Pundits tell Egypt to emulate Turkish model marrying Islam with democracy, vibrant economy

Turkey may serve as a model for Egypt struggling to emerge from a political upheaval against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule, suggested a weekend news analysis in the News York Times. Calling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan probably the most influential political figure in the region, it said, "As Egypt struggles to reinvent itself, many experts in the region say that it might look to Turkey for some valuable lessons." Stressing that Egypt's inability to accommodate Islam, democracy and vibrant economics lies at the root of its current plight, it added, "But no country in the region has come closer to accomplishing this trick, warts and all, than Turkey. As a result, diplomats and analysts have begun to present the still-incomplete Turkish experiment as a possible road map for Egypt." A report prepared for the NATO Defense College also called Turkey the model best suited for Egypt. Stating that the Arab public sees Turkey as a possible model, the report said, "The regime in Turkey is no doubt a democratic republic, and the military is no longer trying to seize power but is instead playing the role of referee so that some lines are not overstepped." Turkey is open to the outside world, and the growth in its strong economy based on solid foundations is remarkable, it said. "Above all, Turkey is proud of its balanced foreign policy," it added.