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Turkey is immersed in a profound social and political conflict between secularists, who have been in power since the republic was founded, and an insurgent Islamic-based movement that seeks to increase the role of religion in public life.

I don't much care whether rural Anatolians or Istanbul secularists take power. I'm not close to any of them. What I care about is respect for the individual.

As the United States shapes and carries out its policies toward Muslim countries, it should do so with Turkey at its side.

Bear in mind how valuable a secular Turkey is for the world.

Foreign journalists writing about Turkey like to focus on the most fundamental divide in Turkish society: the rift between religious conservatives and secularists.

That is one of the reasons why we advocate for good relations between the two countries. Turkey understands the needs of the region.

The secularists in Turkey haven't underestimated religion, they just made the mistake of believing they could control it with the power of the army alone.

There's been quite a clear upswing in nationalist sentiments. Everyone is talking about it, in Turkey as well.

These political movements flourish on the margins of Turkish society because of poverty and because of the people's feeling that they are not being represented.

If one has problems with immigrant communities in Europe, that should not be used against Turkey.