Catholic World News News Feature
Declare Islam peaceful, Turkish leader urges Pope November 24, 2006
Turkey's religious-affairs minister has announced that during his visit next week, Pope Benedict XVI should declare that Islam is a religion of peace.
Ali Bardakoglu told the Reuters news agency that the Pope should make it clear that violence is caused by "fallible and misguided humans," not religious beliefs. "If they ask me if Christianity has been the cause of violence, I would say No," reasoned Turkey's top Muslim official.
Meanwhile the country's foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, has added his name to the list of government officials who will be unavailable to meet with Pope Benedict. The foreign minister explained that he will be attending a meeting of NATO leaders in Estonia.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already announced his plans to be at the NATO meeting during the Pope's visit. Vatican officials had downplayed the significance of the premier's absence, saying that they were always aware of Erdogan's plans to be in Estonia. But organizers of the papal visit had expected a meeting with the foreign minister.
Pope Benedict is still scheduled to meet with Turkey's President Necdet Sezer on the first evening of his stay in the country. The Turkish head of state will not meet the papal plane on his arrival, however. Turkish officials have consistently minimized the importance of the papal visit.
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