Pope arrives in Turkey
Before leaving Rome, Benedict had stressed the “pastoral” nature of his trip to Turkey, the first he has made to a Muslim country since his comments about Islam in September, which sparked violence in several Muslim populated countries, including Turkey.
“This is not a political visit but a pastoral mission aimed at promoting dialogue and a common commitment to peace,” the Pontiff said, according to the Anatolian news agency.
Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who long delayed saying whether he would even meet the German-born Pontiff, greeted Benedict warmly as he stepped off his plane and had a short conversation with him about dialogue between religions and cultures.
Prior to the meeting, the Pope and Erdogan made a brief declaration to members of the press. The Pope expressed his pleasure at being in Turkey while Erdogan declared he was pleased to see the pope in the country.
Benedict who before his 2005 election as Pope had opposed Turkey’s EU ambitions, made his comment at those talks, Erdogan told journalists before leaving for the Riga NATO summit. “He said we are not political but we wish for Turkey to join the EU,” Erdogan said. Erdogan added: “The most important message the Pope gave was towards Islam, he reiterated his view of Islam as peaceful and affectionate”.
A massive security operation surrounds the visit. Much of downtown Ankara has been closed to traffic as the Pope makes the rounds of the presidential palace and the mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of the modern republic of Turkey.
The Pope will visit Ephesus where the Virgin Mary is reputed to have lived and died.
