Coepa Rejects Request About Opening Of Haghia Sophia As A Church

ANKARA (A.A) - 29.03.2002 - The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA) did not take the motion about opening of Haghia Sophia as a church again onto its agenda.
Holding a press conference, COEPA Deputy Speaker and Turkish Delegation Chairman Uluc Gurkan gave information to journalists about the meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Gurkan said, ''the motion submitted with signatures of 27 deputies under the leadership of COEPA's Romanian member Vadim Tudar, was not taken onto the agenda with the votes of 22 deputies against 20.''
''Especially Hungarian and British parliamentarians supported my reaction to the motion in which Istanbul was defined as 'Constantinapole: splendid Christian city under occupation'. The motion requests opening of Haghia Sophia as a church again. Consequently, the motion remained as a crazily initiative,'' he said.
Gurkan told reporters, ''during my speech at the meeting in Saint Petersburg, I said that inclusion of such requests in the agenda of COEPA would lead other countries to make similar requests. There is a church in Greece which is being used as a dance hall. Turkey can request this church to be used as a mosque. One day IRA can request return to Catholic churches which were turned into Protestant churches. Such initiatives can give rise to religious hatred. Please do not open the Pandora's Box.''