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[[Image:Turkeyflag.gif|thumb|right|Flag of Turkey]]

[[Image:Turkeyflag.gif|thumb|right|Flag of Turkey]]

Turkey is a state in [[Asia]] with a small amount of territory in [[Europe]]. Its current president is [[Ahmet Necdet Sezer]].  It succeeded the [[Ottoman Empire]] after its defeat by the Entente powers in the [[World War I]]. Since the establishment of the Republic in 1923, Turkey has pursued policies of secularism and Westernization but it refused to cooperate with the U.S.-led forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom

'''Turkey''' is a state in [[Asia]] with a small amount of territory in [[Europe]] and is a part of [[NATO]]. Its current president is [[Ahmet Necdet Sezer]].  It succeeded the [[Ottoman Empire]] after its defeat by the Entente powers in the [[World War I]]. Since the establishment of the Republic in 1923, Turkey has pursued policies of secularism and Westernization but it refused to cooperate with the U.S.-led forces during [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]]

<ref>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3432.htm</ref>.  After a period of one-party rule, multi-party politics was introduced in the late 40's but there have been intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980) <ref>https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/print/tu.html</ref>. However, human-right abuses, especially against Christians remains a problem  

<ref>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3432.htm</ref>.  After a period of one-party rule, multi-party politics was introduced in the late 1940's but there have been intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980) since then when the military has not liked the direction the government was going. <ref>https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/print/tu.html</ref>.

 

Human-right abuses, especially against [[Christians]] remains a problem  

<ref>http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78844.htm</ref> and the frequency of violent attacks on Christian ministers and priests is still high

<ref>http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78844.htm</ref> and the frequency of violent attacks on Christian ministers and priests is still high

<ref>http://washingtontimes.com/upi/20070418-030533-9552</ref>

<ref>http://washingtontimes.com/upi/20070418-030533-9552</ref>