Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu at weekend paid visits to religious leaders in Istanbul to contribute to the continuation of religious peace in the Balkans, Middle East and elsewhere, Today’s Zaman reported.
Davutoğlu visited Greek Patriarch Bartholomew I. Speaking to reporters later, Davutoğlu said that it was their main principle “to see all religious communities sharing a common cultural life in peace.”
The Minister also visited the patriarchal vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Turkey, Mor Filiksinos Yusuf Çetin, Assyrian Catholic Church leader Chorepiscopus Yusuf Sağ, and İshak Haleva, the chief rabbi of Turkey's Jewish Community.
During a meeting with Armenian Deputy Patriarch of Turkey Aram Ateshyan, Davutoğlu said that “in the future all prejudices will be left beyond, and a stable peace will be established both in Turkey and in the Caucasus.”
Davutoğlu stated that one of the main elements is to establish mutual understanding among religious communities and to transfer this to the political level. Patriarch Ateshyan said that until the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in Turkey, no ministers or deputies in the country knew the way to the Patriarchate.
Representing the Armenian community living in Turkey as an integral part of the country, Ateshyan said, "If Armenians are deported from Turkey, one of Turkey's two legs will be crippled."
