Turkey’s Chief European Union Negotiatior and Minister of State Egemen Bagis stated that the reconstruction of the Akdamar Armenian Church on Akdamar Island in Lake Van will be accomplished before Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan’s visit to Turkey for watching the soccer game between national teams of Turkey and Armenia.
Egemen Bagis said, “We will finish reconstruction before the visit of Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan to Turkey.” Responding to the question of a journalist wheter inauguration of a cross on the church would cause reaction, Minister of State said, “I saw a closed mosque in Athens. That bored me. And when i saw the situation of the Akdamar church it bored me too. Is not it so disturbing? Akdamar is the source of wealth for our country. What happens when they open mosques in Europe? Why we would ban this?”
“All religions are respected. Besides this church will attract Armenian tourists here, what will help development of tourism in the region,” Bagis said.
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