Reference to Turkey's Ottoman Empire was generally frowned upon after the formation of the secular state. But judging by the record crowds that have flocked to see a new movie about the conquest of Constantinople, the days of Turkey ignoring its past are history.
The Turkish government has taken a robust stance against Syria over its crackdown on dissent and Istanbul has become a center for opponents of the Syrian regime. But even in Turkey, opposing the regime still carries risks.
In Syria, both the opposition and the government are courting the country's large Kurdish minority. And even though Kurds have suffered years of discrimination at the hands of the Assad regime, they remain divided over whom to support.
Efforts to unite the Syrian opposition in their struggle against President Bashar al-Assad's regime are intensifying. But for that to happen a number of political and ideological differences must be overcome.
The signing of a contract by oil giant ExxonMobil with Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region has caused outrage in Baghdad, becoming the focal point of simmering tensions between Iraq's Kurds and Baghdad over control of the country's huge energy reserves, and raising wider concerns about Iraq's future integrity.
The UN's nuclear watchdog has passed a new resolution expressing deep concern over Iran's nuclear program, sparking calls for additional sanctions against Tehran. But the success of those measures could depend on Turkey, one of Iran's last major trading partners.
Tensions between Turkey and Syria continue to escalate, with Ankara expressing a lack of confidence in its former ally while increasing its support for the Syrian opposition.
After years of lobbying. the Turkish government is claiming a major diplomatic breakthrough with Washington in its bid to secure the use of U.S. drones. The Turkish prime minister has claimed he has received a commitment from the U.S. president for Turkey to be provided "Predator" drones to be used in its fight against the Kurdish rebel group PKK. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, Ankara sees the decision as part of a deepening relationship in the region with Washington.
At a one-day conference on Afghanistan in Istanbul, regional and Western powers pledged support for the country's sovereignty and stability.
The presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan have committed their countries to jointly investigate the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani on a day of talks hosted by their Turkish counterpart.
The Turkish government has agreed to accept offers of international aid to help it cope with the aftermath of the devastating October 23 earthquake in the southeast of the country.
Iran's foreign minister visited Turkey as Turkish armed forces continued their military incursion into northern Iraq against Kurdish rebels. Ankara is looking for support from its neighbors, but as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, regional tensions are complicating Ankara's battle against the Kurdish rebels.
One of the more controversial aspects of Turkish foreign policy has been Ankara's drive to cultivate close ties with Iran. But Turkey's decision to allow the placement of a NATO radar as part of a missile-defense system, primarily aimed at Iran, has provoked outrage in Tehran.
Iran has been rocked by one of the world's largest banks frauds, with over $2.5 billion believed to have been stolen. The political repercussions of the scandal could be equally far-reaching, with a top ally of the Iranian president suspected of being involved.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today told foreign ministers from Arab countries that recognition of a Palestinian state was an obligation, as the Palestinians prepare to submit a bid for UN membership.
Turkey's government vows to restitute hundreds of properties to members of its non-Muslim minorities. The decades-old seizures are a poignant symbol of the troubles facing those groups, and the decision is being seen as ground-breaking.
