[MGSA-L] An update on Halki: With cautious optimism and unabated anticipation

Wed Aug 11 01:16:16 PDT 2004

While commenting on the commitment made by the (Turkish) Religious
Affairs Directorate to cover the electricity bills of synagogues in
Turkey, Hurriyet's Columnist Ertugrul Ozkok has touched on Patriarch
Vartholomaios' comments as reported recently by Reuters (vide infra):

"... By the way, I'd also like to touch upon a recent controversy which
also involved the Jewish community. Last weekend Reuters quoted Fener
Greek Patriarch Bartholomew as saying, 'Freedom of religion is
restricted in Turkey.'  This statement wasn't welcomed among the Jewish
community, which firmly rebuked it and decided to announce that it
disagrees with the patriarch. In a statement released yesterday,
Istanbul's chief rabbi said that Jews living in Turkey don't face any
problems concerning religious freedom or practicing their faith. Reuters
has apologized, saying that the statement had been misquoted. All these
events show how the Turkish state has good relations with its non-Muslim
citizens."

[Excerpted from the today's 'Columns' section of the BYEGM in accordance
with 'Fair Use'
http://www.byegm.gov.tr/YAYINLARIMIZ/chr/ing2004/08/04x08x11.htm#%208
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=24239
Copyright 2004 Office of the [Turkish] Prime Minister, Directorate of
Press and Information.]

The response from the Press Office of the Patriarchate was swift in an
effort to allay any concerns and/or misreadings:
http://www.hurriyetim.com.tr/haber/0,,sid~381@nvid~452309,00.asp

It is noteworthy that the Turkish (liberal) daily Hurriyet has a
longstanding interest on matters of the Patriarchate and the (vestigeal
nowadays) Greek minority in Istanbul, which dates back to the heydays of
Sedat Simavi and Hikmet Bil (i.e., in the 1940s and 1950s).

C.D.K.

"Christos D. Katsetos" wrote:

> The Halki saga drags on.  In his latest interview with Reuters, the
> Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios expressed his cautious optimism but
> also his unabated anticipation for the long-awaited reopening of the
> Theological School of Halkê/Halki (Heybeliada in Turkish).
> http://www.byegm.gov.tr/YAYINLARIMIZ/chr/ing2004/08/04x08x09.htm#%208
> http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc_id=470595
>
> Yet, the style by which the news story was presented in today's
> English edition of Hürriyet, the highest circulation daily in Turkey
> [which has been keeping --for some time, a "close eye on the
> Patriarch"
> http://www.hurriyetim.com.tr/haber/0,,sid~381@nvid~379285,00.asp ] is
> both quite telling and open to reasonable speculation.
>
> [Excerpted from
> http://www.hurriyetim.com.tr/haber/0,,sid~381@nvid~451787,00.asp
> in accordance with 'Fair Use' © Copyright 2004 Hürriyetim]
>
>
> *************************************************************************
>
> 'Religious Freedom Is Restricted in Turkey'
>
> Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos, who was often praising religious
> freedom in Turkey, talked differently to Reuters. Alleging that the
> religious freedom concept in Turkey was restricted and superficial,
> Bartholomeos called on EU to put pressure on Turkey for the opening of
> Preachers School which was closed in 1971.
>
> Previously, Bartholomeos had said that they sent love and peace
> messages to the world and that this was a "Picture deserved by Turkey
> which proceeds in EU road with determination and courage." He had also
> said that they were practicing their religious obligations and duties
> with great liberty.
>
> Having expressed previously that the religious freedoms in Turkey were
> complete, Bartholomeos said this time that Turkey could not still
> provide a complete assurance on religious freedom. He also specified
> that he was optimistic that Heybeliada Preachers School would be
> opened soon.
>
> Answering the questions of Reuters news agency, he said that they had
> freedoms in respect of fulfilling all religious services but they did
> not have any right to administer the churches, foundations,
> monasteries, cemeteries and schools.
>
> He also asserted that as a result, most of these were covered by the
> State administration and financially abused. He added that they did
> not have any financial and administrative independence and any right
> to administer themselves. He also emphasized that he supported the EU
> membership of Turkey.
>
> (Hürriyetim)
> http://www.hurriyetim.com.tr/haber/0,,sid~381@nvid~451787,00.asp
>
>
> *************************************************************************
>
> Last but not least, the choice of words used in the above article is
> noteworthy, albeit not unexpected: "Fener Greek Patriarch" instead of
> Ecumenical Patriarch (which, 'in all fairness' to Hürriyet, is
> officially forbidden in Turkey...) and "Heybeliada Preachers School"
> instead of Heybeliada (Halki) Theological School or Seminary.
>
> C.D.K.
>
> Related links
> http://www.ec-patr.gr/docdisplay.php?id=31&cat=deltio
> http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc_id=464387
> http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc_id=462847
> https://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/mgsa-l/2004-July/003764.html
> http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/mgsa-l/2004-April/003255.html
> http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/mgsa-l/2004-March/003000.html
> http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/mgsa-l/2004-March/003013.html
>
> ttps://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/mgsa-l/2004-August/003877.html
>
>
>
>
>
>
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