DAKAR - "We hope that Pope's visit to Turkey help him to better understand Turkey's tolerant and moderate values," State Minister Besir Atalay told a committee meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference on Tuesday.
Addressing a meeting of the OIC's Permanent Committee on Information and Culture (PCIC), Atalay said, "despite earlier remarks of Pope Benedict XVI hurt Muslims, I hope that Pope's visit to Turkey would produce positive consequences."
Pope, who quoted an emperor that characterized the Prophet Muhammad's teachings as "evil and inhuman," unleashed a strong wave of anger and was severely criticized in the Muslim world.
Atalay also said that the Permanent Committee on Information and Culture (PCIC) could play important role in the fight against Islamophobia.