VATICAN - Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II met on Monday with Pope John Paul II as a part of his visit to European countries to support Turkey's European Union (EU) accession process.
Following the meeting, Mesrob II told A.A correspondent that the meeting was very positive.
Mesrob II quoted Pope as saying that he knew that Turkey want to join the EU and Europe had a Jewish-Christian history.
Pope said that Turkey was in that history, Mesrob II said.
Mesrob II noted that Pope did not say anything more about the EU because it was just a courtesy visit.
When he was reminded that circles in Vatican said that Vatican was a factor against Turkey's EU accession and asked if it was true, Mesrob II said, ''no, it is not. I met with German Cardinal Walter Kasper, the head of the Papacy Interreligious Dialogue Commission. I got the impression that neither he nor the pope thought that way.''
Mesrob II also met with Rocco Buttiglione, Italian Minister of the EU Policy and Christian Democrats Union leader.
''It was a good meeting. They are close to Turkey. I got the impression that discussions on giving Turkey a date to start negotiations with the EU before 2005 continue among them and among European countries. I got the impression that they think of giving a date for a date or a closer conditional date. But, they want to make Turkey's work easier,'' Mesrob II added.
MESROB II: TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION WILL ALSO BE BENEFICIAL FOR MINORITIES
Mesrob II said on Monday that Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU) would also be beneficial for the minorities.
Following his contacts with Vatican's Foreign Minister Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, Mesrob II held a press conference in Turkey's Embassy in Rome.
Mesrob II said that Turkey's EU membership process would also be beneficial for the Armenian Patriarchate.
In his opinion, Turkish people wanted EU accession for economic reasons and this was right, Mesrob II noted.
Touching on his meeting with Tauran, Mesrob II said, ''Tauran clearly stated that they were not against Turkey's EU accession but they had some expectations. Vatican's main expectation from Turkey is legal recognition of Catholic society.''
Mesrob II stressed that there was freedom of religion and tolerance in Turkey.
Noting that Turkey was a big country of strategic importance, Mesrob II said that minority was never the prior problem in Turkey and they did not bring this issue into front place.
Touching on his meeting with Christian Democrats Union leader Uttiglione, Mesrob II said, ''the Italians hope that some positive developments related with secularism can be recorded by Abdullah Gul government. Although state and religious affairs are separated from each other, a secularism in which human beings respect to religion is expectation of Christian Democrats from Turkey.''