Turkey's PM Erdogan undergoes second and final surgery; to resume work within the next week The USA Times

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Friday, May 25, 2012

Turkey's PM Erdogan undergoes second and final surgery; to resume work within the next week

ANKARA, Turkey - Officials say Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had surgery for non-cancerous intestinal polyps in November, has successfully undergone a second and final operation.

The prime minister's office says he underwent surgery for a half-hour Saturday, and will resume work within the next week. It says "the health of our prime minister is absolutely good."

The 57-year-old Erdogan vanished from public life for nearly a month after the initial surgery on Nov. 26 - surgery kept secret from the public. His aides also remained tightlipped for days, leaving many Turks concerned about his health.

The potential implications of any health issue are big since Erdogan has loomed large over this mostly Muslim NATO ally since his appointment in early 2003.