POPE ARRIVES IN ANKARA
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
30/11/2006
After public insinuations as well as violent protest demonstrations
in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and other towns of Turkey, Pope Benedict
XVI at last arrived in Ankara. Meanwhile Turkish public explains the
unrest by the Pope’s defamatory words addressed to the Islamic world,
"The Guardian" newspaper focused attention on a demonstration organized
by the "Happiness" Islamic party in Istanbul, November 26.
The British newspaper pointed out an expression by the party leader
Reja Kutan that the Pope is "the assignee of Satan on earth". "The
Daily Telegraph" reports about a banner saying that "Christ is not
the son of God but a prophet of Islam".
The Pope, who arrived in Turkey by the invitation of Presient Ahmed
Nejdet Sezeri, was met in the airport by Prime Minister Rejep Tayip
Erdogan, who has postponed his departure for Riga, where he is to
take part in a NATO summit. Mr. Erdogan expressed his contentment
to Benedictus XVI and emphasized his meeting in the context of the
dialogue of civilizations. On his way from the Ankara airport the
Pope visited the tomb of Ataturk. The Pope was officially received
at President Sezeri’s residence.
On his meeting with the Turkish president the Supreme Pontiff discussed
the relations between Vatican and Turkey and regional development
issues. Benedict XVI was also received by Minister of State Mehmed
Ali Sahin and the head of the Governmantal Department for Religion
Issues Ali Bardaqoglu. On November 29 the Pope is to visit Izmir,
Ephesus and at last Istanbul.
The Turkish authorities expect that in spite of all anxiety about
the Pope’s visit to the Constantinople Orthodox Patriarchy and the
Aya Sofia temple, he will give the Turkish public a positive message
and thus assist the establishment of contact between the Western and
Islamic civilizations.