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Erdogan will try to pull off balancing act at NATO summit

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to be a media focal point during the NATO summit, where Turkey will find itself in a difficult position as a country both directly affected by the crises on the agenda and reluctant to take any decisive action.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (L) attends a meeting with Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara April 4, 2011. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR2KSUV

Recep Tayyip Erdogan will make his international debut as president in the West this week when he attends the NATO summit in Newport, Wales.

Despite the low turnout from the United States and Europe for his Aug. 28 inauguration, Erdogan is expected to be a point of attraction for the media during the Sept. 4-5 summit. He has earned an international reputation as an abrasive leader, frequently using anti-Western rhetoric to shore up domestic support.

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