"Why do EU Leaders go to Diyarbakir?
by Sahin Alpay
I commented on the results of the November 2002 general elections as a 'Victory for democracy.' I hailed the commitment to liberal democracy and secularism by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) leaders, who have their roots in the Islamist movement, as an important achievement not only for Turkey but also for the whole world.
I greatly appreciate that the AKP leaders have changed their earlier views and now share the understanding that the EU as a project of permanent peace and democracy in Europe provides a most significant external support for consolidating liberal democracy in Turkey. And I wholeheartedly support the political and economic reforms introduced by the AKP government during the last two years. "
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