STATE MINISTER SAHIN: NO PLANS TO GIVE AWAY THE HAGIA SOPHIA
Hurriyet, Turkey
Sept 27 2006
State Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin yesterday in Ankara responded to
opposition claims that the Hagia Sophia was "being given away" by
showing MPs in his parliamentary group a photocopy of the historical
building’s title deed. Said Sahin to a group of MPs, "Look, I am
holding a copy of the deed. The Hagia Sophia was the pious trust
of Fatih Sultan Mehmet. And the deed for that pious trust is under
the General Directorate of Foundations, which is connected to my
ministry. So, don’t worry. We own the Hagia Sophia, and we are not
thinking of giving it to anyone."
Speaking on the subject of a declaration published in newspapers and
written by 184 ethnically Greek and Armenian citizens of Turkey, Sahin
said "Can there really be any difference, as far as our constitution
is concerned, between Muslim and non-Muslim citizens of the Turkish
Republic? Why are people giving in to suspicions like this?"