TURKEY’S CULTURE MINISTER WANTS TO COOPERATE WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.04.2009 00:34 GMT+04:00

Turkey and Armenia should cooperate to restore the ancient town of Ani,
said Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay, adding that any such effort would
require a resolution of the problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia,
Hurriyet Daily News reports.

The ministry’s plans for cooperation between the two countries are
not limited to restoration work. He said he hoped to undertake many
joint cultural projects with both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The ancient town of Ani was the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia
between 961 and 1045. Its ruins are situated in the Arpacay region of
the northeastern province of Kars, on the Turkish side of the border
between the two countries.

Gunay said world-renowned Turkish piano virtuoso Idil Biret would
hold a concert in Armenia in the next few months as part of her
Caucasus tour. "We have certain sensitivities, but we also are aware
that cultural activities can play a key role in resolving political
issues," he said. "This is a first step."

The Turkish government’s practice of calling the town "Ani," rather
than Ani, in order to give it a more Turkish character has also been
a source of controversy. When asked about the matter, Gunay implied
that it would soon be resolved. "I find changing the original names
of historical sites meaningless," he said. "Such names harm no one."

The culture minister said the current restoration efforts in Ani
would soon turn their focus to the town’s cathedral and that Armenian
experts had recently attended a meeting on the project. The World
Monuments Fund would support the restoration of the cathedral, he said.

Gunay added that the ministry was also ready to contribute to the
Turkish-Armenian community in Istanbul’s efforts to find the funds
to restore the 500-year-old Surp Giragos Church in the southeastern
province of Diyarbakir.

But the community fears any application for help would result in the
church being restored as a museum rather than a place of worship that
would serve the community, as happened with the Surp Church on the
island of Akdamar in the eastern province of Van.

Gunay said if the community filed a request, his ministry would be
glad to be of assistance, adding, "We have the utmost respect for
all beliefs."