Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr.16
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey may open the Hagia Sofia museum for the believers in response to the statement of Pope Francis saying that 1915 events are "Armenian genocide", Grand Mufti (Islamic scholar) of Ankara Mifail Hizli, said.
At the beginning of the Mass, dedicated to the centennial of the so-called Armenian genocide, Pope Francis said on April 12 that in the XX century, mankind experienced three "big unprecedented tragedies" - the so-called Armenian genocide, Nazism and Stalinism.
The Pontiff described the tortures endured at the beginning of the last century by Armenians, Syrian Catholics and Orthodox, Assyrians and Greeks, as "the first genocide of the twentieth century."
Hizli said Pope's statement suggests that the Catholic Church expresses solidarity with Armenians by turning a blind eye to the suffering of Muslims during the First World War, Milliyet newspaper reported Apr.16.
Earlier, Turkish opposition said that the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul should operate as a mosque. A corresponding appeal has been sent to Turkish parliament for restoring the mosque status.
Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey's predecessor, the Ottoman Empire allegedly carried out "genocide" against the Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. Turkey in turn has always denied "the genocide" took place. While strengthening the efforts to promote the "genocide" in the world, Armenians have achieved its recognition by the parliaments of some countries.
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