Turkish Armenians Patriarch: Turkey Has Enough Experience And Doesn't Need Lesson Of Others

ISTANBUL - Mesrob Mutafian, the Patriarch of Turkish Armenians, said on Friday that Turkey had ruled three continents as an empire, had been very experienced in state affairs and had been ruling by a republic for 80 years, adding, ''this is a very big experience. Now, others should not teach us lessons by reports released by foreign countries about what we should and should not do. Because, Turkey has enough experience to decide about it.''
Mutafian and Sisli Mayor Mustafa Sarigul opened Surp Vartanans Armenian Church in Ferikoy district of Istanbul which was restored by Sisli Municipality.
Speaking in the ceremony, Mutafian drew attention that 20-25 thousand of 85 thousand Armenian society in Istanbul were living in Ferikoy and stressed that this number showed importance of this church among 38 churches in Istanbul.
Mutafian said that Turkey had taken significant steps in interreligious dialogue especially for the last ten years and recalled that leaders of societies of several religions meet in evening meals during Ramadan or Christmas.
The restoration lasted for almost two and a half months and cost 90 billion Turkish liras (TL).
Internal and external walls of the church have been restored and heating system was renovated.
(BRC-AÖ) 07.11.2003