  Turkish-Armenian MP regrets Hagia Sophia conversion into mosque July 11, 2020 - 12:35 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Armenian lawmaker Garo Paylan has said that the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in Istanbul will make life more difficult for Christians in Turkey and for Muslims in Europe. "A sad day for Christians & for all who believe in a pluralist Turkey," Paylan said on social media after Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the decision after a court annulled the site's museum status. "Hagia Sophia was a symbol of our rich history. Its dome was big enough for all." Built 1,500 years ago as an Orthodox Christian cathedral, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453. In 1934 it became a museum and is now a Unesco World Heritage site. Now, once again, it will be a mosque.   Top stories The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. London’s Armenian community has been left feeling “under attack” after the city’s Genocide monument was vandalised. The United States believes there should be an international mission to provide transparency.   Partner news |  Latest news Turkey extends military presence in Azerbaijan  The Turkish parliament has adopted a bill submitted by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extend the mandate of Turkish troops.Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skillsArmenian, Saudi Foreign Minister meet in Riyadh The two commended the positive dynamics of the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi ArabiaPashinyan: Azerbaijan’s proximity shouldn’t worry border residents At the same time, he said that he “does not guarantee [the security of villagers] one hundred percent”. |
