Posted on 09/14/2011 9:00:06 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The Muslim Brotherhood on Wednesday expressed anger at Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's assertion that Egypt should adopt the Turkish system of government and ensure the state's secular nature in its constitution, Al Arabiya reported.
Erdogan made the statement during an appearance on Egyptian television. The Turkish leader had received a hero's welcome upon his arrival in Egypt. Many of the Egyptians gathered to welcome Erdogan appeared to be religious conservatives eager to imitate his AKP partys success in bringing traditional Islam into mainstream politics.
Erdogan, Erdogan a big welcome from the Brothers! one protesters banner said, in reference to the Muslim Brotherhood.
However, Brotherhood spokesman Dr. Mahmoud Ghozlan said in a statement that Erdogan's comments constituted foreign intervention into Egypt's internal issues.
He said that it would be impossible to apply Turkey's political reality to Egypt.
Erdogan said on the television program that "a secular state does not mean that the people are atheists, it means respect for all religions and each individual has the freedom to practice his own religion."
He added: "99 percent of the population in Turkey are Muslims, there are Christians, Jews and minorities, but the state treats them equally and this is recognized by Islam and has been true throughout Islamic history."
Essam el-Erian, deputy leader of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice party said, "We welcome Turkey and we welcome Erdogan as a prominent leader but we do not think that he or his country alone should be leading the region or drawing up its future."
Erdogan's AKP party, with its Islamist roots and election success, has become a model for much of the Brotherhood and other political groups as they prepare for the first free vote since Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule was ended in February.
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
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