Turkey wants to be treated by the same standards as other countries. If you compare us to some other newly accepted EU members our performance, especially in terms of the economy, is much better.

There is no moderate or immoderate Islam. Islam is Islam and that's it.

The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society.

According to this view, democracy is a product of western culture, and it cannot be applied to the Middle East which has a different cultural, religious, sociological and historical background.

The knife in the hand of a murderer kills, but if you give it to a doctor he will heal with it.

We will not leave this nation at the mercy of YouTube and Facebook.

My own daughters weren't able to study in Turkey because of their headscarves, so they went to the United States.

If we look at history, we will see that regimes which persecute [their people] do not remain standing.

But foremost, I do not subscribe to the view that Islamic culture and democracy cannot be reconciled.

It is impossible to preserve my friendship with people who are allegedly leaders when they are attacking their own people, shooting at them, using tanks and other forms of heavy weaponry.

As a politician who cherishes religious conviction in his personal sphere, but regards politics as a domain belonging outside religion, I believe that this view is seriously flawed.

He'll love and hate equally under cover, and esteem it a species of impertinence to loved or hated again.

Human life is beyond comprehension.

Being a theater actor, I've done a lot of plays where I've seen someone else play the same role in another production. Especially with the classics: Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams.

Studying writing to me means reading and also rewriting obsessively. That's the best way to learn.

No. 1 music event in 1998? 'Weird Al gets LASIK to cure his myopia. At the same time, he grows out his hair and shaves his mustache, drastically changing his look.'

I like how you sing that song. You sound like you're really old.

Around 5th and 6th grade I thought Dean Martin was the coolest guy in the world; he was a great singer, had his own television show and acted in movies.

If you can wait and not be tired of waiting, or being lied about, don't deal in lies. Or being hated, don't give way to hating, and yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise.

Mutual respect among everyone for one another and for one another's rights is an absolute prerequisite for peace.

Competition is a moral problem and an emotional tangle and a political conundrum.