JUST ANOTHER LIBERAL DEMOCRACY:

International backing given to Turkish reform vote (BBC, 9/12/10)

The changes are aimed at bringing Turkey in line with the European Union, which the government wants to join.

With nearly all votes in the referendum counted, about 58% had voted "Yes" to amending the constitution.

Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the result meant the country had "crossed a historic threshold toward advanced democracy and the supremacy of law".