for peace and progress available to the world even during a time of stress and confusion:

"On one side of the village there is democracy, prosperity, freedom and modern values.

On the other there is poverty, deprivation, hunger, terror and oppression. However, we are all creatures of the one god. God created us with equal rights. Therefore, those who are better off cannot turn their backs on those who are not so well off.

"Morality and politics dictate solidarity and fraternity. Justice, equality, fraternity and freedom, which were the ideals behind the American Revolution, should be the ideals of the whole of humanity. However, they should not just remain ideals, they have to become reality. The means at our disposal are now equal to the tasks in front of us.

Our risks and opportunities are racing with each other. Our efforts and determination will decide which will emerge as the winner."

"We have the power to create a bright and brand new world. We must also confront the threat of abandoning an important portion of the world to oppression and darkness

The words of the famous novelist Charles Dickens in his novel tale of two cities help us to understand today's world. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair." Let us cooperate to ensure the victory of the best of times to defeat the worst of times. Let us cooperate to cover the winter of despair with the spring of hope."