"Cooperation in the education sector could produce and generate new knowledge in politics showing that Islam and democracy are compatible," a political observer at the University of Indonesia, Eep Saefulloh Fatah, said after meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gul in a business lunch here on Tuesday.
Some western quarters considered that Islam and Democracy could not co-exist and perform in harmonious or agreeable combination, one could negate the other and vice versa, Eep said.
Some studies in western countries showed that Islam and Democracy could not co-exist, Eep said, adding that recent studies showed the contrary.
Indonesia and Turkey are countries in which majority are moslems that use a democratic system in the government.
According to Eep, in the closed meeting, President Abdullah aaid that Islam had many teachings that could be adopted in the democratic system.
"Islamic values contain many things such as women`s appreciation, human rights, responsibility, and morality in political affairs," Eep said.
President Abdullah believed that Indonesia could have a bright future in its democracy if the governance is managed well, Eep said.
In view of the escalating conflicts in the Middle East, Eep hoped that the conflicts would end immediately in a peaceful way where Islam and democracy could co-exist in harmony.
Meanwhile, on the same occasion, Hidayat Nur Wahid, former People`s Consultative Assembly chairman, said Turkey and Indonesia are two countries which had Moslem majority that could develop democracy well.
Hidayat hoped that Indonesia and Turkey could share the experience from the bilateral cooperation and the establishment of Turkish Study Center in Indonesia, or Indonesian Study Center in Turkey.
(T.KR-AES/HAJM/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
