Turkish and Vatican officials confirmed on Sunday that Pope Benedict XVI's scheduled visit to Türkiye in late November would proceed, despite an eruption of anger in the Muslim world over remarks he made earlier in the week.
The controversy began when Benedict, speaking at a university in Germany, quoted a 14th-century Byzantine emperor who portrayed the Prophet Mohammed's teachings as violent and inhuman. The statements drew wide condemnation, casting doubt over the November 28-30 trip, which would be the first papal visit to Türkiye in 27 years.
Benedict expressed deep regret on Sunday, saying the words did not reflect his personal opinion. Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone said there was no reason to cancel. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul confirmed Türkiye's intention to host the pope, though he called the original remarks "really unfortunate."
Officials on both sides warned the visit would be difficult. Turkish State Minister Mehmet Aydin said the world expected the pope to address the confusion his words had caused. The apostolic vicar for Anatolia, Luigi Padovese, said he was unsure whether Turkish public opinion was ready for the visit.
Benedict carried an additional liability: before becoming pope, he had called Türkiye's EU membership bid a grave error, a position that had already made him an unpopular figure in the country well before the speech.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.