Embattled political leaders often find it beneficial to leave their opponents carping at home and to take a break in foreign capitals.
So it is for Turkey’s besieged Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who earlier this month took a break from his confrontation with a puritanical Islamic group deeply embedded in the country’s judiciary and police forces. Erdogan headed for Southeast Asia, where he promoted free trade agreements with Singapore and Malaysia.
The negotiations with Malaysia are furthest forward; negotiations with Singapore are just starting.
