Police clear Istanbul protest, Erdogan meets protesters

Demonstrators retreated from an Istanbul protest square Wednesday after a night of running battles with riot police as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan clamped down on mass demos against his Islamic-rooted government.

The premier, meanwhile, was meeting with several protest leaders but it was unclear exactly who would be taking part in the meeting scheduled for 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) at Erdogan's office in Ankara, and whether the meeting will have an impact in brokering an end to the protests. (News agencies)