Turkey as Mediator, or Something More, between islamic Communities in the Balkans.

Analyzing the attempts by Turkish political and religious administration to intervene in the unification of two parallel Muslim religious organizations in Serbia, the author explains the complexity of relations between religious and ethnic representatives in the Balkans, and examines just how serious Turkey is in taking on the new role of mediator in this case. An overview ofthe events which led to the creation of two parallel Islamic communities in Serbia emphasizes the involvement of politics in this process by highlighting the complicated interplay of religion, politics, and nationality among Bosniaks and other Islamic minorities, not only in Serbia, but also in the region. The issue of how new Turkish foreign policy in Southeastern Europe is seen by different groups, with a special focus on Bosniak religious and ethnic authorities, is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]