The United States expressed confidence Wednesday in Turkey's democracy after the republic's Islamist-rooted ruling party narrowly escaped being banned by a constitutional court for undermining secularism.
   
Washington also hoped that Turkey would continue implementing reforms in its quest to join the European Union.
   
"We have confidence in Turkey and confidence in the Turkish people and their democracy," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) narrowly escaped being outlawed for steering the country towards an Islamist regime.
   
Six of the court's 11 judges voted in favor of closing down the AKP -- just one short of the seven required to implement a ruling -- but the court decided to punish the party with financial sanctions instead.
   
"The court has rendered an opinion, and we're going to continue to work with this government. We work quite well with them," McCormack said.
   
The United States, he added, encouraged Turkey "to use this moment to reinvigorate its efforts with the EU" and continue efforts at "political and economic reform" based on Ankara's constitution and secular democracy.
   
"I know that requires both sides," he said.
   
Erdogan on Wednesday pledged efforts to strengthen "social peace" and "national unity" in the polarized country, stressing that the Constitutional Court's ruling would "strengthen democracy and the rule of law."
   
He promised commitment also to Turkey's bid to join the EU, saying that his party's survival "has lifted a great uncertainty blocking Turkey's way."