Future of Akdamar wrapped in the word 'maybe'

Saturday, March 31, 2007
Turkish Daily News
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU - VAN

A small demonstration by nationalists in Van preceded the ceremony. Everyone acted as if it had not occurred. Some Turkish officials appeared distressed when dignitaries from Armenia, which Turkey does not have diplomatic relations with, entered the church wearing small Armenian flags. There were a few strange looks when some of the Armenian guests crossed themselves at the end of the ceremony, placed dozens of candles from Armenia in various parts of the church and lit incense. And when the regional governor offered his remarks, his lack of a word of welcome to the Armenian Minister of Culture Gagik Gürciyan and Turkey's Armenian Mesrop Mutafyan, was lost on no one. And the fact that none from the Armenian delegation were asked to speak at the ceremony was bit of silence that rang in everyone's ears.

The opening of the historic Armenian Holy Cross Church on the island of Akdamar, near Van in southeast Turkey, is intended as an exercise in good will, an effort to show Turkey bears no ill will toward Armenians despite many political problems, says Culture and Tourism Minister Atilla Koç.

Koç's comments to the Turkish Daily News came in a wide-ranging interview aboard his charter plane as he and his entourage returned from the ceremony, Thursday, which brought Turks and Armenians together in a rare and unusual forum.

As was much discussed in the press this week, the restoration and opening of the “Surp Khaç” church left many questions unresolved. Will it be allowed to eventually have its restored cross again placed on its roof? Might it actually function as a church one day, even if only for one service a year? Might the celebration have benefited had such a prominent Turkish-Armenian as world-renowned composer Sirvart Karamanukyan been invited to stage his opera “Ah Tamar” at the event?

Perhaps so, said Koç, conceding the project remains a work-in-progress and the event might have been improved upon, and perhaps a way can be found to actually let the church operate as a church.

“I have many Armenian and Greek friends from my school days and I am close to the culture,” Koç said. “We have no problems with the Armenians of Turkey, our problem is with the Armenians of the diaspora.”

Koç's frequent use of the word “maybe,” reflected the treacherous politics that surround the restoration of the historic church at a time when the U.S. Congress and others are pressuring Turkey to accept as “genocide” the deaths and deportations of much of the ethnic Armenian community of Ottoman Anatolia. That the opening followed by just two months the assassination of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, a murder now with many questions unresolved, only added to the undercurrent of tension.

A small demonstration by nationalists in Van preceded the ceremony. Everyone acted as if it had not occurred. Some Turkish officials appeared distressed when dignitaries from Armenia, which Turkey does not have diplomatic relations with, entered the church wearing small Armenian flags. There were a few strange looks when some of the Armenian guests crossed themselves at the end of the ceremony, placed dozens of candles from Armenia in various parts of the church and lit incense. And when the regional governor offered his remarks, his lack of a word of welcome to the Armenian Minister of Culture Gagik Gürciyan and Turkey's Armenian Mesrop Mutafyan, was lost on no one. And the fact that none from the Armenian delegation were asked to speak at the ceremony was bit of silence that rang in everyone's ears.

But if there were a few awkward moments, Koç made it clear that he is doing the best he can to highlight Turkey's diverse heritage and traditions and to keep the sacred distinct from politics.

“We will stand by our cultural wealth, regardless of which religion it belongs to,” he said.

He noted that Turkey is spending and has spent sizeable resources on the restoration, while equivalent restorations of Mosques and other Muslim sites in Greece remain stalled. He noted that Turkey has successfully worked to preserve the so-called Ani ruins, a historical Armenian site near Kars, despite dynamite used in the stone quarry across the border in Armenia which threatened their stability.

Koç in particular defended his ministry which is currently conducting work on 806 ancient theaters and archeological sites which include many ruins from Armenian and Greek cultures.

“All religions and religious sites are important to me,” Koç said.

Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.