The Balkans — which, prior to the formation of Yugoslavia, was part of the Ottoman Empire for five centuries — is another region where Turkey is playing a helpful role. The impetus for Turkey’s diplomatic initiative, aside from a general desire to extend its influence, was the strain that its 2008 support for Muslim-majority Kosovo’s independence caused in Serbia, which has strongly opposed the former province becoming a sovereign state. Since that time, Turkey has played a busy role in the Balkans, facilitating summits between the region’s leaders.
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