OLD TURKISH-ARMENIAN BRIDGE TO BECOME PEACE PASSAGE

Hurriyet Daily News
May 6 2010
Turkey

Projects for a historical bridge that is expected to connect the
two sides of the Ani ruins between Turkey and Armenia are being
accelerated. International Council of Monuments and Sites Chairman
Gagik Gyurjian says the bridge should become a peace passage between
the two countries. Others, however, say the project’s goals should
be more international

Both Turkish and Armenian experts have been focusing on restoration
to the ruins of the ancient city of Ani, situated on the Armenian
border in the eastern province of Kars.

Despite almost negligible progress in the normalization process between
Turkey and Armenia, cultural representatives from both countries have
been quietly restoring shared heritage important to both.

"We can collaborate with non-governmental organizations away from
the shadow of politics. We do not need to wait for the opening of
borders for a peace passage," chairman of the International Council
of Monuments and Sites Gagik Gyurjian recently told the Hurriyet
Daily News & Economic Review.

Both Turkish and Armenian experts have been focusing on restoration to
the ruins of the ancient city of Ani, situated on the Armenian border
in the eastern province of Kars, and work on the Surp Hac (Holy Cross)
Armenian Church on Akdamar Island in the eastern province of Van.

The two countries should now focus on converting the ruined historic
bridge at Ani into a peace passage joining Turkey and Armenia, the
former Armenian Culture Minister said, adding that he was ready to
start working with Turkish officials and nongovernmental organizations
as soon as possible to realize the project.

Politics and debate on the holy cross

In spite of political tensions, Turkey has announced plans to open
the historical Surp Hac (Holy Cross) Armenian Church on Akdamar Island
in eastern Turkey for prayer once a year.

Scheduled to open for a service on Sept. 12, the church, whose
restoration work was finished in 2007, is still the subject of
controversy because no cross has yet been affixed to the top of
the chapel.

Gyurjian, who represented Armenia during the church’s restoration
process, said he believes the cross will be put in its place before
the church service.

"There was no debate about the cross before or during the restoration
process. Now, a short time before the opening, news wondering whether
the cross would be put on or not has begun to appear. The event has
gained a political dimension, otherwise the cross would have been in
its place in the opening."

As for the decision that the church will open for prayer once a year,
Gyurjian said: "Prayers should not have been limited. This approach
is not sincere."

The leader of the Armenian committee in Turkey, Aram AteÅ~_yan, told
the Turkish press last week that having the church open for services
only once a year was insufficient. "I leave the matter of the holy
cross to the consideration of our prime minister."

Turks and Armenians working in tandem

When asked about the common view that Turkey had made a leap in recent
years toward the restoration of Armenian churches within Anatolia,
Gyurjian said: "Our cultural artifacts have been destroyed up until
this point and our traces have been denied. They are Armenian cultural
artifacts, but they now form part of the richness of Turkey."

Discussing the collaboration of Turkish and Armenian experts on
restoring the Ani ruins and the Surp Hac Church, Gyurjian said:
"Some of the ruins are in Turkey and the other part is in Armenia. It
should be protected as a whole. Both Turkey and Armenia are members
of UNESCO, so our responsibilities are the same."

Ani was an international city

Although Gyrujian is determined to create a peace bridge between the
two countries, Armenian Monuments Awareness Project President Richard
Ney said the bridge should become an international world peace passage
rather than just a link between Turkey and Armenia.

"The protection of the region around Ani is important because of the
role the area played historically. As a fulcrum of the Silk Road,
Ani was more than a capital for Armenia," he said.

"It was also a center of international trade and a city of peace. In
its heyday, Arabs and Europeans, Christians and Muslims lived in
peace and prosperity. Ani was truly an international city," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress