In Turkey to Strengthen Ties, Biden Refuses to Ignore a Host's Economic Boast.

ISTANBUL -- Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. came to this ancient city that spans Europe and Asia to talk about building bridges between the United States and the Islamic world. But on Saturday, he felt compelled to brush back a challenge from his Turkish hosts. Mr. Biden was a keynote speaker at an annual gathering of students and young entrepreneurs that President Obama inaugurated last year as a way of encouraging American-style business in Muslim countries. This entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Biden said, had helped to fuel the political uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]