RESTORATION OF SURP KHACH CHURCH ON AKHTAMAR IS OVER
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
24/08/2006
PM Erdogan to Officially Open it in September
Atilla Koc, minister of culture and tourism of Turkey, spoke to
journalists aboard a ship to Greece and touching upon the restoration
works of Surp Khach church on Akhtamar Island he said that all works
are over and the church will open its doors before visitors in October
after an official opening ceremony attended by prime minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.
"Turkey attaches importance to the opening of the church on Akhtamar
that’s why culture ministers of all countries headed by the minuets
of Armenia and France will be invited to see that our country –
the cradle of civilization – is also a center of tolerance and the
church of Akhtamar is the example of it."