Turkey: Syria Revolt Drives Wedge Between Erdogan Arab Allure, Friends

Syrian refugees in Turkey are driving a wedge between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's popular standing among the region's people and his friendships with leaders targeted by revolts.

Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, or AKP, has pursued a so-called Zero Problems foreign policy with regional neighbors. That policy may conflict with his ambition to make Turkey the most influential nation in the region and a voice for Muslims against oppression.

"Turkey is getting caught in the classic dilemma of trying to maintain relationships with existing regimes while sending signals to the opposition saying, 'We are with you'," said Bulent Aliriza, director of the Turkey Project at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington. "You cannot improve relationships with everybody."

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