All Blog Posts from World Watch

Turkey's president has sought to allay Western fears that his country — NATO's only majority-Muslim member — is shifting its affinity from Washington and Europe toward Iran.

Increasing closeness between Turkish leaders and Iran, and Turkey's quest for better ties in the broader Muslim world, have fueled concerns in the West that this key U.S. ally is moving gradually to the East.

But Turkey's president used a speech Monday at the opening of an Islamic nations' summit in Istanbul to try and ease worried Western minds.

President Abdullah Gul told the Organization for the Islamic Conference's Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) that Turkey's foreign policy maneuvers in the West and in the East are "complementary to each other, not contradictory."

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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that peace in the Middle East will only be achievable if Israel gives back the territories it has occupied.

The Turkish leader made it clear that Ankara was ready to act as an intermediary to bring Syria and Israel — long-time foes — to the negotiating table.

A joint statement from the Turkish and Syrian leaders stresses the need for "a genuine Israeli political will to make peace based on the implementation of international resolutions and Israel's withdrawal from occupied Arab lands."

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Updated at 3 a.m. Eastern, April 7, 2009:

Turkish officials have told the U.S. the man in custody is a "known fabricator" who has made various unsubstantiated claims in the past.

U.S. officials tell CBS News, "There was never a serious plot or threat against the President."

Turkish authorities told American officials the man never actually obtained an Al Jazeera credential, never gained access to any Presidential venue, and was in custody before Mr. Obama arrived in the country.

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