Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Pope Benedict XVI to lend his support to the "Alliance of Civilizations," a joint Türkiye-Spain initiative launched at the United Nations in September 2004 to foster cooperation between Western and Muslim nations.
Speaking on Italian television, Erdogan said the pope could help shift the global atmosphere from conflict toward peace, given his standing as both a religious and political figure. Erdogan described backing the alliance as his singular request of the pontiff.
The initiative aims to bring together governments and civil society to reduce prejudice and misunderstanding across cultural and religious divides, with a particular focus on countering radical Islam.
Erdogan also revisited the controversy over Benedict's September remarks, which many Muslims interpreted as associating Islam with violence. He noted that respect for the prophets of all faiths is a requirement of Islamic belief and said followers of other religions should extend the same courtesy.
Erdogan will be absent from Ankara during the pope's 28 November to 1 December visit, as he is committed to attending the NATO summit in Riga, Latvia during that period.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.