LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Overnight talks in Turkey may have provided a peaceful way to end two weeks of often violent anti-government protests there. A plan to build on a small park in Istanbul's downtown Taksim Square prompted an outpouring of opposition to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. That led to clashes between police and protestors that have killed at least five people and injured hundreds. Erdogan took a hard line against the protests and threatened to end them by the weekend, but activists say he has now pledged to honor a pending court ruling on the construction, and that could also lead to public referendum. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.