Turkey's Christians like AK despite Islamist past
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VAKIFLI, Turkey  - Its foes like to accuse Turkey's ruling AK Party of plotting to create an Iranian-style Islamic state, but many among the country's Christian minority seem to prefer the alleged Islamists to more secular parties.
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Following a wave of protests against   Pope Benedict's remarks on Islam, Muslim intellectuals in   Turkey are asking what he really thinks about their faith and   what long-term consequences his views will have.
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Pope Benedict XVI has stressed Europe's &quot;Christian roots... and values,&quot; two days after backing Muslim majority Turkey's bid for membership in the European Union.
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In its ardent desire to be part of Europe, modern Turkey jettisoned its Islamic character in favour of secularism about eight decades back; was in denial of its rich Islamic past and broke ranks with the Muslim world in its quest for a European identity.
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In the flurry of pro and con statements from American Christians regarding Israel's strikes on Hezbollah guerrillas, one major religious group has remained notably quiet &#151; evangelicals.
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Turkey's ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party won nearly 50 percent of the vote in a decisive national election victory on Sunday, early results showed.
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ISTANBUL Turks on Friday welcomed the European Union&#39;s decision to open membership talks next year, but some worried about the compromises Turkey would need to make to become the first Muslim nation in the bloc.
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A devout Muslim won Turkey's presidency yesterday after months of confrontation with the secular establishment, promising to be impartial and praising the idea that Islam and the state should be separate.
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Pope Benedict XVI faces a delicate balancing act in Turkey as he tries to improve Christian-Muslim ties.
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Turkey's ruling AK Party won a resounding election victory on Sunday, giving the pro-business, Islamist-rooted party a mandate for reform but risking fresh tensions with the secular elite.
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EFES, Turkey  - Turks praised Pope Benedict on Wednesday for moves to bridge the divide between Christians and Muslims as he began the part of his Turkey trip that is devoted to Christian issues.
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Turks began voting on Sunday in a parliamentary election pitting the ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party against nationalists who disagree strongly over the future path of the rigidly secular Muslim country.
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Turkey greets Pope Benedict on Tuesday for a four-day official visit, but the welcome will be distinctly cool due to simmering Muslim anger over his comments on Islam and his past opposition to Ankara's EU ambitions.
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ANKARA, Turkey -- A devout Muslim with a background in political Islam won the Turkish presidency on Tuesday, in a major triumph for the Islamic-rooted government after months of confrontation with the secular establishment.
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Turkey's Alevi Muslims have been branded "pagans" for their musical ceremonies and liberal customs but Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is seeking their votes as his party reaches out beyond its devout Sunni Muslim base.
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gangs of Christian and Muslim youths armed with sticks and knives fought running battles in the streets. Witnesses said some of the Muslim youths were carrying AK-47 rifles.
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Turkey's ruling party claimed a resounding victory Sunday in parliamentary elections. But the AKP's Islamic roots and its appeal to religious supporters have unnerved many in the officially secular nation.