TURKEY DOESN’T KNOW HOW MANY ARMENIAN MONUMENTS THERE ARE

Aysor
Oct 20 2009
Armenia

"We wish that all the minorities in this country felt good. That
is the reason why we repair the churches of the Armenian and other
nations. When we repair we think that it’s ours and not the others. It
is ours and yours too", – said Ismet Ilmaz the deputy minister of
the Culture and Tourism in Turkey on the meeting with the Armenian
journalists in Ankara.

He mentioned that the protection of the historical monuments on the
Turkish lands is the problem of their ministry. He also reminded
that Turkey has got lands of so many different nations that it is
difficult to determine how many monuments there are belonging to all
those nations.

In the same time I. Ilmez said that in the last period the generations
are so tolerant in the question of repairing the historical monuments
and he brought the example of Akhtamar Holly Cross church.

"The preparations depend on the budget. Often when you want to get sum
money from the budget they give it with difficulties, then you have
to ask for money from the government again. For example Aya Sophia is
being repaired little by little, so when you reach the end you have to
start it from the beginning. It is 20 years already that we repair Aya
Sophia",- informed the Turkish Deputy Minister of culture and tourism.

He hoped that on the upcoming years there can be repaired more
historical buildings.

On the question that in Turkey they do not know how many Armenian
historical monuments there are Ismit Ilmaz said: "We are ready to
work together with the Armenian side on reconstruction works of the
Armenian churches and monuments."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress