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Kyrgyz politician sees Turkey as democracy model in Turkic world

22 August 2010 01:32 (UTC +04:00)

Kyrgyzstan’s former parliament speaker and deputy prime minister said Saturday that Turkey proved that a modern democracy could be established both in the Turkic and the Islamic world.
Omurbek Tekebayev, leader of Kyrgyzstan’s Ata Meken Party, held a press conference in the Turkish capital following his talks with Turkish officials including Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
Turkey pledged support to Kyrgysztan to help establish a parliamentary system in the country, Kyrgyz officials said.
Speaking at the press conference, Tekebayev said that recent riots that led to ousting of Kyrgyz government has brought a historic change in the country.
Bloody street riots ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev in April. Violence in the country killed hundreds and displaced thousands. Kyrgyzstan is set to vote for a parliamentary election on October 10.
Tekebayev said the country was ruled by only one family since 1990s, the post-Soviet era, which he described as a period of "criminal system."
Two Kyrgyz presidents have been ousted after unrests in last five years, Tekebayev said, adding that it was because Kyrgyz people did not want a dictatorship in the country.
Speaking as an advocate of democracy, Tekebayev said, "democracy is a life style. It is untrue to say that democracy cannot be established in Central Asia, Turkic and Islamic countries."
"Turkish parliamentary system proves that a modern democracy can be formed in the Turkic and the Islamic world," he said.