Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cited a synagogue and two Armenian churches as examples of restored religious structures in Turkey, Milliyet reports.

Erdogan forgot, however, about dozens of other Armenian churches and monasteries that are used as reception halls or stables throughout Turkey, and many more that have been destroyed for centuries.

"In the past years, Turkish authorities have renovated some 250 historical monument," Erdogan said, citing the Grand Synagogue in Edirne and the Catholic and Protestant Armenian churches in Diyarbakir.

"This is what our forefathers did, and this is what we are going to do."

As reported recently, the half-destroyed Armenian church of St Thomas in the village of Altinsac in Turkey’s Van province is now being used as a stable.