Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
March 31 2007

Turkish Ambassador Says Armenian Anxiety concerning Reconstruction of
Akhtamar Church Illogical

Azerbaijan, Baku/ Trend , corr. S. Ilhamgizi/ Hussein Avni Karslioglu
has said today that Armenian anxiety concerning the reconstruction of
Akhtamar Church situated nearby the Van Lake yields to no logic.

He expressed an opinion concerning the statements of the Armenian
mass media that the restoration of Akhtamar Church was allegedly an
attempt to wipe all steps of Armenians from there, The Turkish
Ambassador said that Turkey had always respectfully and carefully
treated the past and its ancient history, and preserved it as it was.
` Turkey does care about which nations built ancient monuments
situated on its territory, and whom they belong to. There are
monuments in Turkey built by Georgians, Armenians, Arabs, Greeks, and
representatives of other nations. But all of them are the subject of
our history. Contrary to different claims made by Armenians, the
Turks are proud of their ancient history. The monuments belong to
non-Muslims, churches, synagogues have always reconstructed at the
expense of the Turkish State,’ said the Ambassador.

The Turkish diplomat added that representatives of the Armenian
nation destroyed tens of ancient monuments on the territory of
Azerbaijan in 1918, as well as during the Karabakh War battles in
early 1990s.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress