TURKEY’S ARMENIAN MUSEUM PROVES PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE – PREMIER

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
5 Dec 04

Istanbul, 5 December: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
on Sunday (5 December) that those who saw the artefacts in the Surp
Pirgic Armenian Hospital Museum would see that everybody had been
coexisting in peace in Turkey.

Erdogan, who inaugurated the Yedikule Surp Pirgic Armenian Hospital
Museum, which was renovated by the Armenian Foundation, said that the
hospital was established by the Armenians upon the statement of Sultan
Mahmud II 172 years ago, and continued to serve patients since then.

“As the children of this country, we have coexisted in peace for
centuries. Our literature, architecture, humanitarian values, trade,
songs and cuisines have intermingled,” Erdogan said.

Erdogan said that he read statements of hospital’s executive board
chairman and deputy chairman Bedros Sirinoglu, who said that they were
faithful to Turkey and were living in prosperity with their 33
churches and 13 schools. They also asked why they should be minority
in a country of which they were a citizen.

“These statements are explaining not only Turkey but also the Armenian
citizens who are an indispensable part of us. Every artefact in this
museum clearly shows coexistence,” Erdogan stated.

Thanking the Armenian citizens for their contributions to Turkey,
Erdogan said: “Let’s see how the message given here will be reflected
to the world? We will continue developing humanitarian values in the
light of universal criteria. Long live our unity in these
territories’.”