Turkey calls protecting all its cultural assets including Hagia Sophia
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ANKARA – The Turkish government criticized the statement of the Secretary of the United States of America (US) Mike Pompeo who urged Ankara to maintain status Hagia Sophia as a museum. In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said that Turkey protected all its cultural assets including Hagia Sophia.
“We are shocked by the statement made by the US State Department about Hagia Sophia. We protect all cultural assets including Hagia Sophia, without discrimination within the framework of the tradition of tolerance of our culture and history,” Aksoy said.
Aksoy said that all matters concerning Hagia Sophia were internal affairs of the country as part of Turkey’s sovereign rights. According to him, anyone has no right to interfere in determining the sovereignty of a country.
“Hagia Sophia, located on our land belongs to Turkey, like all of our cultural assets. Everyone is free to express their opinions, but no one has the right to speak of our sovereignty with the words, ‘we urge’ or ‘we demand’,” said Aksoy.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Turkey to defend status Hagia Sophia as a museum. Pompeo said the Turkish government had managed the Hagia Sophia as a museum that was officially recognized by UNESCO.
“The status of the museum must be maintained as an example of (Turkey’s) commitment to respecting diverse religious and historical traditions, which contribute to Turkey,” Pompeo said.
Pompeo said the status of the Hagia Sophia as a museum can open access for people around the world to visit the place and reflect history. Pompeo added, the US views that changing the status of Hagia Sophia can reduce the value of inheritance contained in the building.
“The United States assesses changes in the status of Hagia Sophia can reduce the value of inheritance in this extraordinary and very rare building in the modern world, to serve humanity as an indispensable bridge between those with different religious and cultural traditions,” Pompeo said.
Hagia Sophia was originally built as a Byzantine cathedral in 537, converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in Istanbul on May 29, 1453. Then Hagia Sophia became a museum in 1935 under the presidency of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Over the years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly suggested turning the UNESCO world heritage site into a mosque again. Survey results show that the majority of Turks want a change to this mosque, which has raised Greek concerns.
Turkey’s highest court will decide the status of Hagia Sophia on July 2. Some parties support Turkey’s policy and there are even proposals to make Islamic and Christian places of worship.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/turkey-slams-pompeo-over-hagia-sophia-remarks/1896687
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