Turkey: We consider demise of Pope John Paul as an important loss in the name of tolerance and peace

ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Ministry on Sunday expressed sorrow over the demise of Pope John Paul and stated Turkey considered his death as ``an important loss in the name of tolerance and peace.``
In a written statement the ministry said, ``we are sorry to hear demise of Pope John Paul, the leader of Catholic world and who has gained the love and appreciation of the whole world by dedicating himself to peace and tolerance.``
The statement said, ``Pope John Paul, acting on tolerance and love, reiterated calls for cooperation and solidarity against every difficulty which humanity faced throughout his 27-year old mission.``
The statement said Pope John Paul, who called on world`s statesmen to a better world and exerted efforts for this, was an exceptional personality who gained the love of all peoples of the world called on statesmen to a better world and exerted efforts for this.``
The statement said, ``we consider demise of Pope John Paul, who is known to have love and sympathy toward our country, and who visited Turkey in 1979 within the scope of his first visits abroad, as a loss in the name of tolerance and peace.``
The statement said Turkey shared the sorrow of the Catholic world, and offer Turkey`s condolences to whole Christian world.