Turkey's decision to make a mosque out of Hagia Sophia is an internal matter of the country, and no one should interfere, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said, drawing attention to the significance of this object in terms of world culture and civilization.
The State Council of Turkey - the country's highest administrative court-on July 10 annulled the decision of 1934 to turn Hagia Sophia into a museum. Immediately after that, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree to turn the cathedral into the mosque and start Muslim services there.
"You are aware of the wide public response that this issue has received both in our country and abroad. In general, we believe that this is about Turkey's internal affairs, which, of course, neither we nor others should interfere in. At the same time, we pay attention to the significance of this object from the point of view of the object of world culture and civilization," Vershinin told reporters.
Russian Foreign Ministry: Turkey needs careful attitude to the cathedral Sofia
The Russian side informs its Turkish partners about the need to take care of such a historical object as Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, which previously lost its status as a museum. This was stated on Monday by the Russian President's Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in an open interview with the First Deputy Director General of TASS Mikhail Gusman.
"Of course, this is a world cultural heritage issue, a UNESCO issue, and I think such a unique historical and cultural object as Hagia Sophia in Istanbul requires a very careful and attentive attitude. And I think that this position is generally understandable, and on this basis, we have already made official statements and convey this position to the leadership of the Republic of Turkey," he said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from RIA Novosti, TASS